Squash

Hello chums

I'm gonna try growing a couple of these this year. I think I'm right in saying that they like to scramble? If so, what method/s of support have you tried/would you recommend?

Cheers...Freddy

 

I thought you had found a lilly beetle already when i seen your thread title

 

You blummin' nitwit

 

I've used some offcuts of cattle fencing, the heavy stuff with about 6 inch squares.
Usually I take a couple of lengths about 6 feet long and space them about 9 inches apart and let the squash plant ramble up. I also use a circle of the the same wire about 3 feet in diameter and train the plant round it.
Last year was a disaster for my squash - didn't get a single fruit due to the rotten summer, but the previous year was pretty good with about a dozen squash from two plants.
You could I suppose use pea netting but it would have to be very well supported. A piece of wooden or plastic trellis would also work. The first year I grew squash I grew it in our small polytunnel and thing took off like a Triffid and just about took over the place!

 

Did you expect sanity??

 

Hiya Dave, thanks for that Just to clarify, did you mount the support vertically?

 

Better try checking the variety as I've found some scramble, some form a rosette and some are a bit indeterminate. Google should do it.

 

No, because according to 'Groucho', there is no sanity clause....

 

Vertical. Though I have found some fruit growing on the ground in which case I usually put an old roof tile under them to keep slugs and rot at bay.

 

Thanks Dave

 

I let mine sprawl horizontally. I plant them on the edge of the veg patch, and those that stray across the lawn are allowed to do so. The beds behind have tall plants / early crops, like Sweetcorn, and they sprawl into those - which are cropped before the Squash need the late Autumn sunshine to ripen.

Haven't had a single fruit in the last two years though :(

 

Like Kirsten, I let mine sprawl horizontally.
Sweet corn and squash make good companion plants, I actually plant my squashes in amongst my sweet corn and the two seem to co-exist quite happily.
And like you Kirsten, I've found the past two summers very poor for squash.

 

Hi guys, I hope you don't mind me dropping in..I'm planning to grow a couple of vegetable spaghetti squashes on my new allotment this year, do you know how much space they would need if allowed to grow sprawling across the bed? Do they need cover at all?

 

You'll need to be guided by teh packet, because it will depend on variety, but I would expect 24" - 30" between plants

From the cold? If so:

All these Squash related products hate chilly conditions. Need to start the plants off indoors / greenhouse and not plant out until risk of frost has passed Personally I grow on my Squash as long as possible in greenhouse planting out relatively late (well into May at least) so that they don't get chilly nights, which makes then sulk! Make sure they are well hardened off before planting out to avoid cold-shock. Squash need a long season, I don't suppose the Spaghetti ones are different, and in last year's dreadful season I got ZIPPO from my Winter Squash plants

We grew Spaghetti Squash at home when I was a kid, and it was both fun and a way to get kids to eat some veg! but as an adult I see them as a bit of a novelty and rather bland - although I've read of plenty of people on forums extolling their virtues

Its a long time since my Mother grew them when I was a nipper, and I don't know if T&M's varieties with names like "Hasta la Pasta" are marketing hype, or genuinely a better, more flavoured, improvement.