Seed sowing and space!!

[gojiberry]

I think it is probably true that we all want more space for seed sowing. I am by some standards very well off for seed sowing with having two fairly large hot beds with soil warming cables plus several heated propagators, but I still run out of space and have to juggle things about.

Ian

[Two_Sheds]

What varieties can you grow TS?

Thats not good news about the BNS.

Butternut squash require a long warm summer. If you want to have a go, choose a "northern" variety like Hawk or Hunter, and provide protection to get the Butternuts to fruit - they also need time to mature and harden off.

There are other winter squashes that do better than BNS in the north.

[COMPOST CORNER]

Thats not good news about the BNS. I'm in the central belt too Lavender and tried to grow some last year but I was really late in getting them started, they suffered quite badly with mildew and didn't produce any squashes.

I wasn't aware that they wouldn't grow here, I just thought my failure was due to my bad timing and i've gone and bought more seed for this year

I'm in Leicestershire and didn't even get my BNS to flower last year.

[Two_Sheds]

I struggle with BNS here in East Anglia (here on the coast we tend to get the same weather as N.E. Scotland)

[*Lavender*]

Thanks for that link Two Sheds - some great info one there. I also had a read at some old threads on here for winter squash recommendations for Scotland and picked up some good info!

I think I will give the butternuts a miss, however Uchiki Kuri was one on my list anyway and I'm glad to see others had success with it! I think I'll try some of the other squashes as well. I love them when I get them in my veg box - really looking forward to (hopefully!) cancelling it this year and eating some of my home grown stuff!

I've had another thought about growing under cover v sowing later outside - doesn't starting the plants off earlier inside give them some protection from slugs etc?? If you sow seeds outside how do you stop them all getting destroyed before they've even got started?!

[Two_Sheds]

doesn't starting the plants off earlier inside give them some protection from slugs etc?

yes it does, and that's the main reason I sow in modules

[Snadger]

We grow BNS indoors round here and a few brave souls managed to get a crop outdoors last year.

[Alison]

I once managed to get a single fruit from an outside one (think it was the summer before last) but don't bother anymore as there are other varieties which taste just as good (but perhaps don't look as pretty!) and produce far more fruits.

[basketcase]

Thanks for the link, TS!

[Bren In Pots]

My first year growing I had a few butternut squashes in buckets growing on a trailer leaned up against the wall. It must have been beginners luck because I haven't managed it since.