Butternut squash how does it grow

The soil should be rich in organic material, and it must drain well. It can be slightly acidic to neutral, with a pH of 5. Seedlings must not be allowed to dry out. As the summer progresses and the vines get bigger, your plants will need even more water. During hot, dry weather, leaves may wilt on a daily basis but will revive as the day cools. If leaves are wilted in the morning, water the plants right away. Butternut squash is a heavy feeder. Start with rich soil, and side dress with organic compost or aged manure in the middle of the growing season.

In addition, apply a compost tea or liquid fertilizer at two- to three-week intervals. Squash are cold-sensitive and will not germinate unless the soil is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. These plants love the sun, but they can overheat. During the hot days of summer, it's normal for the leaves to wilt in the afternoon, then revive after the sun goes down. If your plants are not reviving, try giving them some afternoon shade. A "winter squash" is defined as a kind of squash that has a hard enough skin that it preserves well if stored in a cool place.

Thus, if you were to harvest one in October, it would keep until December winter if stored in a suitable place, such as un unheated basement or root cellar. Butternut squash is just one of several winter squashes that are commonly grown. Another popular winter squash is Hubbard squash Cucurbita maxima , which has a gray, bumpy exterior. In contrast to winter squashes, there are also summer squashes, such as zucchini squash Cucurbita pepo var.

Summer squashes have a soft skin and perish quickly. Use the color of the fruits to determine when to harvest them. As summer winds down, their skin will begin to turn light beige. They are ready to harvest when that beige color becomes deeper; the skin will often have bronze highlights and no green streaks in it when the fruit is ripe.

Three other indicators will help you determine maturity:. Most gardeners purchase butternut squash seed packets available at grocery stores, hardware stores, online, and from seed catalogs. Once you have the seeds, you can start them indoors to get a jump on the season, or you can wait until danger of frost has passed and direct-sow outdoors.

Direct seeding in the garden is easier, but starting seeds indoors can be helpful to those in areas with short summers. To start seeds indoors, plant them about three weeks before the last frost in spring. Fill peat pots with potting soil, and plant two seeds in each pot. For success in pots, choose compact bush varieties such as Barbara. Use the largest pot you can, aiming for a minimum of 45cm 18in diameter and just as deep.

Two plants should perform well in a grow bag. Set in a spot and water regularly to prevent compost from drying out. With 7 months coverage it will last the life of these long season plants. As plants begin to sprawl and grow into each other it can be hard to locate the centre of the plant for watering.

Set a cane by each plant when planting out to act as a marker later in the season. Double up on space by growing butternut squash around the base of sweetcorn plants. No space left on the veg patch? You can even try growing butternut squash directly on the compost heap! All rights reserved. A division of Branded Garden Products Limited. You have disabled javascript. Please enable this to gain the full experience of our website.

Keep your butternut squash plants weed free and feed through the growing season as they are hungry plants. Pelleted chicken manure is a good choice or use a liquid fertiliser. Most butternut squash varieties will produce fruits around 15 weeks after sowing seeds. Butternut squash fruits will store longer if you leave them outdoors on the vine as long as possible.

However, make sure they have all been harvested before the first frost. Young plants will need protection from slugs, snails and aphids after planting out. Later in the season, butternut squash can succumb to powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus. Keep plants well-watered and look for varieties that have good disease resistance. You can peel butternut squash or roast it with the skin on. See some butternut squash recipes , from our friends at Olive Magazine.

Butternut squash stores well after harvesting if kept in a cool dry place. Browse the fantastic range of fully mature hardy perennials, shrubs, ferns, grasses and bulbs to create a spectacular garden to enjoy all year round. Use code: GW Kick start the festive season and get in touch with your creative side with our minute online class on creating Christmas wreaths with natural materials.