Germinating squash seeds

[newgardengirl]

Has anyone had any trouble getting squash seeds to germinate? I planted some a couple of weeks ago but not got anything yet. I think the variety was called Harrier F1 if I remember correctly. There's only a few seeds in the packet so I can't afford to waste any!

[willowstar]

hi, no help to you, but i am also having problems. About 1 in 4 are germinating and I don't know why! I have read that sowing the seed on its side is supposed to help but for me it hasn't. I only have a few seeds per packet as well so not impressed. Look forward to any replies on this as it is a bit disheartening.

[nudger]

I can't say i've had any trouble this year infact i've got the opposite problem. My sister has just gt back from a holiday in New Zealand where she came across something called a buttercup (not butternut) squash, She said they were so delicious she just had to bring some seeds back home and try and grow them but she didn't have room in her garden..... so i offered to grow them on my plot. Thinking to myself that if they grow in somewhere like New Zealand they might require lots of heat to thrive so i'd better plant all 74 seeds just incase some didn't germinate...... thats right, you guessed it.... all 74 came up within a week and i've been furiously trying to palm them off to anyone who would take them ever since. the butternuts also came up trumps too if a little longer to germinate.

[terrier]

The squash seeds I put in pots have all germinated, eventually. The first came through in about 12 days, the last ones took about 4 weeks. I sowed them all at the same time 5 weeks ago.

[Dobby]

I always plant the squash seeds on the side and have only had truble with one seed out of about 20 dont know if i have just been lucky
I have learnt not to water toooo much when we started we was both watering the seeds so they got over watered

[Paulottie]

Exactly Dobby, sow on their edge and don't overwater. Same as you Lesley seemed to take a while to germinate them this year but all came up.

[rustylady]

Always germinate my squash seeds on edge and in a heated propagator or airing cupboard till they show their little leaves above the surface of the compost. Then they can be put on the kitchen windowsill or in the greenhouse.

[kirsty b]

I've had rubbish squash germination too. Pumpkins, courgettes and cucs ok for some reason though.
This time I planted up a whole tray will butternut seeds and placed tray with lid inside one of my mini plastic greenhouses, kept it zipped up tight to keep it really warm and finally have some little squash plants. Good job I like them.

[goddess]

Same here.i planted the 12 seeds in packet (uchi kuri)took at least 2 weeks in the little plastic green house inside the unheated big one.9 seedlings come through so far.i hope this slow germination is a result of cooler weather recently and that they will catch up quickly.g

[TonyF]

My first lot of squash seeds didn't germinate - think I may have put them in too early.

Bought some plants to get things going and then saw a packet of organic butternut seeds. Put them in and voila, 14 seedlings in about 3 weeks, 100% strike rate - for a change!

If I have a surfeit, can I store them overwinter?

[vicki lorraine]

Germinated mine on the windowsill and then transferred them out into the unheated greenhouse. No germination problems here.
Planted out 2 butternuts today with my 3 sisters bed.

[Alison]

Have had a bit of a problem with some butternut ones but they were an old packet of seeds I found in the back of the drawer so put it down to that - think onlyl 2 came up out of 6 but then again, didn't want 6 anyway, what with everything else I've got to fit in!

[Flummery]

If I have a surfeit, can I store them overwinter?

You certainly can Tony but you need to make sure the skins have ripened and toughened up. You shouldn't have a problem with this in sunny France but in a wet autumn here it can be difficult.

[Bogbunny]

There's definitely something odd with squashes this year. I sowed my squashes and courgettes 3 weeks ago and the the courgettes sprouted perfectly, but not a sausage from any of the Walthamstow Butternut Squashes (sowed on their sides). I even tried digging up a couple of seeds to see if they were sprouting, but no change from when I put them in!

Think I need to try again before it's too late!

[Heidi]

We've done pretty well with our squash seeds. Probably around an 80% germination rate from saved seed, and 100% from some true seed.

However of my first batch of Sweet Dumpling Squash seeds only 1 germinated of 5, so i set another 10 seeds thinking if there was a similar germination rate, i'd get another 2-3 plants - and now we have another 8 plants!

So we'll now be having a Sweet Dumpling bed at the allotment