'Tis all Jeannine's fault....

[ninnyscrops]

.....that I got hooked on growing and eating them  :)

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF1228.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF1248.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF1212.jpg

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF1250.jpg

with a little help from Cefer down under too

[ninnyscrops]

[PurpleHeather]

They do seem to take over don't they?

It has been a good year for gourd type plants.

[shirlton]

Wish my butternut looked like that. Havent got  a fruit on mine yet

[twinkletoes]

I am dead chuffed - got 3 butternuts this year (a pale buff colour at the moment - are they ready to pick off to store yet?) and a number of smaller ones - about 4"-5" long (will they have long enough to mature and ripen?).  Have taken over another half plot for next year just so I can grow butternuts and may be one or two different squashes.  Got a giant one this year but sadly have to report that I only have 1 that is the size of a football and is bright orange - when will this be ready to pick?  Again, have several others growing - size: grapefruit. Will these have time to ripen and mature?  Going to try one of those that looks like it has been divided ready to slice like the one in ninnyscrops picture.
twinkletoes

[betula]

Wow impressive,I have one big Turks Turban an d two tiny ones and a butternut that is giving me lots of beautiful leaves and nothing else.h it did have a flower that disappeared.Going to make more effort preparing the ground next year. :)

[thifasmom]

I am dead chuffed - got 3 butternuts this year (a pale buff colour at the moment - are they ready to pick off to store yet?) and a number of smaller ones - about 4"-5" long (will they have long enough to mature and ripen?).  Have taken over another half plot for next year just so I can grow butternuts and may be one or two different squashes.  Got a giant one this year but sadly have to report that I only have 1 that is the size of a football and is bright orange - when will this be ready to pick?  Again, have several others growing - size: grapefruit. Will these have time to ripen and mature?  Going to try one of those that looks like it has been divided ready to slice like the one in ninnyscrops picture.
twinkletoes

this is my third year growing butternut squashes and generally find that they do take longer to set fruit, though this year they started earlier and already have some large fruits, but in the last 2 years they normally didn't start setting till mid august, so i normally leave on the vines till the first frost forecast, and last year i went one better as the Indian summer days were so warm, at night i wrapped the individual fruits in a 2 / 3 sheets of newspaper in case of frost and unwrapped in the daytime so they could get the sunshine and warmth. i did this for at least two weeks till the days themselves were getting cold and the plant itself was definitely giving up the ghost. this year i might do the same if i have a few late setting fruits that i want to harvest.

[debster]

what are the ones in the third picture they look interesting, not seen or tried them

[Jeannine]

Now that is the kind of blame I am happy to get,well done, you have made a lovely job of growing them..... now what about the other 97 varieties I have... see you next year . XX Jeannine

[twinkletoes]

thanks thifasmom - feel happier now about leaving the butternuts.  Going on hols soon and wouldn't want to have found out I should have taken them off the vine before I go (get back 3rd week Sept). Also glad to see that if I am really lucky, I might just get more than 3  ;D ;D
Jeannine - when do I need to remove my pumpkin - is really is quite orange now but the leaves are still growing strong.
twinkletoes

[Barnowl]

Similar issue: is the skin turning matt the signal to harvest Uchiki Kuri?

[loopyloulou]

shirl ive got no fruit yet either, suspect the slugs are to blame as they keep eating the baby pumpkins and yellow courgettes, seems if its yellow its gone! siigh! maybe next yr...

[pippy]

I've no butternuts either, and this is the second year trying.  I think next year I'm going to start them off a bit earlier (in bigger pots) and juggle them in my conservatory for a bit longer.  I think I've read somewhere that trailing varieties do better?  What are the successful peeps growing?  Mine are definitely bush and they are still all leaves! ???

It may not be helping that I don't feed them much as once the school hols begin I struggle to do more than just harvest everything with my kids?!  The plot always gets tidied up in September when school starts again.

[twinkletoes]

Pippy I am growing Cobnut F1 butternuts. 
twinkletoes

[ninnyscrops]

Debster, they're vegetable (spaghetti) squash.  :)

[pippy]

Oh thanks for that Twinkle.  I'll look for cobnuts next year.  AND I'll start them 3 weeks earlier.  It'll be one of my 2009 challege veg I think.  Along with parsnips!

[twinkletoes]

Start a new thread pippy - What's Your Challenge Veg for 2009?
twinkletoes

[pippy]

Tis done ... and now I'm commited !  :o :o ... and that's just the end of school holiday madness, not the veg!!

[Jeannine]

You can leave the pumpkin on the vine IF the vine is in good shape and still growing but if you are going away I would take  it and the squash  off.  It has been a very funny year and would not be surprised if frost starts early.They will continue to mature in storage. Leave them in the house when you go away rather than risk an early frost outside.They will cure in a cool place which is what I usually suggest due to space for most people but actually while  they are curing they can use a higher temp , it is only after they are cured that they need a cool place for long term storage.

Skin losing it's shine is an indication that summer squash is past it's best,same with aubs.


Once squash and pumpkin reach their size  the colour starts to change, the skin starts to harden, they won't grow any bigger after that so there is no point to leaving them out. If the weather was lovely and sunny then yes leave them as they will cure in the garden  but  not this year in most places I doubt.

For those who have immature fruit leave as long as you can, while the plant is healthy and green the fruit will get nourishment from it but once the plant starts to go or if it gets mildew it can't give anymore to the fruit.

Curing takes about 2-3 weeks by the way and it is after this time they should be kept cooler.

The colour will continue to change  a little in storage but not a lot until towards the end when they are starting to go off, the skin colour will change again and the rind will soften, you need to use them quickly then before they perish.

Also bear in mind that they do taste better after storing a while as the  starch turns to sugar so they get sweeter. I think this is one reason why the shop bought ones are not as good as they are not stored long enough.

Leave a length of stem on them.

XX Jeannine

[aussiedigger]

Ninnyscrops - is the second picture a Queensland Blue?  If so, I am green with envy.  Roasted with lamb, mmmmm!

[ninnyscrops]

Hi aussiedigger, it sure is - courtesy of Cefer  :)