[fatbelly]

Hi All,
My BNS are doing fine and in a week or so I will be moving them into my G/House.
They are quite leggy at present despite mu best efforts. My question is this should I plant them to the current depth that they are or should I plant them up to their 1st leaves ? There is about 6 inches between the two and I seem to remember reading on here that Squashes don't like being buried deeper than they already are.

Thanks in advance

[Robster]

I've only ever put squash out to the existing depth.  Occasionally I might push some fresh compost up to them to stop them flopping about while they are a bit young but still leggy.  Tomatoes I've always planted out quite deeply (up to the lowest leaves)

[snowdrops]

I'm rubbish with butternuts but I know with pumpkins you can bury some of the growing stem & it will root at the  junction of the leaves to feed the fruit. I haven't tried it though

[jaydig]

I'm rubbish with butternuts but I know with pumpkins you can bury some of the growing stem & it will root at the  junction of the leaves to feed the fruit. I haven't tried it though

I usually grow Crown Prince squash, and they root randomly along the growing stem without any encouragement.

[madcat]

I plant my winter squashes deep, and the marrows and courgettes.  They don't get damaged and make extra roots.

The main trick is to water the roots and not to get the stem wet.  They damp off so easily at this stage.    A chopped off bottle sunk in the ground as a water funnel helps get the water to the roots and keeps the top dry.

[Aidy]

I am similar to madcat. When I transplant they are transplanted into a bigger pot which has no bottom so the roots can go deep into the big pile of muck below and I water around the pot so the stem remains as dry as poss, as regards to depth I will go a little further up the stem but not too far to the first leaf. Also using the pot so it is just above the soil allows for easy weeding with the swoe without damaging the plant/stem.

[sunshineband]

I am similar to madcat. When I transplant they are transplanted into a bigger pot which has no bottom so the roots can go deep into the big pile of muck below and I water around the pot so the stem remains as dry as poss, as regards to depth I will go a little further up the stem but not too far to the first leaf. Also using the pot so it is just above the soil allows for easy weeding with the swoe without damaging the plant/stem.

How do you stop the stem rubbing on the lip of the pot please?

[Aidy]

I just fill to the top of the pot with compost, and pot is only about an inch higher than the soil, its not a big pot, prob about a 3inch or so and only about three inch below the surface if that makes sens.
When I am ready to transplant I will take a photo if you wish.

[Aled]

My first attempt at growing BNS, they did well in the greenhouse, and I have since put them out. Now however they seem to be struggling, leaves are yellowing and they are not growing at all. Any advice on how I can rectify the situation would be much appreciated.
With thanks
Aled

[Trikidiki]

Give them a watering with seaweed extract, it should perk them up a bit assuming nothing has damaged the roots.

[New shoot]

My first attempt at growing BNS, they did well in the greenhouse, and I have since put them out. Now however they seem to be struggling, leaves are yellowing and they are not growing at all. Any advice on how I can rectify the situation would be much appreciated.
With thanks
Aled

Are they under a cloche Aled and did you harden them off gradually before they went out?  Squash are real fair weather growers and a sudden change in growing conditions can make them sulk.  Yellow leaves can also indicate over watering or water logged soil.

If you have seeds left over, its not too late to resow.  I would start a couple more just in case   

[Aled]

Thanks New Shoot, I think the over watering may be correct, I do have a cloche I could put them under.
They went from greenhouse, to porch to garden, maybe it wasn't quite right, ah well we live and learn.
Thanks again.
Cheers
Aled

[Flowertot]

I think the weather is too changeable and it's probably too cold at night at the moment. They may come good though so don't give up on them. After a few years of planting them out early in May and having to beg them to survive (yellow, sulky)  , I've only just sown them this year.  Of course, I may have trouble ripening them at the end of the season and you may be laughing!

[Aidy]

Here is some photos of what I do as in pots, the squash themselves are still in the geeenhouse as they have only just germinated.

A hole around 2feet wide by 2feet deep thats is filled with rotten muck and the pot placed on top of this.

[Robster]

I like the Madcap/Aidy method of avoiding damage and damping off.  I'm going to use the pot idea for my pumpkins growing on the top of full compost bins. I'll incorporate some well rotted manure in the hole and sink the bottomless pot into it and then repot into that, watering the roots outside of the pot.  Great idea guys, thanks