[Jabberwock]

Hi folks,

In a moment of madness earlier this year I sowed a couple of butternut squash seeds (Butterbush variety) and when the time was right I planted them out into the garden, living in the north of Scotland my other half declared that I was crazy for even trying to grow them at all far less attempting to grow them outside, but despite his forecasts of doom and gloom I now have 2 very healthy looking plants each with 3 decent size squashes set.
My question is should I now stop the plants at 3 fruits each, I'm aware that evenings and early mornings are becoming cooler here and there is an increasingly autumnal nip in the air so I'm wondering how long it takes for the butternuts to reach maturity before I run out of growing season.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated as this has now become a personal challenge for me to prove the doom and gloom merchant wrong!!

[mumofstig]

I wouldn't let them set any more - up where you live.

They can just be left to grow and the fruits to ripen until the first frosts are due - cover them with fleece on any cold nights, if you are worried

[Jabberwock]

Thanks mum,

I must admit that stopping them at 3 was my gut feeling but it's nice to have it confirmed.  I have fleece at the ready but I also have enough timber and polycarbonate sheets lying around to be able to knock up some fairly rustic cloches, so long as I ventilate well during the day would this give them a fighting chance do you think?

[mumofstig]

Perfick 

[sunshineband]

Just so's you know (and can feel good  ) you have three more than I do on my bush plant 

I have found -obviously in other years - that once they have turned whitish yellow they will ripen up to pale orange indoors and store extremely well. Although your cloche does indeed sounds 'perfick' when the frosts come, you might be able to harvest them a little sooner than maybe you thought?

[Jabberwock]

Cheers Mum and Sunshine,

That's just what I needed to hear..................I'm really determined to make the other half eat his words!!
Right, enough computer stuff for me, I'm off to build my butterbush babies a palace!
Thanks again for you help

[sunshineband]

You are most welcome 

[Auntiemogs]

Just so's you know (and can feel good  ) you have three more than I do on my bush plant 

Me too!    Not sure I'll bother with them again, they have only just started to flower yet all my other squash (planted at the same time) are romping away...

[RJR_38]

I too am jealous. None set on my 2 plants yet but plenty of flowers so fingers crossed soon.... Well done though!

[Annen]

My butternut has turned dark green, do you think it will be ripe? I was expecting it to be stripey and then turn a light brown but it has turned green instead!

[mumofstig]

some of them are green - which variety did you grow?

[Annen]

some of them are green - which variety did you grow?

It says on the packet: Wilko Squash (winter) butternut f1 "producing creamy yellow fruits"  and the picture on the front is just like the ones in the shops.

[Jabberwock]

Thanks to everyone for your kind words, I've just rigged up a couple of cloches for them so was feeling quite optimistic about their chances...........until I saw the photo posted by Annen................mine don't look anywhere near as big as that......................skulks off to get a measuring tape!!

[mumofstig]

some of them are green - which variety did you grow?

It says on the packet: Wilko Squash (winter) butternut f1 "producing creamy yellow fruits"  and the picture on the front is just like the ones in the shops.

Have to assume that it will ripen to yellow then, the same as pumpkins go from green to orange 

[Annen]

.until I saw the photo posted by Annen................mine don't look anywhere near as big as that......................skulks off to get a measuring tape!!

Its even bigger now that pic was about a week ago, its going to be a whopper!   
Thanks Mums, I will leave it till autumn to harvest and see what colour it ends up.