On 14 May 2003 07:21:28 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

~
~In article ,
~"Dwayne" writes:
~| Have you tried growing sweet potatoes on your own? It is a challenge and
~| rewarding when you dig them up and find that you have suceeded. I still
~| have some and some butternut squash from last fall in my storage room.
~|
~| I grow both on raised rows. Easier to keep watered, weeded, and they dont
~| suffer from too much moisture.
~
~You're not posting from the UK, right? Our problem is that our summers
~are usually cool and the period of high light is very short, which
~means that it is already getting dark by the time that squash set
~fruit.
~
~Sweet potatoes are virtually impossible, as they need a long growing
~season, and even winter squashes are borderline.
~

This is a useful thread for me, too, as this is the first year I've
tried growing butternut squashes. I bought some seed as I read that
saved seed from bought squashes is often from varieties that are bred
for Mediterranean countries like Spain. This also applies to garlic.
The seed we buy here eg butternut sprinter are ones that should set
earlier in keeping with our summers.

I planted two seeds really early (like nearly 2 months ago!) and both
grew: I currently have a pair of yards of squash plant snaking through
the conservatory in large pots. I am expecting to start hardening off
in a couple of weeks and hopefully they will be at an advanced enough
stage to make use of the best daylight.
(Mind you I've got three nearly full-sized cucumbers on my vine too
thanks to my Dad being a bit fast on the planting too :-) so I know
conditions in the conservatory/greenhouse are pretty ideal for
cucurbits)

I'll let you know what happens... I was tempted to keep one of them
indoors but after what was said here about them running everywhere I
think perhaps I won't! The cucumber's bad enough!


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

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