squash seeds

[Libby]

I read the courgette, squash and pumpkin growing tips, but want to know if I have to buy seeds, or will fresh from a squash do?

If I can use them , do I need to do anything to them, like dry them first or something??
I,m not sure if I even have space for them, but it would be nice to know for possible future use.(continues dream of pastures new.)

Thanks

[Wombat]

If the squash is ripe and open pollinated then you can use the seeds!
.

I suggest you dig 'em out and plant 'em and see what happens!

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

yep thats what I have done before and it has worked

[Libby]

Thanks for the help, I,ll pot a few up later.

Fingers crossed

[Libby]

I potted those seeds up the other evening, popped them in the propogator, and they have green shoots coming out already
I planted 16 to give myself a chance of one and 4 of them have sprouted so far.
This is blooming great. Thanks guys

[Wombat]

Mate! You've done well!

Nev

[Libby]

Thanks wombat.

I feel like Jack with the magic beans! I,m up to 10 now and I think they may be triffids
Fast growers

[ina]

Make sure they don't grow too quickly - it'll be a while yet before you can get them out! Or will you be growing them under cover? I've bought some courgette seeds this time round that are supposed to be self fertilising - so ideal for the poly tunnel. Last year I had very few courgettes, hopefully this time will be better.
But I'll also be growing (or trying to!) pumpkins from seeds that I kept from a bought fruit.

What type of squash was it you had?

[Libby]

I,ll have to pot them on and put them on the windowsill until the weather gets better I think Ina.
They are butternut squash seeds. I,m planning to grow them outside, but doubt I,ll be planting more than one or two of them because they take up a bit of space.
Do you have a rough idea how many squash each plant gives?

[diver]

i grew squashes ,courgettes and pumpkins last year from saved seeds and they did very well....but I didn't put them in this early...March I think. Yesterday we were eating one of the squashes and I saved the seeds for planting later

[Libby]

I only planted them a few days ago and the first 4 to sprout are 3-4" already!
I wasn,t expecting that!
If I repot them in a few days and leave them on the windowsill, will it slow them down a bit?
They really are starting to scare me

[ina]

If you keep them on a cool windowsill, they might slow down... And as to how many you get from each, that is unpredictable! Last year I only had half a dozen courgettes from two plants - the year before I didn't know what to do with all those b***y courgettes. No idea why. And hardly any pumpkins, either - only tiny ones.

[Libby]

Thanks Ina, I,ll do that then.

[hedgewizard]

Don't worry Ina, last year was a crap year for courgettes down here too. Something to do with the rainfall being late, I wot.

Most squash and pumpkin plants have a trailing habit and need about 120cm, although they sprawl a bit further than that. Some have a bushy habit and only need 60cm, but they're in the minority. They all need lots of organic matter and good watering, so lots of people grow them on old compost heaps as with courgette.

I grew butternut squash from a supermarket variety last year and they did fine, although they reverted to one of the parents and so were green and veiny. Tasted fine and kept well though! They are prone to slug damage while still young so keep the fruits up off the soil with something - I used old roofing slates.

This year I'm growing (rummages) "kabocha" and "sweet monk" squash ( don't ask, I don't know -got the seeds from a seed exchange) and "big max" pnipkins (my 2-year old's pronunciation, seeds from Lidl). According to my books the seeds are good for six or seven years, so if they fruit well, keep some seed!

[Libby]

Thanks for all the advice
The windowsill seems to be doing the trick, they,re growing much less rapidly now, all 14 of them.
As I,m unlikely to be planting them all out, how do I choose which are the best plants from them?
I,m thinking middle size as opposed to the leggier ones.