Sweet Dumpling Squash

[Rhoda]

I have never grown squash before and was given this packet so thought I migth give it a go.

Can I grow them in containers?

Are the flowers self pollinating?

Any information would be great as I have never grown squash before or anything similar!

Thanks

Rhoda

[bearded bloke]

Virtually anything can be grown in containers,just depends how big a container is needed this is a trailing/vineing variety so the container will need to be big & heavy enough to support a trellis unless you have the space to let it wander.
Pollination will be by insects or manually with an artist brush.

[Rhoda]

That's great thank you think I will plant them tomorrow

[rustylady]

You need to start them indoors in small pots Rita.

[bearded bloke]

AS RL says ^^^ ,also found a bit of size info .......... PlantFiles: Detailed information on Delicata Squash, Winter Squash Cucurbita pepo 'Sweet Dumpling'

[bearded bloke]

As you have not grown them before you are possibly not aware of the difference between the male & female flowers (you get both on the same plant ) .........


Female on the left & male on the right ..........





Those are courgette but squash are near identical

[horticultural_hobbit]

Beware the triffids, yes. I have just potted up a sweet dumpling baby-that just sounds wrong-as it was sown about a week ago. Will be the first time that I will also be playing with this one. As BB indicates, squashes have a mind of their own and take off faster than a speeding fella called Bolt.

[Rhoda]

I always start all of my plants indoors.

Do I need to do anything special with the flowers? I grow chillis and usually I remove the first fruit promptly and then produces loads of fruit. Anything like that with squash??


horticultural_hobbit thanks for the warning about triffids. How long did yours take to germinate?

[rustylady]

No, you don't need to remove any of the flowers on squash Rhoda.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Mine came up in a week, during the warm spot that we had. Now getting very triffid like and getting their first proper leaf.

[Likac66]

I planted 4 of these over 2 weeks ago and only one has come up. Will have to plant some more this weekend I think.

[ukfapower]

A lot of Damping off :^(

I went mad and planted the whole packet. I think they all came up though they took their time. Probably not really warm enough in my house. They were looking pretty reasonable, had planted 2 per pot so gave them each their own pot. When they settled in gave a few away and thought I had plenty left. They moved to the greenhouse about a month ago.

Then a week or two ago I lost all except two, stems floppy and brown . They were lovely little plants (with 3 or 4 true leaves) and suddenly they were dying all over the place. Lost some Beth Alpha cucumbers as well at about the same size. And a couple of French beans. I'd been on holiday so I don't know if different watering contributed.

My butternuts, Kabocha, Courgettes and Pattypans seemed unaffected. They may have been just that bit bigger.

I think next year I will water my cucumbers and squash with tap water until they are really sturdy as a precaution.

At least I have two left, if I can get them settled outside and protect them from the slugs hopefully I'll still get a few lovely mini-squash.