[Fishplate42]

Our neighbouring plot holder planted squash, last year, in what was going to be his strawberry patch as he could not get the plants he wanted. The patch was at the end of his potato rows. As he cropped his potatoes, the squash took up the space. This for him this was, by his own admission, a happy accident. This year I am going to grow a single squash/pumpkin at each end of our potato rows to have a go at emulating the potato-chasing squashes. The idea is that the potatoes will be cropped from each end of the rows and the squash will take up that vacant space.

Has anyone else tried this?

Ralph.

[Nobbie]

No, but sounds like an excellent idea for the 2nd earlies.

[tangojulie]

I do this every year. If I have a long row of potatoes I selectively harvest them so that one squash goes in every  few potato plants. Also works with courgettes.

[al78]

Is there not a potential issue with soil fertility if you are not careful? Both potatoes and squash are hungry crops I think, so you might want to dig in some manure where you want to plant the  squash and apply a general feed.

[Fishplate42]

Is there not a potential issue with soil fertility if you are not careful? Both potatoes and squash are hungry crops I think, so you might want to dig in some manure where you want to plant the  squash and apply a general feed.

I don't think that will be too much of an issue. I plan to plant a squash (with a trailing habit) at each end of the row and just let it trail in the space left from cropping the potatoes. The only difference is I will dig the potatoes from both ends, into the middle, this year. I am not planting the squash where the potatoes have been dug. The potatoes and the squash will get their appropriate feeding regime.

Ralph

Ralph

[al78]

Is there not a potential issue with soil fertility if you are not careful? Both potatoes and squash are hungry crops I think, so you might want to dig in some manure where you want to plant the  squash and apply a general feed.

I don't think that will be too much of an issue. I plan to plant a squash (with a trailing habit) at each end of the row and just let it trail in the space left from cropping the potatoes. The only difference is I will dig the potatoes from both ends, into the middle, this year. I am not planting the squash where the potatoes have been dug. The potatoes and the squash will get their appropriate feeding regime.

Ralph

Ralph

Oh I see, so you harvest potatoes at each end of the row, plant a squash in place, and train the squash to grow along and toward the centre of the bed, harvesting the potatoes as the squash grows. I might try that with Gem squash which are very trailing, it sounds like a way of increasing space efficiency, I guess that is the way to maximise productivity, plant crops in succession as long as you don't exhaust the soil.

[Fishplate42]

Oh I see, so you harvest potatoes at each end of the row, plant a squash in place, and train the squash to grow along and toward the centre of the bed, harvesting the potatoes as the squash grows. I might try that with Gem squash which are very trailing, it sounds like a way of increasing space efficiency, I guess that is the way to maximise productivity, plant crops in succession as long as you don't exhaust the soil.

I haven't done this yet, but the plan is to leave a space at the end of the row ready to plant a squash/pumpkin when the time is right. As it grows it will cover the ground the potatoes were in making use of the space... I have not tried this yet, so ask me if it works at the end of the summer

Ralph.

[mumofstig]

It would only work for the earlier varieties of potato, main crop wouldn't be ready in time to dig, before the squash needed the space. If you left the squash to grow in and around the potato foliage, I think you'd be more likely to get blight, because of lack of air movement through the potato rows.

[Fishplate42]

It would only work for the earlier varieties of potato, main crop wouldn't be ready in time to dig, before the squash needed the space. If you left the squash to grow in and around the potato foliage, I think you'd be more likely to get blight, because of lack of air movement through the potato rows.

Good point, I had not thought too much about that, but you are right. Last year both my neighbour and I only grow first earlies. I don't want the main crop potatoes, we plan to grow this year, to get smothered with rouge foliage!

Ralph.