Cucurbit Growing 2018

**Jimny14** · 04-01-2018, 03:20 PM

So thought I'd get the ball rolling and post what I'm planning for this coming year. I'm trying all these for the first time - Verde di milano Bush courgette, burgess buttercup squash and Paris pickling cucumbers for making gherkins. As for when and how I haven't decided yet.

**Small pumpkin** · 04-01-2018, 03:38 PM

I'll join in. Here's hoping for a much better year!
This years selection will be
Courgette de nizza ( round ).
Courgette Tuscany.
Courgette Tromboncino
Pumpkin small sugar.
Pumpkin old boer white *
Pumpkin Lil' Pump-ke-mom*
Squash vegetable spaghetti.
Squash acorn table Gold*
Squash Queensland blue
Squash Galeux D'Eysines *
Squash uchiki kuri*
Squash Thelma sanders sweet potato *
Squash Turks turban
Squash sweet dumpling
Squash summer sunburst f1
Melon honeydew
melon gala
melon plum granny *
Cucumber femspot

* new to my grow list this year.

I'll not start sowing any of these till March or April.
They will be sown in big cell trays in unheated propogaters in the polytunnle.
Cucumber and melons will be grown in the polytunnel, squash will be in a raised bed with sunflowers for companionship, courgette & pumpkins will share another of the raised beds.
They will be fed weekly with a homemade liquid feed (seaweed, nettles, borage and chicken manure).
Climbing frame provided for those that need one.
Recommendations....... I'll repeat my self again, with my go to answer

small sugar, small sugar, small sugar best thing ever

reliable, tasty, good crop, nice size, stores well.
Will be back when sowing & germination starts

**bikermike** · 05-01-2018, 10:56 AM

I have a problem... (no not like that)
I grew really successful courgettes and squash three years ago. Two years ago, they all got nailed by disease. I took a year off, and I'm going to have another go from bought plants this year.

I suspect there is something in my greenhouse. What makes the leaves go crispy, yellow and die? because that's what I had.

Cucumbers seem to have been unaffected - are they the same species/family?

**Snadger** · 05-01-2018, 11:36 AM

Received my Giant Russian Pumpkin seeds this morning. Is there much advantage in an early start if we don't have the temeperatures, even indoors. for growth to progress?

**Small pumpkin** · 05-01-2018, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by bikermike View Post

I have a problem... (no not like that)
I grew really successful courgettes and squash three years ago. Two years ago, they all got nailed by disease. I took a year off, and I'm going to have another go from bought plants this year.

I suspect there is something in my greenhouse. What makes the leaves go crispy, yellow and die? because that's what I had.

Cucumbers seem to have been unaffected - are they the same species/family?

They do that at the end of the season naturally. I'm guessing it wasn't that. Someone a lot smarter than me will be along

Originally posted by Snadger View Post

Received my Giant Russian Pumpkin seeds this morning. Is there much advantage in an early start if we don't have the temeperatures, even indoors. for growth to progress?

How exciting

personally I'd start them a little earlier but not this early. But don't take my advice. My big pumpkin didn't even get into double figures

**bikermike** · 05-01-2018, 02:39 PM

Originally posted by Small pumpkin View Post

They do that at the end of the season naturally. I'm guessing it wasn't that. Someone a lot smarter than me will be along

Well, it was the end of their season... lost the whole lot. Started when seedlings in the greenhouse. Even as I removed the obviously affected ones, they all went down...

**Thelma Sanders** · 05-01-2018, 02:40 PM

That's an impressive list sp

Without opening the seed box I think my list is
Courgettes
Striato d'Italia, Burpees Golden and Parthenon (the self-pollinating one)

Squashes
Flat White Boer
Black Futsu
Table Gold Acorn
Thelma Sanders

Celebration
Festival
Sweet Lightning
A large blue - not sure if it's Queensland Blue or Jarrahdale I've got left
Blue Ballet
Uchiki Kuri
Marina di Chioggia
Burgess Buttercup
Harrier butternut (a small bushy one)
Tromba up a tripod
and also have a packet of High Sugar Mixed (mostly acorns) if there is space anywhere

Cucumbers
Socrates and Minimunch, gherkin Partner

Blimey where are they all going

**veggiechicken** · 02-02-2018, 03:13 PM

I sowed Beth/Beit Alpha cucumbers and Zucchini courgettes on 20th January.

**Greenleaves** · 02-02-2018, 05:27 PM

My tip on courgettes is don't grow too many.....your friends will hide when they see you coming otherwise

**Chris11** · 25-03-2018, 06:23 PM

Will be thinking about courgette seeds soon.

Just got to get the chillies and tomatoes finished germinating first, then make room in the propagator to start the courgettes.

**Snoop Puss** · 25-03-2018, 07:15 PM

Courgettes
2 x Black Beauty
2 x Soleil

Melons
2 x Emir
2 x Ogen
2 x Arava
(Might go for three each depending on space)

Squash

6 x Barbara butternut
2 x Crown Prince
2 x Buffy Ball

Marrow
1 maybe

Cucumbers
2 x Marketmore (seems to be what you get locally)

**Thelma Sanders** · 25-03-2018, 07:49 PM

Originally posted by Chris11 View Post

Will be thinking about courgette seeds soon.

Thinking about them is fine, but don't actually sow any yet because they can't be planted outside until after the last frost (mid-May here any thing earlier is a gamble tbh) and they grow so very quickly once you start them off, it's hard to keep them in a pot

https://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-grow-courgettes

**Small pumpkin** · 25-03-2018, 08:11 PM

I'm definitely not sowing any of cucurbits till April gets into double figures ( date not temp ! ). I usually sow some of my courgettes late March. It's too cold this year.

**veggiechicken** · 25-03-2018, 09:06 PM

Nothing ventured..................

Zucchini sown 20th January

All male flowers and double at that!!

I have cucumber flowers too.

Whether its too early or not, I don't care.

They've been my little friends for a couple of months and remind me of the summer to come.

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