I've been given some seeds but no info on how to propagate the
plants......nor can I find any data in the local library.
Can anyone offer help and advice on rearing please ?
Things like :-
Are they indoor (cold greenhouse only) or outdoor ? Are they tender ?
If indoors, humid, dry conditions ?
Should they ramble or be trained vertically like tomatoes ?
How many fruits per vine is reasonable ?

Any other info which would be relevant and useful. would be very much
appreciated.

I'm located mid-Notts.

Best Regards.

In article ,
vsop wrote:
I've been given some seeds but no info on how to propagate the
plants......nor can I find any data in the local library.
Can anyone offer help and advice on rearing please ?
Things like :-
Are they indoor (cold greenhouse only) or outdoor ? Are they tender ?
If indoors, humid, dry conditions ?
Should they ramble or be trained vertically like tomatoes ?
How many fruits per vine is reasonable ?

They are just another cucurbit - treat them like marrows :-)

Sow them indoors, possibly germinating them on damp kitchen roll
in a small pot covered with cling film. Sterilise everything
with dilute bleach, including the seeds and use that to dampen
the paper. Seriously. It isn't critical, but I find it helps
to avoid rot.

Grow them in pots until the weather has seriously warmed up, and
then plant them out. They like good drainage, ample water, warmth,
sun and (which growing) feeding. You could get anything from no
to six fruits per plant.

I have never succeeded with them, because they need that little
bit more sun than squashes and pumpkins. I don't mind, because
I don't like them :-)

They are definitely tender, and the fruits will damage with more
than a mild frost, especially as the autumn Sun in the UK is too
anaemic to ripen them properly. Only the first fruits will ripen,
if any.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote after
vsop wrote:
I've been given some seeds but no info on how to propagate the
plants......nor can I find any data in the local library.
Can anyone offer help and advice on rearing please ?
Things like :-
Are they indoor (cold greenhouse only) or outdoor ? Are they tender ?
If indoors, humid, dry conditions ?
Should they ramble or be trained vertically like tomatoes ?
How many fruits per vine is reasonable ?

They are just another cucurbit - treat them like marrows :-)

Sow them indoors, possibly germinating them on damp kitchen roll
in a small pot covered with cling film. Sterilise everything
with dilute bleach, including the seeds and use that to dampen
the paper. Seriously. It isn't critical, but I find it helps
to avoid rot.

Grow them in pots until the weather has seriously warmed up, and
then plant them out. They like good drainage, ample water, warmth,
sun and (which growing) feeding. You could get anything from no
to six fruits per plant.

I have never succeeded with them, because they need that little
bit more sun than squashes and pumpkins. I don't mind, because
I don't like them :-)

They are definitely tender, and the fruits will damage with more
than a mild frost, especially as the autumn Sun in the UK is too
anaemic to ripen them properly. Only the first fruits will ripen,
if any.

We had great success with them, they seem more disease resistant than most
cucurbits and are easy to grow. The plants will run about a lot rather like
pumpkins. The fruits are born in abundance and are best kept for 3 months in
store before using (like other cucurbits).
We dig a hole, fill it with well rotted compost, plant the young plant on
that and water well. They do like to be kept moist.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

I usually start mine in pots inside, 6 weeks before the last frost of the
year (I usually give that date an extra week or so, then transplant them
outside). I grow them in rows about a meter between the plants, and 1 1/2
meters between the rows. If you don't have that much room, plant one or two
and see how big they get. The seeds will be good for several years if kept
cool and dry.

I harvest mine after the stem is completely dry and very hard, but before
the first freeze. Then I lay them on the deck in the sun for another 10
days to cure (making sure they don't get frosted or frozen by covering them
or taking them inside at night). I still have one in my basement that was
raised last summer, so they store very well.

Dwayne


"vsop" wrote in message
...
I've been given some seeds but no info on how to propagate the plants.....

In article ,
Dwayne wrote:
I usually start mine in pots inside, 6 weeks before the last frost of the
year (I usually give that date an extra week or so, then transplant them
outside). I grow them in rows about a meter between the plants, and 1 1/2
meters between the rows. If you don't have that much room, plant one or two
and see how big they get. The seeds will be good for several years if kept
cool and dry.

If you are prescient, I can see why you are successful! How do you
tell 6 weeks ahead of time when the last frost will be? In the UK,
the expected variation is plus or minus 20 days - i.e. nearly 7 weeks!

I harvest mine after the stem is completely dry and very hard, but before
the first freeze. Then I lay them on the deck in the sun for another 10
days to cure (making sure they don't get frosted or frozen by covering them
or taking them inside at night). I still have one in my basement that was
raised last summer, so they store very well.

That doesn't sound like the UK to me.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 24 Mar 2005 19:59:31 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
vsop wrote:
I've been given some seeds but no info on how to propagate the
plants......nor can I find any data in the local library.
Can anyone offer help and advice on rearing please ?

They are just another cucurbit - treat them like marrows :-)

Nick McLaren commenting on squash culture? Yigodz!

Sow them indoors, possibly germinating them on damp kitchen roll
in a small pot covered with cling film. Sterilise everything
with dilute bleach, including the seeds and use that to dampen
the paper. Seriously. It isn't critical, but I find it helps
to avoid rot.

Last year I used Jiffy peat pellets with excellent results.

Grow them in pots until the weather has seriously warmed up, and
then plant them out. They like good drainage, ample water, warmth,
sun and (which growing) feeding. You could get anything from no
to six fruits per plant.

Somewhere I've read that squash are often set back by watering because
the water is usually cold. The solution is obvious: fill a watering
can and let it sit in the sun all day, then water in the late
afternoon.

I have never succeeded with them, because they need that little
bit more sun than squashes and pumpkins. I don't mind, because
I don't like them :-)

Aha! The truth is out! I have visions of masked men kidnapping Nick
and forcefeeding him on pumpkin pie, butternut squash soup, etc.
Quelle horreur!


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, BC, Canada
to send email, change atlantic to pacific
and invalid to net

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
vsop wrote:
I've been given some seeds but no info on how to propagate the
plants......nor can I find any data in the local library.
Can anyone offer help and advice on rearing please ?


They are just another cucurbit - treat them like marrows :-)

Sow them indoors, possibly germinating them on damp kitchen roll
in a small pot covered with cling film. Sterilise everything
with dilute bleach, including the seeds and use that to dampen
the paper. Seriously. It isn't critical, but I find it helps
to avoid rot.

Grow them in pots until the weather has seriously warmed up, and
then plant them out. They like good drainage, ample water, warmth,
sun and (which growing) feeding. You could get anything from no
to six fruits per plant.


Additional to Nick's comments; they seem to like compost or rotted manure.
So, a big bucket of compost into the soil immediately where they are to be
planted. Or, if you have it, horse muck.

If you keep a horse, try planting into the muck heap !

The squash can be harvested in the autumn, and will keep in a cool store
room until after Christmas. Cut into 4cm cubes and stir-fry until soft,
allowing them to absorb other stir-fry ingredients.


- Nigel



--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

In article ,
Rodger Whitlock wrote:

They are just another cucurbit - treat them like marrows :-)

Nick McLaren commenting on squash culture? Yigodz!

Well, yes. I like them very much, and have grown them (not very
effectively) for years. What I don't like is the combination of
them and sugar - anyone remember crystallised marrow, the item
that was always left when a box of crystallised fruits was eaten?

Somewhere I've read that squash are often set back by watering because
the water is usually cold. The solution is obvious: fill a watering
can and let it sit in the sun all day, then water in the late
afternoon.

Hmm. That might explain why they don't like the UK much - the rain
is ALWAYS cold :-(

Aha! The truth is out! I have visions of masked men kidnapping Nick
and forcefeeding him on pumpkin pie, butternut squash soup, etc.
Quelle horreur!

Indeed. Please, pretty please, HAVE MERCY!

I hope to grow several varieties, but they will all be C. pepo for
eating unripe (i.e. courgettes and 'summer squashes') and C. maxima
for the autumn and winter. It is the latter that I really prefer.

You can keep your C. moschata, and any recipe that puts any form
of sugar in with any of the others ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 19:15:40 +0000 (UTC), "vsop"
wrote:

I've been given some seeds but no info on how to propagate the
plants

2 years ago someone gave me a spare plant. I planted it without much
preparation and forgot it and went away for 4 weeks. On my return my
allotment was rather overgrown, to say the least! The squash plant
seemed to have done nothing but had disappeared in amongst the
raspberry canes, bindweed and helleboes! Only in the autumn when
tidying up a bit did i find about 10 feet of vine and 4 nice fruits.
That certainly thrived on neglect. It didn't get fed or watered. Wish
I'd saved some seed now.

Pam in Bristol

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Dwayne wrote:
I usually start mine in pots inside, 6 weeks before the last frost of the
year (I usually give that date an extra week or so, then transplant them
outside). I grow them in rows about a meter between the plants, and 1 1/2
meters between the rows. If you don't have that much room, plant one or
two
and see how big they get. The seeds will be good for several years if
kept
cool and dry.

If you are prescient, I can see why you are successful! How do you
tell 6 weeks ahead of time when the last frost will be? In the UK,
the expected variation is plus or minus 20 days - i.e. nearly 7 weeks!

Our average last frost date is May 4. I add two weeks to that date. Last
year they still were frozen and I had to replant with a second batch that I
had started (just in case).

I found out from the local extension office of our nearest university
teaching agriculture, but most weather predicting offices should have the
information.

I harvest mine after the stem is completely dry and very hard, but before
the first freeze. Then I lay them on the deck in the sun for another 10
days to cure (making sure they don't get frosted or frozen by covering
them
or taking them inside at night). I still have one in my basement that was
raised last summer, so they store very well.

That doesn't sound like the UK to me.

You are correct. I live in Kansas, but ever since I found out what a
newsgroup was, I have been responding to questions for which I have an
answer, to the UK, England, and Australian newsgroups.

I have learned that if I have a problem, the more people I have helping me
solve it, the easier it is to overcome. I have been corresponding with Len
in Australia for over two years. We try each others ideas and suggestions
and I truly appreciate his help and ideas.


Dwayne

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Dwayne wrote:

If you are prescient, I can see why you are successful! How do you
tell 6 weeks ahead of time when the last frost will be? In the UK,
the expected variation is plus or minus 20 days - i.e. nearly 7 weeks!

Our average last frost date is May 4. I add two weeks to that date. Last
year they still were frozen and I had to replant with a second batch that I
had started (just in case).

I found out from the local extension office of our nearest university
teaching agriculture, but most weather predicting offices should have the
information.

That doesn't sound like the UK to me.

You are correct. I live in Kansas, but ever since I found out what a
newsgroup was, I have been responding to questions for which I have an
answer, to the UK, England, and Australian newsgroups.

I have learned that if I have a problem, the more people I have helping me
solve it, the easier it is to overcome. I have been corresponding with Len
in Australia for over two years. We try each others ideas and suggestions
and I truly appreciate his help and ideas.

Yes, I agree, but this is one answer that does not translate.

Actually, I was wrong about the plus or minus 20 days - that is the
soil temperature variation - the last frost variation will be larger,
but I don't know what it is. In 30 years in Cambridge, it has been
from February 15th (if I recall) to June 20th. The average last
frost date is an almost meaningless datum in the UK - there is no
option but to guess according to what the year seems to be doing.

This is the big difference between a temperate continental and a
temperate maritime climate. In the former, the seasons occur at
fairly predictable dates - in the latter, they don't.

Also, because we are so far north, there is little heat left in the
sunshine by the time that we harvest squashes, and so they aren't
going to ripen any further. That is the reason for my point that
only the first squashes will ripen enough to set viable seed.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thanks for the input everyone......much appreciated.
Stan