Feeding squashes (no compost)

[Trix]

Hello, complete newbie here! This year I have a garden for the first time ever and I'm keen to get some squashes (summer and winter) growing. I've been reading around and everywhere there are instructions to plant squashes in a well composted patch - but I don't have any! (I have managed to obtain some sawdust/manure for my compost pile but it's less than year old and not very rotted down yet so probably unsuitable?).

The veg areas I've cleared are sunny, and have been covered for some time so the soil seems ok and there are no weeds in the bits I'm using. I can get hold of nettles and/or seaweed for 'teas' if these will help - I think they're good for brassicas but what about squashes? What's the best way to give my squashes a great start in life?

Thanks! And nice to meet you

[KittyColdNose]

Hi Trix. How about buying a bag of compost to get you started? Last year I used partially rotted manure, dug a deep hole, dumped some in then soil on top before I planted the squash. Seemed to work ok. It was the lack of sunlight that did for the plant and we only got one small squash.

[Trix]

I do have some of the B&Q Verve compost left (is this good enough?). I was hoping to find a free/cheap way of doing this if possible as I've been a bit spendy recently - gardens are expensive

Thanks for your reply!

[KittyColdNose]

Why not do what we did and bury some of the manure then compost and plant on top?

[KittyColdNose]

We went a bit daft spending too the first year. Even now it's dangerous saying to my hubby "let's order some seeds".

There are some great money saving tips on the forum.

[Trix]

Yep - it's the seeds that cost me too - so tempting to grow all the lovely veg. Usually I'm a very keen moneysaver but a house move and new garden just proved all too exciting!

I think I will try what you suggested and hopefully the plants will like it - at least I know that someone else has done it and not immediately killed the plant. I think I've sown too many anyway so I can hope that a couple do ok.

Thanks!

[Scarlet]

A few years ago my kids used to get me manure from the field for 50p a bucket. The lazier of the two (twins) came back surrounded in flies, I'm sure he was stood behind the cow waiting!!! Anyway, I wanted to get rid of it quick as the flies were everywhere! I dug a hole tipped the bucket in, covered with some soil, news papers and some grass. Planted in my pumpkins - Honestly, I've never had pumpkins so big.

[Scarlet]

Some gardeners plant their squash plants in the compost bin....

[mrswadders]

i'm going to try that this year scarlet - will report back (if it works of course!)

[sparrow100]

Yep - it's the seeds that cost me too - so tempting to grow all the lovely veg. Usually I'm a very keen moneysaver but a house move and new garden just proved all too exciting!

Have a look at seed saving too - should cut down the seed expense quite a bit.

Am planting one of mine in my compost bin too - am curious to see whether it works.

[Samurailord]

If you know of any other gardeners in the area, why not see of they have any spare seed before you shell out and buy your own.

A lot of seed packets contain so many seed that you are never going to use them all, and you might even be able to cadge a few seedlings if your new-found friends have germinated more plants than they need as well.

Andy

[pigletwillie]

Some gardeners plant their squash plants in the compost bin....

When I had my three allotments I did just that. One plot had the composting area which consisted of 7 cubic metre cages. I planted 3-4 on top most years. When autumn came it was also dead easy to shove all the growth into one of the bins than carting it about.

[Two_Sheds]

plant squashes in a well composted patch

The reason for that is that they're very thirsty plants, and compost (any humus actually) helps the soil to hold onto water.

You can plant into ordinary soil, you just might need to water them more

[Trix]

That settles it - one on top of the compost pile (I'll make a hole and add some bagged compost for it), one in the ground (watered well) and one on top of unrotted manure/paper/compost in the ground. Cover all bases and I'll report back with results

[Trix]

If you know of any other gardeners in the area, why not see of they have any spare seed before you shell out and buy your own.

A lot of seed packets contain so many seed that you are never going to use them all, and you might even be able to cadge a few seedlings if your new-found friends have germinated more plants than they need as well.

Andy

I don't really know any local gardeners - tbh it's not something that really interested me before I got a garden. I might trawl facebook - there's usually a local swapping/selling group for pretty much everything there! The seed buying only got out of control when someone showed me the real seed catalogue - it was hard to resist - but I have been sharing what I ordered with family so hopefully nothing will be wasted.