Each year I seem to forget just how much space it takes when growing squash. I have 8 uchiki kuri plants and 6 butternuts and I'm going to struggling to squeeze them all in. I grow some together with sweetcorn in a bed and that works well, not tried the 3 sisters yet as that sounds a bit messy?. I also grow some in compost bins (full of horse muck) and let them trail over the sides so I know they can cope with trailing but I know some people grow them upwards. I probably have room in one of the CFB beds to give this a shot and while I doubt a bamboo structure is going to be strong enough I may try 1 uchiki this way for a challenge.
Anyone tried growing them upwards?
I grow spaghetti squash at a jaunty rather than vertical.
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I seem to have had a fat finger moment and put a photo of my tromboncino (middle photo) . Which is ok because I grow him vertically. He’s very happy going up.
What ever you do you will need to have a heavy duty frame for climbing & the fruits will need supporting while growing.
I found making hammocks out of old tea towels worked well.
This is last years. Not plant out yet this year. Will be done the same.
I tried BNS last year - they just slid down the supports!
Like SC, I've grown them over a sloping grid. supported on the sunny side with posts, (?Munty frame) which frees up space for planting below.
Years ago, I saw squash being grown along the top of a hedge -planted at ground level, obviously, and encouraged to climb to the top of the hedge - then left to wander along the top. He also had them climbing over arches.
I like your plant labels, SC. I'm hazarding they are home made, and a much better shape for writing on than the traditional pencil shape. What a good idea. Trying to get the whole name on without half being buried in the pot is a trial, so I shall in future make them the same shape as yours. Thanks for the inspiration
(30-05-2021, 09:11 AM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]I tried BNS last year - they just slid down the supports!
Like SC, I've grown them over a sloping grid. supported on the sunny side with posts, (?Munty frame) which frees up space for planting below.
Years ago, I saw squash being grown along the top of a hedge -planted at ground level, obviously, and encouraged to climb to the top of the hedge - then left to wander along the top. He also had them climbing over arches.
Firstly what's BNS? Beans not Squash? Bright New Shoes?
Secondly, I tried tromba vertically on a mish mash of bamboo canes, tromba was happy enough until the frame collapsed.
Thirdly, spookily, I was looking up planting distances for Scarlet's mystery beans and getting nowhere and sidetracked, saw Munty frames mentioned. Never heard of them I was going to start a bean support thread. Might still do so.
(30-05-2021, 09:30 AM)JJB Wrote: [ -> ] (30-05-2021, 09:11 AM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]I tried BNS last year - they just slid down the supports!
Like SC, I've grown them over a sloping grid. supported on the sunny side with posts, (?Munty frame) which frees up space for planting below.
Years ago, I saw squash being grown along the top of a hedge -planted at ground level, obviously, and encouraged to climb to the top of the hedge - then left to wander along the top. He also had them climbing over arches.
Firstly what's BNS? Beans not Squash? Bright New Shoes?
Secondly, I tried tromba vertically on a mish mash of bamboo canes, tromba was happy enough until the frame collapsed.
Thirdly, spookily, I was looking up planting distances for Scarlet's mystery beans and getting nowhere and sidetracked, saw Munty frames mentioned. Never heard of them I was going to start a bean support thread. Might still do so.
Butter nut squash?
(30-05-2021, 09:40 AM)Broadway Wrote: [ -> ] (30-05-2021, 09:30 AM)JJB Wrote: [ -> ] (30-05-2021, 09:11 AM)Veggie Wrote: [ -> ]I tried BNS last year - they just slid down the supports!
Like SC, I've grown them over a sloping grid. supported on the sunny side with posts, (?Munty frame) which frees up space for planting below.
Years ago, I saw squash being grown along the top of a hedge -planted at ground level, obviously, and encouraged to climb to the top of the hedge - then left to wander along the top. He also had them climbing over arches.
Firstly what's BNS? Beans not Squash? Bright New Shoes?
Secondly, I tried tromba vertically on a mish mash of bamboo canes, tromba was happy enough until the frame collapsed.
Thirdly, spookily, I was looking up planting distances for Scarlet's mystery beans and getting nowhere and sidetracked, saw Munty frames mentioned. Never heard of them I was going to start a bean support thread. Might still do so.
Butter nut squash?
Of course! I should've known. But shouldn't that be BS, as in Butternut Squash? There's an awful lot of BS spouted in the gardening world though, and you wouldn't want to confuse anyone.
A few years ago I grew a butternut squashes up a trailer that was leaned on a wall, I got a few of each plant.
(30-05-2021, 06:44 AM)mcdood Wrote: [ -> ]Each year I seem to forget just how much space it takes when growing squash. I have 8 uchiki kuri plants and 6 butternuts and I'm going to struggling to squeeze them all in. I grow some together with sweetcorn in a bed and that works well, not tried the 3 sisters yet as that sounds a bit messy?. I also grow some in compost bins (full of horse muck) and let them trail over the sides so I know they can cope with trailing but I know some people grow them upwards. I probably have room in one of the CFB beds to give this a shot and while I doubt a bamboo structure is going to be strong enough I may try 1 uchiki this way for a challenge.
Anyone tried growing them upwards?
Hello Dood
Did you try this?
Hi Danny, I have tried 2 plants vertically and they have a couple of fruits each so I would say it's successful. My plants left to trail are more vigorous and producing much more fruit but also taking up more land so it feels a bit of a trade off. The plants in the compost bins are doing the best as usual i'd expect because of the extra heat. Certainly been a bit of a poor August but if we get some sun in September I'm hopeful plenty fruit will ripen. You growing any?