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Companion planting

CasparCaspar Posts: 32
edited March 2023 in Fruit & veg
Hello fellow gardeners

Watching a recent episode on GW, it talked of planting sweetcorn with Butternut squash.  I have 6 x 1 meter square raised planters.  Would anyone know with just 1m square, how many of each would be successful in this space?  Would say 3 of each grow sufficient size fruits.

Also is it best to start butternut squash in the greenhouse before planting out?  I am in the North West temperature wise. (I have grown courgette before but not squash).

(I have bought the squash seed variety, Harrier F1)

Thanks.
Water, feed, tweak - then start again......... 

Posts

  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    in 1 m2 you can have 1 squash plant and nothing else, and that plant will spread well outside the bed. If you can keep up with watering I would say you can squeeze 9 sweetcorn plants into that space, but not if sharing.
    Treat squash just like courgette the only difference is it's a much bigger plant so needs more room, more food and more water.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I agree.   

    In that space you need to plant sweetcorn in blocks of 3 x 3 plants as it is wind pollinated and it needs rich soil and plenty of water to produce decent cobs.

    Butternut squash also needs rich soil and plenty of water and top up feeds to produce decent fruit so 1 per square but the good thing is that you can train it up a trellis or an obelisk so that it doesn't spread all over the garden and the fruits are held up in teh sunshine for better ripening.

    Start squash seeds off under cover in April and grow them on until the last of the frosts are past in your area then plant them out.  Water, feed and train them as they grow.  I would advise stopping them once they have 3 or 4 fruits growing as this will improve size and quality.   This article should help you - 
    https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-butternut-squash/ 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • CasparCaspar Posts: 32
    Thank you both for your responses, they are such a good help.  
    Water, feed, tweak - then start again......... 
  • war garden 572war garden 572 Posts: 664
    which episode casper was squash corn in.

    here is my planting formation for the three sister. 

  • CasparCaspar Posts: 32
    I hadn't heard of three sister companion planting.  So have just looked it up.  Very interesting indeed : - )
    Water, feed, tweak - then start again......... 
  • war garden 572war garden 572 Posts: 664
    edited March 2023
    Caspar  three sisters is bit different on most websites since the tradition version is field corn, winter squash and climbing beans for drying not for fresh eating. 
    none them can be harvested till they died back for winter. 

    the diagram I include is one few designed eating all
    three for fresh eating instead of dried.
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