On 30/08/2013 23:29, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Roger Tonkin" wrote

I'm growing a plant for the first time. Planted it in
the compost heap (last years!) and it has gone
berserk. However whilst I have 3 good sized squashes
slowly ripening, many others have seemed to set, start
swelling, then go brown and rot from the flower end.
Anyone know why this is please?

Also, how do you know when they are ripe?



The flowers were not pollinated, always a problem with one plant as the
male and female flowers have to be open at the same time. I just leave
them on the plant until either just before the first frost or if the
plants dies and then take them up and store in a frost free shed.

and when you remove them leave the stalk immediately attached to the
fruit uncut - cut beyond a joint. The longer they have to ripen the
longer they will store for.