Butternut Squash Question

[Phreddy]

Butternut Squash Question.

I am growing butternut squash and hoping for some of those little ones that they sell in supermarkets for a ridiculous price.
Saved seed from a big one and sowed it. Growing 3 up a trellis and they look good.
With all the flowers I expected lots of fruit. Result only 2 but look at the size of these immature fruit. (When I remember to do the pic.)
I think that I might have to pollinate them by hand.

My question to the good folk of this forum: How do you get small fruit? I suspect that it is the variety. As I have said before, we don’t have lots of choice here.

Phreddy

[rustylady]

The more fruit on the plant, the smaller they will be. It does also depend on variety. I suppose if you really want them small you could pick them when they are the size that suits, but if they are not mature and ripe they won't store. Where's your pic?

[veg4681]

Sounds like yours are doing well...growing up a trellis already. Due to the lack of nice sunny weather that the butternut is supposed to crave, I'm skeptical I'm going to get any squash this year. Would love to see the picture.

[Alice]

Phreddy, Butternut squash are not small. They are quire big. If you want the small ones I think you need a differerent variety. Patti Pan or something like that. Please do show us the pic. This is some of my Butternut from last year.

[Phreddy]

Butternut Squash

Thanks Alice, Rusty & Veg.
I would really like to grow the ones that I saw in Sainsburys in March. They look just a comfortable handful. Price, 1.99 a lb I think.
Photos for you: Only the plants I must reduce the size to post other pics.
Three plants on a mesh of plastic/metal clothes line 6' high.

Phreddy

[veg4681]

This is some of my Butternut from last year.
[ATTACH]2663[/ATTACH]

Wow butternut squash from last year but have they been in storage for more than 6 months (I read somewhere they keep upto 6 months) unless you harvested in Jan (if that's possible).

[willowstar]

I know the small ones you are talking about, I got one in Waitrose a couple of weeks ago, it was organic and a really good small size just right for the two of us with other roasted veg.

Can't offer any advice as my plants are doing really quite badly, they have hardly moved since I planted them about 5 or 6 weeks ago.

yours look fab.

[Birdie Wife]

Was it a gem squash, or an acorn squash maybe? There are a few types here with pictures.

[Alice]

Hello Veg4681, sorry, the pics of last years squash were just that - last years and all eaten. I can't say how long they will store. They were all eaten within 3 months. I'm happy with that. I'm not growing anything to store, but trying to get as big a variety as possible over the longest season.

Phreddy I hope you can find the little squash you are looking for.

[Biscombe]

I grow Waltham butternut every year and leave the vine to get on with it (dont pinch out the growing point) and end up with lovely small ones, but sometimes If theres only 1 0r 2 fruits on the vine they end up bigger

[MIDDLE AGED BEGINNER]

more squash related stuff

very interesting to read all the comments on squash as this is where my real ambitions lie for next year- i cant get enough of the butternuts but they are so expensive. from what i have read on here, i am planning to grow them against a south-facing wall- will they flourish there?? also are the seeds from butternut squash from the supermarket that i eat now ok to keep to plant next year??

[Phreddy]

MAB. I can let you have some seeds from the same source as the ones you see here. If you also keep some seed from the S/M you can try them. Shouls be OK, ours are '05 saved; '06 mislaid; '07 grown.
Birdy Wife. Thanks I'll download them.
Willow Star: They are just the ones I want to try.

Phreddy

[Phreddy]

The Pics

The good pic is 27cm the bad pic 30cm

Phreddy

[MIDDLE AGED BEGINNER]

That Would Be Great Phreddy To Get Hold Of Some Seeds - Just Let Me Know How To Get My Hands On Them!! Many Thanks
Mab

[Phreddy]

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Phreddy