My first time growing butternut squash

I've been given 4 (very healthy) butternut squash plants, at the minute they're in 3" pots, are around 3" tall and are 'keeping warm' in the greenhouse, the questions are ... what next?

Will I need to re-pot them at some stage?

How big are these plants going to get (roughly), since I don't have that much space for them?

Could I grow one of them in a gro-bag? I've got a gro-bag sized 'thingy' on wheels, built in an idle moment by Mr. F'smum, which means I can grow 'stuff' in a bag but also move it around (Yeah, I know, don't ask!!).

And finally ..... could I grow one of them in my unheated greenhouse? I ask because my greenhouse had to go in one corner of the garden and, in the intervening years, 'shrubbery' etc., from a neighbouring garden has grown up meaning that side of the greenhouse is always in deep shade and thus, not much use for growing anything without it getting leggy.

Many thanks.

 

As you have limited space you will need to train them around stakes or canes as the vines can get very long and will sprawl everywhere as Loofah said.

Plant them 3 foot apart with plenty of manure or compost (they are very hungry plants) then as they grow direct the vines where you want them. They will grow very fast once the weather really warms up so will need plenty of water.

Towards the end of the season when the fruits have grown you can flatten down the foliage to expose the fruits to the sunshine they will need to ripen. You need a sunny spot to grow them.

Steve...

 

I think you can also "stop" the plants a couple of leaves beyond the fruit, which will reduce the acreage ! of leaf area that they take up.

Depends a bit on variety too, the ones that fruit early (e.g. those that are bred for North of England's shorter season) produce less leaf (i.e. flowers are produced earlier in the plant's growth cycle, so before as much leaf has been produced as the old heritage varieties)

 

This spacing looks about right to me:

 

Although ... that's only a sq.m. each, and mine take a lot more space than that?

 

The plants in this link are "contained" to a sq metre each, same could be achiebved by spiralling the vines around stakes or canes...on cutting down vines after fruit set.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_squash_butternut.html

Steve...

 

I'm amazed at some of the differences between planting centres on seed packets and those used commercially - just go for a walk along a footpath through a field of sweetcorn!

I actually plant the likes of butternut squash at 1.2m centres and let them (and other squashes, trailing marrows, cucumbers, etc.) scramble through one another (but not each other IYSWIM), and reckon 1m is possible if you're pretty nifty with your footwork when walking through them.

I keep meaning to try growing them up some vertical sloping Rylock fencing.

 

Indeed, I'm sure that they can be contained to a meter, but mine grow more than that (well, except for Cobnut which is speedy and thus fruits-before-growing-much-leaf). Just wanted to alert newbies to the fact that Squash are inclined to sprawl into the nextcounty, given half a chance

 

I thought Loofah had already done that in the second post above, Fidgetsmum has very little space so containing would be necessary.

Steve...

 

My point was in response to the Agricultural data that indicated that 1 sq.m. per plant was enough space. I did read the earlier posts, but other people will find this post on Google etc, and I wanted to make the point that, in a garden rather than a field, people not familiar with growing Squash might make the assumption that 1 sq.m. on the flat would be fine, whereas in my experience (apart from some early Maturing varieties) I don't think it is.

 

By 'eck - are they called 'squash' 'cos they're likely to squash everything in sight? I'm guessing a 12" pot's out of the question then? And I only wanted to have a go because it's not something I've grown before, I didn't realise they were triffids - with attitude! I've probably got space for one, as for the other 3 they might just have to take their chances in a gro-bag or summat.

Thanks for all the info, very much appreciated, but I think this definitely comes under the heading of 'questions you wish you'd never asked' (or plants you wish you'd never accepted) - might have to stick to radishes in future!

 

Dunno about the pot, in terms of how much volume of "soil" they need, but in case it helps I grow mine on the edge of my veg. patch. They are then allowed to sprawl "into" the veg patch (amongst whatever is there) and also over the lawn. So soil volume aside if you can tolerate them wandering about they will be fine. Mine only put out a few "runners", and I "arrange" those, as they grow, so that they are where I want them, so its not total chaos as such If you are going to use a frame then that will constrain how much space they have - my only worry would be supporting the weight of the fruit - although Melons are much the same (and from the same Family) and I support them with a hammock of tights / netting, so that might do for Squash too?

Might be worth putting an upturned 2L Pop bottle, with the bottom cut off, on the top of the pot so you can put 2L of water in that each time you water them, and it will run out slowly into the pot? Squash are thirsty ...

(I find that you can put your hand into the Pop bottom, from the sawn-off bottom end, make a fist and use that to "ram" the screw-top end into the soil/compost a bit such that it then stands upright on its own. You need to take the screw top off first )

 

Thanks for that info Kristen, very good!