Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Original poster

Butternut squash please...

13 replies

mrsmerryweather · 23/07/2009 08:03

are growing well...but no flowers yet. I planted them late- can't say exactly when- so should I expect flowers any time soon?

I have been feeding them- I read you have to feed them every 2 weeks- but is that only AFTER the fruits have appeared- and is this why I have masses of leaves and no flowers yet?

OP posts:
missingtheaction · 23/07/2009 08:32

Could easily be. They ought to be flowering by now but if they went in late and missed the hot spell earlier on then they will be slow to get going.

If they are in a pot then they won't need food until 6-8 weeks after planting at the earliest.

If they are in the ground then I don't feed at all. I certainly would leave it until there were some fruit on. If they think life is too easy they won't bother fruiting.

Personally I do find they produce loads of leaf per fruit so you need several to get a reasonable crop. but this bloke here obviously takes it much more seriously than me!

Original poster
mrsmerryweather · 23/07/2009 08:52

They are in a raised bed on a south facing patio- so it's warm and sunny.

I planted them about 6 weeks ago- raised in small pots inside, then planted out.

They have spread about 2.5-3 feet across- so I live in hope of some flowers soon!

OP posts:
missingtheaction · 25/07/2009 19:10

just checked mine - has three long tendrils each about 6-10 feet long! several squash developing now.

Original poster
mrsmerryweather · 31/07/2009 15:57

ust to let you know they are flowering like mad now- if they fruit well I will be in business! Fingers crossed!

OP posts:
SixtyFootDoll · 31/07/2009 16:05

Mine are just leaves....

snorkle · 31/07/2009 16:19

It's been my best year for squashes so far. Previously I've only managed avocado sized fruits (max 2 per plant), but this year I have 4 fruit on my butternut. The two 2 largest (small melon sized) have changed colour to that light brown they go to. In the past I've always harvested them at this point. Is that the right thing to do?

Original poster
mrsmerryweather · 01/08/2009 14:38

Don't know- I am a butternut virgin- but i think you have to wait til autumn and let them grow- are you feeding them? They say one a fortnight once they have fruited.

OP posts:
sarah293 · 01/08/2009 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

snorkle · 01/08/2009 15:40

I don't feed mine eithe, although now you've reminded me I might if I remember.

SixtyFootDoll · 01/08/2009 15:59

on a plus side my sweetcorn is doing good

Hassled · 01/08/2009 16:02

I have 3 current flowers, and one squash from an earlier flower that seems to have peaked at about a handspan length - it hasn't grown in about a week, I'm sure of it. How big is a squash meant to be? Have I got some dud miniature version? When do I know when to harvest?

Sorry for the hijack!

Original poster
mrsmerryweather · 02/08/2009 07:59

well, in the supermarket I buy squash that are up to 12 inches long and about 8 inches diameter, I guess!

You do have to feed all squash, including pumpkins and butternut.

OP posts:
Bettymum · 03/08/2009 11:27

I've just started to get baby squash forming on my plants . The plants are HUGE! I haven't fed them much but I did dig loads of manure in when I planted them. I've given them a couple of doses of tomato feed, but that's it. I think if I fed them they'd take over the world.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page