[webby139]

Hi all,

My butternut squash are in a cold frame and seem to be growing very well.
I open and close pretty much every day - with the exeption of when 101mph winds are around.

There are a few fruits now on each plant, one of which is around the size of a large pear.

BUT, the flower has fell off this large one and when i look round the plant (s) I only seem to see female flowers at present, the male ones look very small at this point and are now where nearer flowing yet.

What i don't understand is the large one - the flower has fell off, the fruit is growing, there aren't any male flowers yet, so i haven't hand pollinated.

How can this be
Will my squash be OK

[lucywil]

it's early yet, this normally happens and will put itself right in time, i grow lots of squashes and never feel the need to hand pollinate but i do grow them in the open.

How big is your cold frame? what type of squash is it because most usually take up quite alot of room

[webby139]

Hi there,

Does HAWK squash sound right I think that is what they are called.

My frame is 4.8m long by 1.2m wide - i have 4 plants in the ground, planted 1m apart, but i have kept 2 in large pots which i also have in the frame at present. These were incase any of the others died.

If i'm honest the 2 in the pots are growing faster than those in the ground - although i did keep these in my greenhouse for about 4 weeks after the ones in the ground.

Cheers for your reply.

[JayG]

Both male and female flowers will drop off after a few days whether they have "done their job" or not.

Fruits will also start to grow but if not actually pollinated will soon start to rot off from the flower end. Your "pear sized" fruit sounds as if it has been pollinated, which could possibly have been by pollen from a nearby squash (not necessarily the same variety!)

It's very frustrating but not unusual to have flushes of flowers all of the same sex (having more than one plant reduces the chances of this.)

I do hand pollinate when I get the opportunity as it takes the chance element out of the equation and saves possible disappointment.

(None of the above applies to all-female F1 squashes which need no pollination, but there aren't many of those about at the moment.)

[webby139]

Morning,

OK, so i guess it's just a waiting game !!

There aint anything around me as the patch i have is just at the bottom of my garden - A mystery i think !!!

So should i expect some of the fruits to die off - but not to get to discouraged. 

As soon as any male plant come through i will try to pollinate ever female i have. 

Just another question,
Should i kerb how many fruits are on 1 plant or just let them make their own mind up how many they produce ?

Thanks again.

[JayG]

Just another question,
Should i kerb how many fruits are on 1 plant or just let them make their own mind up how many they produce ?

Thanks again.

It's always tempting to go for the maximum number of fruits by leaving the decision to the plant, but even though bred for the UK climate butternuts are still pushed to deliver the goods in an average British summer (whatever that is!  )

I've not grown Hawk myself so others may have more relevant experience, but I think 4 or 5 per plant is about the most you can expect to grow to maturity.

[bigben]

It's always tempting to go for the maximum number of fruits by leaving the decision to the plant, but even though bred for the UK climate butternuts are still pushed to deliver the goods in an average British summer (whatever that is!  )

I've not grown Hawk myself so others may have more relevant experience, but I think 4 or 5 per plant is about the most you can expect to grow to maturity.

I found my butternuts only managed two fruits each worth harvesting last year but Webby sounds as if his are further on than mine were at this stage.



Edit to clarify quote.