Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Butternut squash

IgrowfromseedIgrowfromseed Posts: 284
in Fruit & veg
I’m new to butternut squashes. Noticed as mine are now starting to run that they are sending out roots along the stems. Accidentally pulled some up when rearranging the runners. I presume these roots provide added nutrients and should be replanted. 

Posts

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I don't recall having that problem when I grew them a few years ago.

    Perhaps they weren't planted deep enough originally or the soil level has shrunk due to weather ?

    Depends on whether they are fruiting yet but you will need to be careful how many fruits you allow on each plant in order for them to be able to grow and ripen in time.
  • IgrowfromseedIgrowfromseed Posts: 284
    Just coming into flower now. How many fruit per plant do you recommend?
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    That really will depend on your conditions/climate but from your pic it doesn't look as if you have a great deal of space there.
    You would normally want full sized fruit to have formed say by early/mid September in order for them to ripen before any chance of frost. Obviously that depends on your location.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited July 2021
    Some varieties do grow these (called adventitious roots) and some don't.  They can appear at any leaf joint along a stem which touches the soil.  They will provide extra water and nutrients and so develop growing fruit faster, but the plant doesn't actually need them, so don't worry if you can't replant any after moving the stray stems.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Brilliant! Hope you enjoy using them  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • jen.cross1979jen.cross1979 Posts: 5
    That looks brilliant!! 
  • Danae(dan-Ah-ee)Danae(dan-Ah-ee) Posts: 966
    Mine did something exciting this year: the packet said Butternut Squash; the plants produced some lovely pumpkins. 

     I'm told they're edible! Phew!!
Sign In or Register to comment.