I think I may have done an "Uh - oh"

[minicrank]

I have just finished topping up a couple of my raised vegetable beds with my lovely home made compost. I am very new to all this and only started growing vegetables in June. The compost has been on the go for a couple of years and it is mighty fine even if I do say so myself -EXCEPT - it is full of squash seeds (my family aren't keen on squash and so they often ended up in the compost heap (I get a veggie box)).

And so to my "Uh - oh" - am I going to end up with squash growing everywhere next year or will the winter kill the seeds off. If the former then I will try to pick out all of the seeds from my bed by hand. Thinking about it will the local birds do this ?

Sorry if this is a very silly question but I am new to all this and I ain't necessarily the world's brightest person !

[seasprout]

Hello

Welcome to the Vine.

I am 99% sure you will be picking Squash seedlings next spring. I've done the same thing with sunflowers and tomatoes.

It's no big thing, your squash seedlings will be big enough to get out easily.

[Two_Sheds]

Yes, you'll get seedlings! Better squash weeds than bindweed weeds though, think yourself lucky.
I have got self-seeded tomatoes, as most people do. I also have two tall sweetcorn plants, which have grown from cooked, eaten corn-on-the-cobs.

[Snadger]

Just look on it as a green manure!

[FionaH]

Or cheap seeds

[Kristen]

Repeat after me: "A weed is a plant in the wrong place"

Just pull them up when they germinate.

[Hazel at the Hill]

What do we do with an unwanted ...

SQUASH
a) pot up plants when they germinate next spring and give away to fellow plotholders/neighbours/school spring fair etc etc
b) ditto above but sell at car boot sale for 50p per plant
c) transplant seedling to otherwise redundant - say - 50 sq m plot and next year give away/sell squash to veg box people/local pub or restaurant/school etc etc

[Alice]

Well I guess I'll be getting loads of Squash, tomatoes, and courgettes from the compost heap next year - to go with the potatoes. Maybe I shouldn't bother planting any.

[Finedon.Dandy]

SQUASH
a) pot up plants when they germinate next spring and give away to fellow plotholders/neighbours/school spring fair etc etc
b) ditto above but sell at car boot sale for 50p per plant
c) transplant seedling to otherwise redundant - say - 50 sq m plot and next year give away/sell squash to veg box people/local pub or restaurant/school etc etc

Well done Hazel - my sentiments exactly!

[minicrank]

Thanks everyone, and Hazel at the hill - you have a really good idea there (wish I had good ideas once in a while !). At work I have two mates who both have allotments and the girl I sit next to likes squash (I found this out today when I made the mistake of telling my work mates what I had done !!) and so I reckon I will have some grateful takers - perhaps I can even do a swap !