i need help w/ butternut squash!!!

[cowshrptrn]

I have 2 problems:

1. The label on the plants suggested giving them four feet of space, but they ahve sent out vines well past it, the four feet i gave them is only occupied by a few vines, and most of the plant has invaded my tomato and cucumber patches, does anyone knwo a good way to contain them?

2: i ahve a few fruit growing but, i don't know how to tell if they're ripe and ready to be picked, the ones in stores are solid yellow, mine still have stripes on them and are greenish. They have bee liek this for a while

[Newt]

Hi Cowshrptrn,

Consider a trellis for your squash vines.
http://doityourself.com/vegetables/vegetabletrellis.htm

Do you know which variety of butternut squash you are growing? Some have more stripes then others.
http://www.hollarseeds.com/WinterSquash/Zenith.htm
http://www.hollarseeds.com/WinterSquash/Avalon.htm
http://www.parkseed.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... erCode=SH1

Your butternut squash will change to a deep tan when ready to harvest.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/winsquash.html

Newt

[opabinia51]

Most squash plants usually grow several feet in length, therefore it is best to have them grow up or down some sort of trellis if you don't want them taking up your garden space.

Butternut is a winter squash and shouldn't be ready to pick until late September or October. They will turn a light brown when they are ripe.

They are also my favourite squash and have been touted the cadillac of squash.

[cowshrptrn]

thanks, this is really helpful,.

i'll try a trellis next year, i have a chain link fence, which works for my
cucumbers and beans, but my squash hasn't been climbing on it very much

[opabinia51]

I actually have deer fencing that is a plastic mesh (I know, I know... plastic is bad....) that the squash plants happily grow up. They actually totally surround my Goldenrod plant and have grown up and over it. It looks pretty neat with the squash hanging in mid air.

[jstr12]

For now I'd just train the vines in circles and a trellis would be a good idea for next year. Also a trellis would help save alot of space especially an overhead trellis that could go over your garden.

jstr

[TEKA]

HI EVERYONE

JUST JOINED FOR I FOUND THE SAME PROBLEMS AS LISTED, VINES GROWING ALL OVER, GREEN BUTTERNUT SQUASH, DEER EATING MY GARDEN. SO WHY NOT GREEN PLASIC FENCING????

[cowchris95380]

well, finally maybe I have found a spot to get some info on the squash i have growing in my garden. I planted banana and butternut squash, and they are all over the place that's for sure. I have picked 3 banana squash already ( I live in CA). They looked good to me. They were a little stringy inside, but they tasted great. I have butternut squash all over, also. One split open today, and I checked it out to see what it looked like. I think it was almost ripe, but still a little green around where the seeds are, and a little green running thru the flesh. I am pretty sure I planted them in the first part of May. Some people say they are ripe when the stem dries. Is that true? The plants are still very green, and some are still blooming. Is it possible for them to get overripe? Do they cross pollinate? I find some of them to have more stripes than others. I think I only planted one package of seed (like Burpee's from the grocery store). I have a lot of gourds and pumpkins planted, also. Lets hope they don't cross with the gourds , oh no!. If anyone can help me out here, I would surely appreciate it. thanks so much.

[opabinia51]

Okay, where to start....

Ummm, the stems do tend to dry out as time goes by but, I've never used that as a method to tell when the squash are ripe. With winter squash, I tend to harvest them in the fall (late september and during October).

Yes, it is possible for squash to get over ripe but, I wouldn't worry about that until about November or later.

Oh yes, squash can cross pollinate provided that they are the same species. You'd have to look up their botanical names on the internet and if they have the same name then, they will definately cross pollinate.

Hope this helps!

[Newt]

From this site on when to harvest veggies:
http://www.savvygardener.com/Features/h ... ables.html

Summer squash:
Harvest when fruit is young and tender. Your fingernail should easily penetrate the rind. Long-fruited cultivars, such as zucchini, are harvested when 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 4 to 8 inches long; scallops are taken when 3 to 4 inches long.

Winter squash:
Harvest when mature. The rind should be firm and glossy and not easily punctured by your thumbnail. The portion that contacts the soil is cream to orange when mature. Leave a portion of the vine (2 to 3 inches) attached to the fruit to help prevent storage rot. Harvest squash before a heavy frost.

Newt