Butternut Squash

[roitelet]

If I save seeds from a commercial squash will they come true (tight so and so)? I've never grown them before so please can someone tell me how much room the take up.

Thanks.

[Guest]

It is highly unlikely it will come true. Most commercials are hybrid F1 varieties so to get the same you need to cross the parent varieties. Also the squash family likes to get about a bit and will cross quite easily. I had some lovely marrow pumpkins last year

[VolesAteMyPeas]

Try the virtual seed swap!

[roitelet]

Thanks, perhaps I will have to bite the bullet and buy seed!!!!!

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

This year I grew some butternut from seed I saved from a shop bought fruit. All have produced a decent size fruit and they all look like butternut squashes. A few quite impressive in size.

I only got 1 per plant, but I ran out of space and they had to go in growbags. I will do it again next year (I still have lots of seed left), but will give a couple a hole in the ground on top of some manure.

[snakeshack]

Have grown from seed from supermarket squashes (festival & hooligan) and both came good , wouldn't save open pollinated seed from the lottie though, I alone grow at least 8 types of potentially crossing squash.real seeds give a Good seed saving guide for squashes involving rubber bands and hand pollinating


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[Jardiniere]

not entirely on topic, BUT i have grown about 8 butternuts this year, 2 winter dumplings and 2 little pumpkins all from bought seed but only two courgette plants survived and then produced about two courgettes. I am fairly certain that I put in many more courgette plants, and far less butternuts...i also had one volunteer which i was certain was a stripey courgette (cos i grew some last year) but it is a butternut. I am sure that they have been pollinating each other, the dirty little veggies.
And they take up so much space .....one of my pumpkins is growing half way up a fence! (perhaps to get away from the butternut's voracious appetites)

[poly]

I'd give them a whirl, I think they are likely to produce something worthwhile. Seed from your commercially bought butternut is possibly self crossed with the same variety, or perhaps another Moschata type, which would give you an F1 and potentially an interesting type.

Like other species of squash/pumpkin, Butternut squash readily cross pollinate within their own species (Moschata), but not with others say pumpkin (Pepo), So you won't get a marrow to cross with them.

[roitelet]

Thanks I will try them and give then LOTS of space.