Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: tudou on May 17, 2011, 09:41

Title: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: tudou on May 17, 2011, 09:41

My Expert Veg book says around a week, but I planted them about 2 weeks ago and still nothing  :(

I did sweetcorn at the same time and they've all germinated rather nicely (the book says they should take about 7-14 days).

I've kept them in the greenhouse and it's not really been too cold. On the bottom of one of the pots for the squash I can see a small white root, are they growing upside down!? The variety is Cobnut (F1).

 :unsure:

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: radiohead on May 17, 2011, 09:46

I germinate them in a 3" pot of moist compost covered with clingfilm on a sunny windowsill.....and yes,they normally take around a week.

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: bigben on May 17, 2011, 09:50

I found there is a massive difference in germination based on temperature. I put some in my cold frame on the allotment and waited about 4 weeks to only get half germinate. Others with clingflim over a radiator came up in 5 days.

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: Salmo on May 17, 2011, 10:13

Squashes need a bit more heat than cougettes and pumpkins. Put them in a warm spot for a few days, it need not be light. As soon as they show take them back into the greenhouse or they will become leggy.

If you can see roots the shoots are on their way.

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: aelf on May 17, 2011, 10:31

mine took 2 weeks in a cool greenhouse, they got there eventually  :)

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: BabbyAnn on May 17, 2011, 11:24

General rule of thumb - the warmer the temperature, the quicker they germinate.  So anything from 1-3 weeks is fairly normal.  Last year I grew Pink Banana for the first time and when I had a no show from the sowings in the (very warm) greenhouse, the pots were discarded .... only to find them later germinating (easily 5-6 weeks after sowing  ::))  This year I sowed the seeds much earlier than my other squashes and they are showing the same pattern and they've had the ideal conditions this time round.  So not all squash are the same.

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: tudou on May 17, 2011, 11:35

Thanks. I'll give them another week and if I still don't see any sign I'll maybe just take them into the house  ::)

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: TerryB on May 17, 2011, 12:49

Hi Tudou
I'm sure they will be showing soon.
You could try starting them off between damp kitchen towel in an air tight container next time. It works with all big seeds but you have to check them every day because they can start growing in 3 days.

Title: Re: Squash - how long to germinate?
Post by: shokkyy on May 17, 2011, 20:39

I stuck mine in 3" pots on the worktop near my boiler in the utility room, and they came up in about 3 days :)