In article ,
Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:

"Nick wrote in message
| Do the growing tips need to be pinched out?
|
| Didn't when I grew them and we got a superb crop. Ran everywhere
though.

I have never got anything. They are very iffy in the UK, as they
need a fairly hot summer - C. moschata needs one only slightly hotter
than C. maxima, but the UK is very borderline.

I was under that impression too Nick, but having saved some seed from a
Sainsbury's bought BS I planted them as per other cucurbits and they grew
well producing fruit exactly the same as is for sale at the supermarket.
The best one grew out of seed that had been in the compost bin; I plant all
cucurbits in a bin sized hole filled with compost and when the original
incumbent, a Marrow, died (Virus I think) the BS simply germinated from in
the compost and grew alarmingly producing 9 full sized fruit.

Well, I have failed several times. What I can't say is that I have
failed in years when I have done well with other cucurbits, but I got
SOME fruit from the others and none from the butternuts. Yes, that's
how I got my seed, too ....

Actually, I don't like them all that much, anyway - too sweet,
slippery and sickly - I much prefer hubbards. The same thing goes
for the orange versus white sweet potatoes, but you can't get the
latter around here any more :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.