Cymbaline said:



I have 2 Butternut Squash plants that are growing well - I have pruned
it back quite a lot, as it was taking over the garden, but I am unsure
if I am going to be successful in getting it to fruit properly.

I am getting a lot of fruits and flowers, but when the fruits get to
about 2 inches big, they turn yellow and start to rot - is this because
I cut back too much, or not enough? Am I watering them too much, or
not enough? Am I giving them the wrong kind of food (sometimes
general purpose liquid plant food, sometimes a little liquid tomato food I
have left in my can)?

You may have a pollination problem (as per other replies) but you may
also be stressing the plants by pinching them back. Squash will abort fruit
beyond what the vines can support, even with adequate pollination.

I don't prune my squash vines. I either direct them back into the patch or
out in a direction that is convenient to me. (For example, putting the squash
next to the garlic bed, which I don't mind that the squash will overrunning
after the garlic is harvested.) Squash can even be grown up a trellis--the
fruit will need to be supported in some sort of sling in this case.

Planning ahead for next year, there are 'bush' type butternuts which
don't run as much.


--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

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