Growing butternut squash

[flora flowerdew]

Hi

I just planted some butternut squash from seeds I got out a butternut squash from the shops. I put them in pots on the windowsill, and later I could put them in a grobag or something - inside our outside. Haven't tried this before. Any experienced butternut squash growers out there for tips and advice? I live in Glasgow btw - maybe not the sunniest place in the world.

[Shirley]

hi flora

Nice to see another poster from Scotland!! Haven't tried growing butternut squash before - but would like to as it's scrummy. Good luck!

[Libby]

Hiya flora
I,m a bit of a novice myself so I would be interested to know if they would survive in a growbag.
They,re tough little buggers though, I,ll say that for them

[Millymollymandy]

Hi Flora. I grew butternut last year. You will need to grow them outside unless you want triffids all over your living room! They do grow many metres long if they get the right conditions.

[flora flowerdew]

Okay - thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to try a growbag outside in probably the sunniest spot I have, once it's safe to do so. I can't put them in the ground because I am in rented accom. (urban/transient self-sufficienter) I'll let you know the outcome later in the year.

[hedgewizard]

They're very thirsty, so I think you may have problems keeping the compost wet. Bury a plant pot with holes in the bottom halfway into the compost so you can pour water into that, and if they dry out badly add a single drop of washing-up liquid to the water before you start. Good luck!

[Tinks]

f they dry out badly add a single drop of washing-up liquid to the water

ooh i've never heard of that, what does that do? help them absorb more water? is that good for any plant?
tinks

[wulf]

I'm not a fan of growbags because of the amount of watering they need. However, one trick I saw in the vegetable garden at RHS Wisley was to put the bag on it's side, supported by a simple frame. I haven't tried this but I presume it gives a greater depth of soil (for a good root system) and also doesn't dry out so quickly.

Wulf

[hedgewizard]

the washing up liquid acts as a wetting agent. It doesn't do any harm in very small amounts - there isn't enough phosphate to cause problems either - and breaks down quickly in the environment.

The other thing that occurs for root depth is that you could make put the bag on top of another bag and then spear down through the bottom of the topmost bag with a trowel.

[flora flowerdew]

The other thing that occurs for root depth is that you could make put the bag on top of another bag and then spear down through the bottom of the topmost bag with a trowel.

Yes - that was one thing I was wondering about, and space overall for ample root growth. Like the suggestion of one bag on top of another. This seems like a useful solution - thanks!

[ina]

Or use a large container - bath tub or similar - a half whisky barrel would probably be more attractive, but they are expensive... I've grown courgette etc in containers before, but not butternut squash, but I have some seeds this year, so I'm hoping to get some, too!