We have never had much luck with things like Squash and Pumpkins. Last year, we planted so many massive sunflowers in the same bed, that their really wasn’t enough goodness or enough water left for the little darlings. We had a few courgettes, but nothing to write home about.
This year, even though we have still used the space well, we have only planted lettucey things and a few sweetcorn plants in the cucurbit bed, to give them a better chance. The Uchiki Kuri (recommended by various websites as pretty easy to grow, very tasty and a good storer!) is coming on nicely as can be seen above and below. The two Squash plants are about a metre apart, but i have trained them so they are sprawling in different directions, to make the most of the bed. Each plant has 3 fruits on it currently. I am mindful that if i let too many grow, none will grow well, so i think i will stop the plant at 6, and see what happens. There’s always next year!
July 26th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Oh, look at that! I take it that’s a winter/storage squash? We’re growing a summer squash this year that looks exactly like what you’ve got, except it bushes instead of vining.
Hmm, good advice about keeping a small number of fruits. Perhaps I should put a stop to the four million golf ball-sized fruits our winter squash is working on …
July 26th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Wow it looks tasty already! My squashes have just started a mission to take over the earth but none of them have fruit as advanced as that. Make sure you tell us how tasty they really are, I am always on the look out for new varieties.
July 26th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
My chickens dug up my squash seeds this year and I never got my finger pulled out to get more in. Hence I am (butternut) squashless (and envious!) and crying for my CURCUBITS!!!
July 28th, 2008 at 4:38 am
Well done! My winter squash (Burgess Buttercup) only has one fruit on it - all the other flowers appear to be boys
July 29th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Hi all, ive found them so hard to grow in the past that i am so happy with our mini success…which is still growing!!! Ill make sure i post when we eat them, as i know they will be very tasty. I think he purpose of a quash plant IS to take over the Earth Amy!
Meg - im not sure, i think it will be ready about September time, but then more will come til the first frost when the plants will die!!!!
July 29th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I just counted the fruits we have on one single Uchiki Kuri plant… When I only take those that have at least the size of a big grape-fruit yet, there are 17.
And we have two more plants… I guess we will be eating pumpkin 3 days a week this winter.
I never let them stop making fruits: this way I have more fruits, but smaller ones. I don’t mind them to be small, as that makes them more ‘family-sized’ (we are a small family, only one child…).
July 31st, 2008 at 10:12 am
Lol Anne, i suppose that makes a lot more sense! I suppose being a man i just want one or two really big ones so i can show off! We have two plants, so now im thinking of leaving one to roam and take over the world!! Makes sense i suppose.
August 12th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
We have a couple of these one is trailing over an arch and as you say is not happy with too many fruits. The other is on the allotment and is the talking point of many of the plots. They were taking bets on what it was until I told them yesterday. Has anyone any ideas for recipes please.
August 12th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Can you make wine out of it do you think?
August 17th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I’m not sure you can make wine out of it. We love having it roasted with plenty of oil and rosemary… i can highly recommend it!
Update on the Uchiki Kuri here!
http://vegmonkey.co.uk/the-uchiki-kuri-are-escaping/