2011 Winter Squash Reports

[Jeannine Anne]

Tania, you and I need to get our heads together.. I have some of the seeds that didn't make it for you this year.

XX Jeannine

[lakelady]

I have never grown winter squash as I don'tget a lot of sun but this year I am growing the Violina Rugosa Butternut, it is my favorite winter squash and hard to find seeds. So far I have 3 squashes, but lost several due to blossom end rot early in the season. They are SO HUGE (the plants). I tried trellising the plant, but it got all over the place and started growing all along the back wall of my house and is now about 30' long. I have no idea how I'm going to grow these next time but they sure do need a lot of room.

Fungus took over my cukes and I ended up pulling them, now the squash looks wilted so I've tried spraying with Actinovate and soil soaking as well. Some leaves are just plain yellow and dying from the fungus. The plant is in part shade for half of the day so next year I need to find a sunnier spot. Not bad though for a plant in part shade.

[Tania]

Here are some pictures of my squashes.

Jeannine, does the Mayoral Blue look correct to you? I think it is still quite far from maturity, so the color may not be the final color yet...

1-3 Mayoral Blue
4-5 - Rouge Vif D'Etamples
6 - Lady Godiva

[Jeannine Anne]

Tania, I never got to grow one, I got the seeds the year my ground flooded and was under water by three feet, then the next year we decided to leave the UK before they had even fruited, then last year I lost them to slugs, and this year they are late, so you have got further than I ever have..Good for you

XX Jeannine

[FILMNET]

I picked a few Butternut of my plants almost all tan color, the plants are dieing cold nights. Stored the in Nets hanging, now i see bruise on them. near the neck of 3 different brown color.

[FILMNET]

Is this bruises i got them inside

[tjg911]

if that spot is not soft then it's damage from squash bugs, at least that's what i attribute that to and they also cause a scabbing. any squash with either will not store as long as unblemished but they still store a long time. i use the blemished ones first. you should let butternut sit another 3 or 4 weeks in storage as the sugars intensify in storage.

[FILMNET]

These were perfect when i picked them, i hanged the in nets, they are hard on the brown . We had so much rain in Aug?

[tjg911]

if they were perfect when harvested then i don't know why the discoloration. the good news is it is hard not soft. i suggest eating any with this damage 1st.

tom

[Direct Sunlight]

Originally Posted by FILMNET

Butternut here, i put 3 plants in the middle of my small garden,I have had to cut some braces off it spreads to fast. But 7 fruits so far, 3 are 2-3 lbs already and turning tan color. My first time growing these, 73 days so far should i leave them still late September? No problem is they are tan from green and left on the ground for 1-2 months right?

Once mine turn brown, they sometimes split open if left for too long in 100 degree plus heat. Cushaws may split but can also cook in the heat, can tell this if the top turns tan and gets soft. I picked the musquee de provence also for this reason. Where you are you may not have to worry about it. We've had quite the summer here.

[Direct Sunlight]

Originally Posted by FILMNET

Is this bruises i got them inside

I think it's some kind of slow moving ground rot. I had this happen the last time I grew butternuts. It starts with some scabbing and it spreads across the surface of the fruit. I tried using copper soap but don't know if it helped. I've not seen a butternut squash bruise unless there's something else going on.

I did also have svbs bore into the fruit and it started rotting. I guess they couldn't really kill the plant so they did what they could. If you cut into it and there's a white caterpillar, then there you go. Give them the End they deserve.

[FILMNET]

I have left them outside on the grass beside a huge one still growing, funny thing i did pick 5, 3 weeks ago gave one to a neighbor which has been standing on his kitchen table. My 4 were hanging in nets, the onion nets used when you buy onions. But i hang them at the top of windows inside, and yes the tops were out of the nets and did get sun on them. Maybe that's way this is only on 1 side. The one I gave to a friend does not have this. First time growing squash for me, still learning.

[lakelady]

One of my butternuts; in spite of the lousey looking mildew from all the rain, the fruits did very well and are huge!

[FILMNET]

That a different looking Butternut,? I grow Waltham which is a old city in Ma.

[lakelady]

It's called Butternut Rogosa Violina Goia. Send me a pm if you'd like some seeds to try it for next year. Very prolific~!