Butternut Squash

[stavroslinni]

Hi all,
Id like to have a go at trying to grow some butternut squash this year.... i still have some seeds put a side from a shop brought one which went into a soup, are these worth planting or should i buy the F1 types from the seed shops ??
Has anybody else planted left over seeds and had good results without knowing what seed type they are ??

[Jeanied]

I think people usually use bought seeds or seeds from a hand pollinated butternut, SL. That's because the squash family cross so easily and the results are very variable. Last year one of my fellow plotholders had some very odd looking squash from bought seeds - they must have been a dodgy batch.
Sow 2nd week in April - plant out 3rd week in May, IIRC.

[stella]

I tried some last year and got them to germinate. They grew a lot of leaves but not 1 squash, mind you I shall try again this year, good luck

[Safhyre]

Stella...I tried last year....and I gord type things growing, I put it down to the fact I havent a clue on what I am doing

[Jelliebabe]

I grew two lovely butternut squashes from seeds that I saved from a shop bought one. Try again you never know - Its great to get free ones! Go for it - you have nothing to loose.

Look on my profile - I have some pics of one of them!

[zazen999]

It is great to get free ones - but can you afford to waste a year?

You don't have to have F1s either - Real Seeds do an open pollinated Waltham Butternut - 14 seeds for less than £2...and you can save your own seeds and never have to buy any again.

[stella]

A friend of mine put their home made compost from veggy peelings out on the garden and hey presto in the Autum 1 large butternut squash appeared.

[Two_Sheds]

Stavros, you're further north than me and I struggle to get butternuts ripe when we have a cool wet summer (like the last three)

Other squashes are more reliable: there are so many, have a search on here or a google

[stavroslinni]

free ones are definately the best.... i might try a couple just in a corner and hope they produce and ripen ok. Have put an order in for another squash though called sweet dumpling which looks as though its worth a try

[ragingbull81]

I have some bought waltham butternut squash seeds if you want them as I won't be trying them this year as it is my first year and I have bought too many seeds. If you want them let me know an address and I'll send them to you. There's about 15-20 I think

[Two_Sheds]

I have some bought waltham butternut squash ... I won't be trying them this year

They'll keep till next year

[Kristen]

I grow a no-name Butternut Squash that some kind internet-chum gives me seed for. Tastes fantastic.

Thought I would try a comparison last year, and also grew Suttons Cobnut F1. They were all sorts of shapes and sizes - round, bell, bananna ... Tasted OK, but not what I was expecting from an F1 packet costing £3.95, and were much smaller than the no-name ones.

However, they did mature very early (which probably accounts for the smaller size) which may be a bonus in parts of the UK

[BarleySugar]

I had a number of ones grow from compost that came from compost, but it wasn't intended, and they grew up the bean row, did well though. However I wouldn't rely on those, I did grow from 'official' seed too. Our favourites this year were fiesta from a swap. (winter not butternuts)

[ecoprincess]

Have a look for some cheap seeds from a netto or lidl if you have one close by. They might work, but if they don't you won't be able to grow any until next year!