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Butternut Squash Question.

I am growing butternut squash and hoping for some of those little ones that they sell in supermarkets for a ridiculous price.
Saved seed from a big one and sowed it. Growing 3 up a trellis and they look good.
With all the flowers I expected lots of fruit. Result only 2 but look at the size of these immature fruit. (When I remember to do the pic.)
I think that I might have to pollinate them by hand.

My question to the good folk of this forum: How do you get small fruit? I suspect that it is the variety. As I have said before, we don’t have lots of choice here.

Phreddy

The more fruit on the plant, the smaller they will be. It does also depend on variety. I suppose if you really want them small you could pick them when they are the size that suits, but if they are not mature and ripe they won't store. Where's your pic?

Sounds like yours are doing well...growing up a trellis already. Due to the lack of nice sunny weather that the butternut is supposed to crave, I'm skeptical I'm going to get any squash this year. Would love to see the picture.

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Phreddy, Butternut squash are not small. They are quire big. If you want the small ones I think you need a differerent variety. Patti Pan or something like that. Please do show us the pic. This is some of my Butternut from last year.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Thanks Alice, Rusty & Veg.
I would really like to grow the ones that I saw in Sainsburys in March. They look just a comfortable handful. Price, 1.99 a lb I think.
Photos for you: Only the plants I must reduce the size to post other pics.
Three plants on a mesh of plastic/metal clothes line 6' high.

Phreddy

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Wow butternut squash from last year but have they been in storage for more than 6 months (I read somewhere they keep upto 6 months) unless you harvested in Jan (if that's possible).

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I know the small ones you are talking about, I got one in Waitrose a couple of weeks ago, it was organic and a really good small size just right for the two of us with other roasted veg.

Can't offer any advice as my plants are doing really quite badly, they have hardly moved since I planted them about 5 or 6 weeks ago.

yours look fab.

Was it a gem squash, or an acorn squash maybe? There are a few types here with pictures.

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Hello Veg4681, sorry, the pics of last years squash were just that - last years and all eaten. I can't say how long they will store. They were all eaten within 3 months. I'm happy with that. I'm not growing anything to store, but trying to get as big a variety as possible over the longest season.

Phreddy I hope you can find the little squash you are looking for.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

I grow Waltham butternut every year and leave the vine to get on with it (dont pinch out the growing point) and end up with lovely small ones, but sometimes If theres only 1 0r 2 fruits on the vine they end up bigger

very interesting to read all the comments on squash as this is where my real ambitions lie for next year- i cant get enough of the butternuts but they are so expensive. from what i have read on here, i am planning to grow them against a south-facing wall- will they flourish there?? also are the seeds from butternut squash from the supermarket that i eat now ok to keep to plant next year??

MAB. I can let you have some seeds from the same source as the ones you see here. If you also keep some seed from the S/M you can try them. Shouls be OK, ours are '05 saved; '06 mislaid; '07 grown.
Birdy Wife. Thanks I'll download them.
Willow Star: They are just the ones I want to try.

Phreddy

The good pic is 27cm the bad pic 30cm

Phreddy

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That Would Be Great Phreddy To Get Hold Of Some Seeds - Just Let Me Know How To Get My Hands On Them!! Many Thanks
Mab

PM being sent.

Phreddy

MAB you can save your seeds from the ones you buy in the supermarket and they should be fine. If you want to check them out for viability put a couple of seeds between two sheets of damp kitchen paper, put it in a small poly bag to keep it damp, and put it in a warm place. Check them regularly to see if they sprout - you should see a white , wiggly growth coming out. If they do this, then the seeds are good. You can check out any seeds this way.
And yes, your plans to grow squash beside a south facing wall sound good. They like it warm and sunny. Good luck with that for next year.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Birdy Wife: that was a good link, many thanks.

Hello, I'm a newbie gardener, and butternut squash is one of the things i'm trying to grow. My question is, how do you differentiate between male and female flowers?

I've only got two flowers so far, but when the time comes I want to be ready to cross-pollinate if necessary!

Thanks!

Hello Mapcr77, don't worry, the plant knows which flowers are male and female. You shouldn't have to interfere with them in any way - the plant will do the doings all by itself. But if you look at the flowers the female ones have little fruits right behing the flower. They may be there now. But if they've just started to flowerm maybe not. With squashes the male flowers tend to come first, then the female flowers appear. Good luck with them. I've just noticed my squash have plenty of baby fruits appearing.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Hello Alice, Thanks for the advice. I'm concerned about them not getting pollinated as I've kept them indoors Odd as it is, I've a huge pot in the kitchen near the window, as all the plants I put outside died. So I'm afraid lack of friendly bugs could decrease the chances of pollination.

Anyway, if the sunny weather sets in I might risk it and relocate the plant to the garden.... (fingers crossed)

Alice - I've got a few fruit growing behind some of my female flowers. Does that mean I don't need to pollinate them with the male flower?

Its my first success at growing squash, last two years have been miserable failures. They are in the tunnel so I've been keeping an eye on whether I need to pollinate them.

If I had any females I would pollinate them by hand it cannot hurt.
I have only 3 squash and would welcome female flowers but all I get is males.
BTW: I found a wopper hiding in the vines!

Phreddy

Hi Phreddy,

Sorry I am a bit late in responding your thread. I just found out about a very interesting small butternut squash species. It is Ponca butternut ( C moschata ). Infact, it is not just small (1 kg ) it is also a compact vine ( reaching max 1.5 to 2 meter )and as early as 82 days but it has all it's good taste of the normal butternut squash . I just set it on my previous thread " favorite winter squash ".Hope it help,

Momol

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