[cadalot]

Last year I grew two rows of 4 in a 4x8 foot bed but used weed membrane, and that works a treat but it seems like a waste of growing space. 

Because of the Squash Borg (you know who you are, especially the one that kindly sent me some seeds, so now I'm committed and part of the collective) I'm intending to grow squash to give ground cover to the sweet corn.

I'm wondering if one could grow marrows around sprouts to cover the ground and keep the weeds off in the same way?

[MalcW]

You will have to try it now. As you know, Resistance IS Futile...

[JayG]

Bear in mind that if you have to net the sprouts against cabbage white butterflies you may well prevent bees getting in to pollinate the marrows...........

[cadalot]

Bear in mind that if you have to net the sprouts against cabbage white butterflies you may well prevent bees getting in to pollinate the marrows...........

Good point I didn't think about the netting, and I will be netting with the amount of cabbage whites around.

Perhaps I will use membrane and grow lettuce is shallow trays in between the Sprouts, lettuce like shade. 

[Goosegirl]

You could always have a furtle underneath and shake the marrow plants - can they be wind-pollinated too?

[JayG]

No - the pollen is far too heavy and the flowers too protected and few in number for wind pollination to work (you could hand pollinate using an artist's paint brush or similar but you would have to do that regularly, which is not something you would really want to be doing with protective netting over everything.)

[gavinjconway]

Problem with squashes with sweetcorn is they grow lanky looking for the light.. if your rows were 3-4' apart maybe but narrower no. Also if the sweetcorn is 4' apart you wont get good pollination. Just keep them seperate..

[Aunt Sally]

Even the weeds have a hard job to grow under my sprouts - there's far to little light.

[sunshineband]

Even the weeds have a hard job to grow under my sprouts - there's far to little light.

Snap 

I also keep the ground around the sprout plants rock solid, whilst the squash bed is very well fed and much 'fluffier'.

[mumofstig]

Problem with squashes with sweetcorn is they grow lanky looking for the light.. if your rows were 3-4' apart maybe but narrower no. Also if the sweetcorn is 4' apart you wont get good pollination. Just keep them seperate..

we're talking about Brussel sprouts and marrow/squashes 

[sunshineband]

Even the weeds have a hard job to grow under my sprouts - there's far to little light.

Snap 

I also keep the ground around the sprout plants rock solid, whilst the squash bed is very well fed and much 'fluffier'.

Forgot to mention I do grow a quick lettuce crop at the time the sprouts are planted into their final positions. They don't seem to mind a bit of trodden soil

[gavinjconway]

Last year I grew two rows of 4 in a..............

 I'm intending to grow squash to give ground cover to the sweet corn.

This is what I was referring to Mum - they also mentioned the sweetcorn ...

[pigguns]

I did turnips under the sprouts very successfully.  In fact we've found as a family we don't like turnips, but hey....

Also did Gan Lau (Chinese brocolli) and some pak choi came out ok, as they all are brassiccas the netting and firm ground worked well.

[al78]

Bear in mind that if you have to net the sprouts against cabbage white butterflies you may well prevent bees getting in to pollinate the marrows...........

Good point I didn't think about the netting, and I will be netting with the amount of cabbage whites around.

Perhaps I will use membrane and grow lettuce is shallow trays in between the Sprouts, lettuce like shade.

You could take the netting off when the marrows come into flower and then just check daily and squash any caterpillars that you find on the sprouts.

[devonbarmygardener]

Last year I grew two rows of 4 in a 4x8 foot bed but used weed membrane, and that works a treat but it seems like a waste of growing space. 

Because of the Squash Borg (you know who you are, especially the one that kindly sent me some seeds, so now I'm committed and part of the collective) I'm intending to grow squash to give ground cover to the sweet corn.

Squash Borg!!!??!!!
Who might that/they be then?