How many squash plants should I grow if I'm being sensible?

[Weatherwaxing]

I finally have an allotment. Space, at last. So I'm aware that if I've got any sense I won't go and plant the many, many squash varieties I've got my eye on because I'm only feeding two adults and a toddler and I'll end up with a garage full of squash and get completely sick of them.

Is a few plants of just two varieties sensible? Given that I'm growing edible pumpkins too?

I'm going to grow Butternut Waltham and one other - either Uchiki Kuri or Crown Prince. I can't decide which. Can any experienced squash growers help me out please?

I grow 2 plants last year. Gave us 15 squash. Which was plenty to not get sick of eating them. They lasted until feb in cellar

Check on the seed packet for approximately how many fruit you can expect off each plant for each variety. Then work how many squash you would like (take into account how long each variety can generate be stored for - it can vary dramatically). Then do the maths. I feel like this is a ´how long is a piece of string’ type question.

UK are small and prolific, CP are big but you won't get as many. (I'd grow both!)

Squash are an excellent thing for the first year on an allotment - fast ground coverage so you feel as if you've done more than you have. And stored properly (around 15-18°C is ideal; below 12 they will rot, and too warm they will shrivel) they can last for months so 'too many' depends on how much storage space you have.

Crown prince is my favourite. I can usually get the last sorted one to March! They sorted really well and they are delicious. A birthday quiche just wouldn't be the same without CP in it in this house!

What do you cook with it? How much do you use per meal? Can you freeze the squash and / or batch cook the food?

Chopped and frozen (or frozen in batch cooked meals) works well if you don't have suitable storage conditions to keep whole ones.

How much you use per meal depends on the meal, but they go well in soups, curries, casseroles, almost any 'mix of veg' type dish, as well as just roasting wedges.

As a general rule of thumb, if you would put a carrot or a potato in a dish, you can put a squash in it. And it's also good for some extra things like quiches.

Yes this was my thinking exactly. Lots of ground coverage so my first year feels nice and productive while I get things sorted.

I have a garage and an unheated utility room for storage. I could do with a chest freezer, I think. We have one of those American style fridge freezers, so not actually much freezing space when it comes down to it.

I use squash for all sorts - curry, pasta, risottos, soup, traybakes etc.

Just a vote for Kuri here - it's gorgeous; definitely my favourite.

We are a family of three and I grew, IIRC, about 11 or 12 varieties last year. I did give some away (!), but we are still eating them. I just love how pretty they are!

Ha see this is what I want to do...there's so many lovely ones.

I'm obviously not as good at this as the rest of you. In my experience the number of squash you end up with has very little to do with the number of plants you grow. In the Year of the Squash I had 5 plants and ended up with more squash than I could count. Other years I've had 5 plants and 4 decent squash. They are superb ground cover though, and will keep the weeds down, whether they fruit or not. So I'd plant as many as you fancy. If they all do well and you need the space, you can always take up a few of the surplus.

Last year I planted 24 and got very little produce so I’d plant as many as you can and water them well.

There really are! Plus I agree with others that you need quite a lot because sometimes they get eaten or they just have a strop. I would much rather have two or three of several different things each, than 20 of one variety, too. I planted two Turk's Turban plants last year and got 10 ripe ones, and honestly, they're much prettier than they are tasty. The last one is languishing in the crate at the moment because I really can't be arsed to eat it.

Squash can also be used for sweet things, pie fillings, cakes, jam. I remember a hotel breakfast in Portugal. Three types of jam on the table - tomato, carrot, pumpkin. Portugal is a good source of recipes for surplus squash

Right, you lot are making me feel better about going for a few different varieties.

I'm going to do Crown Prince and Uchiki Kuri alongside the butternut, and today I've been given some Mysterious Squash seeds of unknown variety so I might sow a few of those for fun to see what turns up.

That's really helpful, thank you. I'll have a look at some Portuguese recipes.

Portuguese fried pumpkin dreams, anyone? Cinnamon squash doughnuts. Mmm.

Be careful with mystery squash. Test each one for bitterness before using - they can make you exceedingly ill.

I have grown 24 of different varieties. (squash and courgettes)

I love them, and am happy to eat them every day all summer. And quite a lot of the autumn and winter.

Thanks for this, I'll keep mine inside then, not in the detached garage! It's often below 12 downstairs when the heating isn't on so box room it will have to be.

I'm growing a couple of Hokkaido squash, then two kinds of courgette.

I love squash! I find the big ones normally only produce 1 fruit per plant for me though, not sure if I’m doing something wrong? The small ones like Jester, Honey Boat Delicata and Black Futsu are more prolific and well worth growing. Crown Prince I find the very best for eating, and also relatively easy to peel.

I’ve got the following squash varieties on the go - uchiki, spaghetti, gem, patty pan, 2 kinds courgette and marrow. No halloween pumpkin this year though as I don’t think I’ll have space!