Kitchen Garden Forum

I am just about to go and plant my spare butternut squash called Hunter into 12" posts made up of half compost and half manure. Am I doing the right thing? Because my OH cannot dig over another spare bed I am running out of planting room so I have been and bought a dozen 12" pots and I am planning on having a pot garden, unintentionally. I have some baby sweetcorn which I am planning to put in the polytunnel because of lack of space outside. I hope it works.Oh just a thought would it be better to just dig a hole in the lottie and put manure and plant the BNS in there instead.?

I grew Butternut, Sugar Loaf Delicata and Sweet Dumpling squashes in pots last year,half manure and half compost. It was a bad year for squash here but I did get a few of each. I made a frame for them to be tied to as the plants grew and it worked very well. This year I have made trellis frames for 6 different squash varieties and am hoping (like everybody else!)for a decent summer.

Tricia what kind of frame did you make?

Catherine - last year my squash were in 15" pots. I made a wigwam of bamboo canes and tied string round them at intervals. I then tied in the squash as they grew. As I said, I'm growing them in the ground this year and will tie them into cheap Pound shop trellises which my friend has fitted into sturdy frames.

I have put squash into growbags on a black plastic covered area that I can't get to dig. Do I need to support them too?
Regards
Penny

Hi Penny - if your squash plants have room to 'roam' then they are more than happy to oblige. The only reason I grow upwards is lack of ground space. I think most squash actually prefer to stay on the ground - many can travel ten feet or more if not curbed.

thanks Tricia, that's helpful. I fear I have messed up because didn't do the pummelling of the growbags enough but we'll see.
Regards
Penny