Squash container too small?

[lemoncait]

Another question!
I'm wondering if a squash (straightneck) + a zuchinni squash together, in one container, its the long rectangle box, I'd say like 18-24 inches?? (the average rectangular size you see at the store) is too close together?

It looks like a huge mess of foilage and leaves everywhere, They looked so small when I put them in I thought they'd be fine!!

No flowers yet though. I'm not sure if they should be blooming by now or if I over fertilized them or what...

[Kisal]

Yes, IMO, that container is too small for two standard-sized squash plants. While I have never grown a standard-sized squash in a container, if I were to attempt it, I would use a half-barrel or similarly sized container.

If your squash are of varieties specifically bred to be grown in containers, you might be able to get away with a 12" x 12" container, although I hardly ever use containers smaller than 14". I believe plants give a better yield when they have plenty of room for their roots to develop.

[lemoncait]

So if they ARE too small do you think its too late to transplant??

Would a whiskey barrel work?? I have one full of dirt sitting empty on the patio (it used to house strawberries, but... the kitties played in there too much!)

[Kisal]

Yes, a whiskey barrel is what I meant by "half-barrel." It should work great. I don't think it's too late to transplant, if you're careful. I would take as much soil with the root ball as I could, to be as easy as possible on the roots. (I presume you have one plant at each end of the long container. I would just divide the soil in half ... crosswise, not lengthwise ... and take half of it with the plant that's being moved, leaving the other half with the other plant.)

I don't think you have to reposition the plant that's staying in the long container, unless you want to. You can just leave it where it is and fill in the empty space, where the other plant was, with a good potting mix. The roots will grow into that soil and the plant should do just fine. If you want to center it in the container, for aesthetic reasons, I think it would be okay to do so.

[!potatoes!]

if they've been in the smaller pot long enough to be grown together, you could probably get away with transplanting the whole thing as one piece.