Squash and courgettes.

[Cranfield]

Does anyone grow butternut squash and/or courgettes ?

 

We eat a lot of these and this year I have decided to grow my own.

The only problem is that when I look at purchasing seeds, it looks as though i will have to also get a propogator, unless I leave the planting until June.

 

When do you plant seeds outside ?

 

I don't recall seeing many squash or courgette plants for sale in our local Nurseries, are they easy to get , if IO decide to go this route ?

 

Before I go investing in a heated propogator and making room in the sheds etc., I would appreciate any advice.

[petethegeek]

Mrs Geek, who is certainly no horticulturalist, (cue Dorothy Parker joke) successfully grows courgettes every year. She simply plants the seeds in seedling trays, "when it says to on the packet" puts them in the greenhouse and then transfers them outside in large pots, "when they're big enough".

 

To offset the expense of the seeds she sells/trades seedlings at work holding back the best half dozen for home consumption.

 

The end results definitely justify the minimal effort entailed.

[Cranfield]

pete, does she use a propogator and when does she plant them ?

[ciltalgarth]

Hi Cranfeild i grow my own courgettes and have Great success.

 

Last year i planted ALL GREEN BUSH and i planted them mid April in a green house in pots ,potting on as the plant got too big for its pot, they were then planted out side about the beginning of June.

 

They cropped from July right though to end of October.

 

Hope this helps.

[petethegeek]

pete, does she use a propogator and when does she plant them ?

Further interogation reveals that there is (a little) more science behind her endeavours than I first thought.

 

Firstly no propagator is involved. The seeds, "whatever they happen to have at the garden centre," are potted into one of those trays with six two by two compartments and covered with a thin layer of vermiculite "to keep them warm". After they've established themselves they are put into individual four inch pots until "the leaves change shape", at which point, if the weather is considered generally warm enough, they are deemed ready for the outside world.

 

Believe me, as ciltalgarth suggests, they can't be too temperamental - our greenhouse is usually referred to locally as 'death row' - but we never seem to be short of courgettes during the latter half of summer. Now broad beans on the other hand...

[Cranfield]

Thanks gents, it seems that a propagator may not be necessary.

 

I believe squash planting and care runs quite close to courgettes, will I hope it does.

[lurcherboy]

The rottie has informed me that she grows the courgettes in a grow bag.

 

Can't help with the squash though.

 

 

 

 

LB

[new to the flock]

Would someone please put up a picture of a courgettes as this is not ringing a bell

 

NTTF

[garyb]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zucchini

[Cranfield]

NTTF in the USA they are called Zucchini, probably the same in Canada.

 

Edit Note; Oops, I was composing this as garyb was posting his answer.

Edited February 17, 2008 by Cranfield

[new to the flock]

Thank you Cranfield. We grow lots of zucchini then shred it and freeze it making cakes and muffins out of it all year.

 

As our recipie calls for 4 cups of shredded zucchini we freeze it in 4 cup measures in ziplock bags and freeze flat....then you only need to pull a bag out at a time.

 

NTTF