Help please with butternut squash

[Janice Vickerman]

Hello All,
Planted a few butternut squash seeds with my little grandson a few weeks ago. They are in a plant pot on the window sill in the kitchen. 6 of them have sprouted and are growing at a rate of knots. I have no idea how to proceed with them. We don't have a garden or greenhouse, but do have plenty of space for large tubs. Can anyone help please?????? Will they flower or fruit at all - would be fab if we could harvest something from them.
Thanks in anticipation:

[zazen999]

You need to resow in about 4 weeks.

Far too early - if you haven't got a greenhouse to put them in.

You could keep the strongest looking one and grow it as a houseplant; but as you have seen - they grow so fast that you quickly run out of space. Once mid May comes along, you can then plant it out after hardening it off [but even that is a problem as the plant will be big by then and very hard to keep putting in and out without getting spiked every day].

[Kristen]

... and are growing at a rate of knots

yeah, they do that I'm afraid!

I expect you could grow Squash in a large pot ... but they will spread probably 8' or 10' diameter - so its quite an unruly plant. You could probably train it up something - e.g. a fence if you have one.

But I reckon you will be lucky to "manage" the one you have until mid-to-late May when it can go outside.

[Nicos]

Hi there- and welcome to the Vine!

Yes- it IS very early- but well done in getting this far! I bet your grandson is thrilled

Do you have an unheated bedroom you can leave them in- or maybe a friend/relative with a greenhouse/cool,bright room who could babysit them for the next few weeks in exchange for a couple of them???

let us know how you get on!

[SarzWix]

Whereabouts are you Janice? That can make a big difference - if you're in Cornwall/Devon for instance, you might get away with planting them out in a big pot and double-wrapping horticultural fleece around them overnight [available from garden centres, Wilkinson's etc]
If you're much further North than that, then I'm afraid things might get a little more complicated - they need to be kept frost free, and preferably at around 10c... Perhaps if you put them in a big pot and tried training them up a teepee of canes and wire, or an obelisk, they might be easier to bring in at night?

[Janice Vickerman]

Thankyou

Hi All,
Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. It does sound like major faffiness and also they sound like they grow into mega plants. Will repot a couple of them and stick them in the spare room for now. We are in Bradford Sarah, so too far up North to plant them out.
Ha ha - never realised they were such potential monsters.
Janice:

[Florence Fennel]

If you manage to keep them going Janice, make sure you put them in a big (and I mean big) pot, they sprawl all over them. Bet your grandson is thrilled!

[Kristen]

By the by, where did the seeds come from? If it was a supermarket Squash a further problem might be that the seeds might not come true and/or may produce dramatically inferior fruit.

If there were "from a packet" then they should be fine

[Jono]

They're definite monsters! Mine trail into the other patches, all through the fruit bushes and even onto next doors plot. Have to try and train it to turn around.

Nice on getting this far though. In my opinion, squashes are one of the best veg to grow. They look great, taste delicious, are expensive in the shops and keep for ages. I've got mine storing in the dining room and they make an attractive feature.

[Kristen]

In my opinion, squashes are one of the best veg to grow. They look great, taste delicious, are expensive in the shops and keep for ages.

Definitely agree with that! I take a bit of care over the care for a couple of weeks post-harvesting, but ours did not keep well this year (relative to previous years - wet Autumn) and even then they were fine until beginning-to-mid March

[dope540]

oh god! i'm still learning about growing veg and i planted mine 6-8 weeks ago in plain soil in tubs. transferred them to compost on the advice of the more experienced guys and girls and one out of four has sprouted. i'm gonna need to get a bath to house these bad boys soon!!!!

[Two_Sheds]

they sound like they grow into mega plants.

They do - they are fabulous for shading out weeds on the allotment, and need at least a square metre each

i planted mine 6-8 weeks ago

... I think I remember you being advised you were too early too

The trouble with them growing so big too early in the year is that they will weaken through a lack of light & warmth.
Sow some more 3 weeks before your last frost date

[dope540]

yup. going to sow a second batch of what i have currently sowed in end of april/ may