Butternut Squash size

[pootle0102]

Hello,

Wondered if anyone can help me out with my butternut squash plant. I grew it from seed earlier in the year indoors and then replanted it in a container on the patio in May. It has grown quite well, had quite a few flowers that died and fell off. It now has one squash growing on it! My pride and joy of a squash is about 2" in diameter. However, it doesn't seem to have gotten any bigger over the last month or so. I was away on holiday for two weeks in July and was expecting to see a decent sized squash on my return. I have watered and fed it but the size is still more or less the same. How long does it take for them to grow to a reasonable size? Am I being too impatient?

Thank you

Julie

[Pumpkin Becki]

Mine finally set a fruit about a month ago, and it is probably about 12cm long now. It goes through stages of growing a bit and then doing nothing. It tried to set another fruit, but after a couple of weeks this got a rotten patch and so I cut it off.

I'd give yours a chance, it will need to stay on the plant until about September/October time to ripen anyway, just see how it goes.

[pootle0102]

Thanks for the reply! I think it is probably just me being impatient. I didn't realise they took that long to fully grow. I'll keep feeding and watering and see how it goes.

[Pumpkin Becki]

You're welcome Pootle, best of luck.

[mandi]

hi, how many fruit is it wise to allow to set on a vine? my butternut squash vines are huge with lots of baby fruits... how many is too many? any ideas?

[bluemoon]

I usually leave three or four, depending upon the size/health of the vine. Anymore than this and they simply don't grow fast enough to ripen before the frosts, I'm a fair bit further North than you though, so you migh get away with one or two more.

[Phreddy]

Squash of a type

I brought the seed from Malaysia for a try. It is a small type with orange flesh. A good substitute for the butternut variety.

[jogette]

Finally remembered to take a photo of my butternut Squash. Counted the fruit today and was amazed to find we have 17 fruits from five plants. Here are pix of two of the biggest ones and the littlest.

I'm so thrilled that they've grown so well and am hoping that other veg on the plot will learn from their example!

[bobleponge]

Agree with PB, you will need to leave them on the vine until much later in the year before they fully ripen.
I have 3 plants growing, and when I left home I had a good few on each plant, around about the sizes of Jogette's, so looking forward to having a bumper harvest when I get home at the end of September.
Being that little bit further south I probably get an extra week or two of good growing conditions which definitely helps with the slower growing later ripening things.

[Lavenderblue]

I would like to recommend the Uchiki Kuri squash - miles easier to grow than a butternut, less temperamental and prolific. I ate the first one yesterday in a soup and it was delicious!