Cate in NZ Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 I planted out the free GYO butternut squash seeds earlier in the summer, and they seemed to be doing well, loads of leaves, big yellow flowers etc. But I've noticed that after flowering the flowers are just dropping off and leaving a broken stem, no fruit following. Has anyone any advice about what is going wrong please? They're in the same patch of ground as my grape vines, and the ground is well treated with chicken poo. Before we went on holiday I had started training them to grow up the trellis rather than trailing along the floor, anticipating needing to provide support for growing fruit, but they've grown a lot whilst we've been away & are growing a bit higgledy piggeldy now. The grapes are doing well in that patch of ground, lots of little fruits. The only other thing is that that's a favourite chicken scratching area, lovely shade under those leaves and a convenient grape snacking spot, but I can't imagine them pecking flower heads right off like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 They need lots of water, & lots of compost in the soil to make it water retentive. Also they wouldn't grow well undr trees, The stems of trailing types should be stopped at 2 foot. Mine suffered in the early drought, but definitely not attacked by my hens, unlike practically everything else. There's a good article in the latest Gardeners World magazine. Janet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted September 3, 2005 Author Share Posted September 3, 2005 Thanks Janet, I'll look out for that mag. I think I'm probably a bit late to rescue them this year, but at least it's good to know where I went wrong. Maybe I can start planning for a bumper crop next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet G Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 Kate Yes, too late now, but good luck for next year. The Organic Gardening Catalogue is best for squash seeds, all sorts of shapes, sizes & colours. My trailing types were poor this year, but I had better luck with a bush type called Cream of the Crop. Last year Crown Prince gave 1 fruit on a single plant (a rogue, I hadn't planted this type) but it was enormous & lasted several meals. I'm still struggling to get a really good crop, I think it's too dry over this side of the country but they're really interesting to grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted September 8, 2005 Author Share Posted September 8, 2005 Since posting this I've actually found some baby butternut squash. About the size & shape of a pygmy light bulb, but green. Doubt that they'll actually come to much, but I suppose it depends on the weather, so fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil & Sal Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 Good luck with those Kate I haven't had any luck at all with butternut squash, though I may give that Cream of the Crop a go. I have started doing pumpkins instead. Though still a squash they seem to grow well without a lot of tie needed to be spent on them. Great for pumpkin soup, wine and of course roasted seeds. Yum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Kate A - did you ever get those squashes to develop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted February 3, 2006 Author Share Posted February 3, 2006 Sorry, Jackie, I've only just caught up with this thread. Amazingly yes I harvested about 5 squashes, quite late, probably late October, even early November, but a mild autumn helped and they ripened, albeit a little on the small side We ended up having lots of butternut squash soup, and Moroccan pie (Sarah posted the recipe in nesting box, and I though it sounded like a tasty way to use up my squashes. Delicious ). I'm planning to plant them again this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Thanks Kate - gives me incentive to give it a go. I'm starting with a small pot of herbs on the kitchen window sill and will move to veg in containers soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
