Butternut Squash Query

[Susiebelle]

I don't have much luck with butternut squash but this year  I thought I was doing ok, not prolific but ok, then I checked yesterday and one reasonably sized one has a big split down it ??? can anyone tell me why and if I harvest can I still eat it?

[Susiebelle]

[Plot69]

It's possibly due to a long spell without water then getting plenty of it. It happens a lot with tomatoes. They dry out and when they get water the fruit inside swells and expands faster than the skin can grow and they then split.

I don't see why you couldn't eat it, most of the flesh should be OK.

[newbies]

My squash has loads of leaves and flowers, but none of the flowers have set to fruit, is this lack of sunshine, or another reason?

[Robert_Brenchley]

I think it's been due to the weather. Mine have been OK, more or less, where they've been in full sun. But I tend to undercrop other veg like sweetcorn with them, and that hasn't worked at all this year. I've ended up with a few pumpkins, and nothing else.

[TheEssexYorkshireman]

I haven't had much luck either 4 plants and only 9 squashes, still they are nice and big. Roasted half of one yesterday for Sunday dinner mmmmm!

[Barnowl]

Some of mine are only are just setting their second fruits! A little late methinks...

[ugly gourd]

Ive had a great year 17 pumpkins from 5lb to over 30 and 26 varied winter squashes and a green butternut one over  40lb I just let them fend for themselves just pushing the growing shoots back on themselves when they started to invade!! and I didnt water them once!!

[thifasmom]

Ive had a great year 17 pumpkins from 5lb to over 30 and 26 varied winter squashes and a green butternut one over  40lb I just let them fend for themselves just pushing the growing shoots back on themselves when they started to invade!! and I didnt water them once!!

well done :o what may i ask did you plant them into, homemade compost, manure or just the plain earth?

[ugly gourd]

Just plain earth I didnt even get round to putting muck on it so it was pure luck squashs good this year but potatoes were awfull   

[Squashman]

I had a medium crop of squash this year, better than last year, but no where near as good as the year before. I grew more "Harrier" Butternut this year, the yield medium, texture and taste excellent.

[tricia]

These are still on two plants - 5 Butternuts and 1 ripe, three unripe Crown Prince.

Tricia

[thifasmom]

Just plain earth I didnt even get round to putting muck on it so it was pure luck squashs good this year but potatoes were awfull   

well double well done :).

this year i used a F1 variety and got 3 v.large fruit from two plants grown in lovingly prepared soil ::). but over the last 2yrs i was given 2 plants per yr from my neighbour, grown from saved seed out of a supermarket B/nut squash purchase and had 6 the 1st year and 8 last yr. granted they were generally a little smaller than the average shop buy, but they were just the right size as an ingredient for a single meal plan. and they were grown in newly cleared bramble soil, with only watering when i remembered :-\.

next year the plan is to just let a self seeded pair to do their thing when they rare their little selves in the designated squash patch. i discarded most of the self sown ones this year and what i gave away has, yes given smaller fruits but was more prolific. go figure i didn't keep any as i already had my f1 seedlings :-[.