Bush Buttercup Squash

Cropper2 4/25/2010, 12:58 pm

Has anyone had any experience with Bush Buttercup Squash? Any idea how to plant them in a SFG? The directions on the back of the package say to "Thin to 3'". Does this help?

jenjehle 4/25/2010, 3:47 pm

What brand are your seeds?

I'm going to plant a butternut squash bush type and I'm only going to do one per square. Just b/c I don't want to take any chances of it hogging more space that necessary and taking over another veggie.

Happy Gardening!

Cropper2 4/25/2010, 4:03 pm

Good idea. I'll do the same.

The seed package says Livingston Seed Co. The package also says, "Bush Habit". Do you know what that means?

Ole Joe Clark 4/25/2010, 6:12 pm

"Bush habitat" means that it's not a "running" or vining plant, it does not need a trellis or stake, and that it takes up a LOT of room.

Cropper2 4/25/2010, 6:14 pm

Uh oh. More room than one square foot, I'm guessing, huh? Maybe it isn't a good idea to try this type in SFG?

Wyldflower 4/25/2010, 7:50 pm

I'm planting bushing type squash... but I'm doing it in its own 1'x2' box (two boxes - one for zucchini and one for yellow squash) and letting the bush spill over onto the surrounding ground. This is my first year gardening, and this will be an experiment. I'll try planting pole beans at one end of the box and the squash at the other end. I figure the roots will spread through the whole box. I haven't found any vining habit summer squash in my garden centers. I don't really want to devote a whole 3x3 box to squash at this point.

Good luck and let me know what you plan to do.

jenjehle 4/25/2010, 9:54 pm

I'm doing mine in my SFG but will read up about pruning. I assume there's a good way to prune and keep it somewhat trimmed so that it doesn't take up TTTOOO much room. But it will be worth it; I LOVE butternut squash!

Nothing like a good butternut squash soup on a cold fall or winter night Smile

Retired Member 1 4/25/2010, 11:27 pm

jenjehle wrote:I'm doing mine in my SFG but will read up about pruning. I assume there's a good way to prune and keep it somewhat trimmed so that it doesn't take up TTTOOO much room. But it will be worth it; I LOVE butternut squash!

Nothing like a good butternut squash soup on a cold fall or winter night

Not sure you can prune any bush squash without damaging it. I planted two bush type zucchinis each in a corner square and left the adjacent squares empty. That's only a 2x2' space and Mel recommends 3x3'. But some will grow out of the box. Hopefully, at any rate.

pattipan 4/25/2010, 11:54 pm

I have been Googling for ideas for squash trellises. I think I found one that looks like it might work! I think it would work on a smaller scale for some squashes that are labeled as semi-vining.

http://www.digginfood.com/2009/04/super-sturdy-squash-trellis/

Here's are links to two of the pictures (before and after squash)...

Bush Buttercup Squash Gardenafter1

I think though, instead of putting all the frame inside the box, I'm going to try putting it half in and half out of the box, since mine will be at one end of a 2 x 6 box.

Pattipan

Retired Member 1 4/26/2010, 9:13 am

I like that, and especially your idea of putting it half in - half out. Too late for me this year, but I'm bookmarking the instructions to possibly use next year. Thanks.

jenjehle 4/26/2010, 10:18 am

I also like the idea of 1/2 in, 1/2 out... just not sure my hubby/son would appreciate it when mowing Bush Buttercup Squash 889526

They tend to like to do the job and get it over with as quick as possible, not having to mess with mowing around my plants hanging out of the box. But I will try to train it to go more vertical and will probably plant green onions or lettuce on either side; things that won't be as affected if they get a little shade.

I'm doing lots of space hog plants; zucchini, squash, cucumbers... and lots of tomatoes! I started my plants from seed this year and didn't think they'd all make it! Now I have more tomato plants then I know what to do with Smile

Retired Member 1 4/26/2010, 12:58 pm

jenjehle wrote:

I'm doing lots of space hog plants; zucchini, squash, cucumbers... and lots of tomatoes! I started my plants from seed this year and didn't think they'd all make it! Now I have more tomato plants then I know what to do with [/size]

Oh yeah, can I relate to that. I only seeded 4 seeds of each kind but all 4 grew. Since I am growing 9 different varieties, only one or two of each, I ended up with 25 extra plants. I took them to Bible Study a couple of weeks ago and they were gone in a heartbeat. At least I know they will have good homes.

Bec 4/26/2010, 3:16 pm

I've planted butternut squash for the past 2 years and have had great success. I grew most of them vertically up a fence and had the vine going in and out/back and forth through the holes in the fence. This held them up wonderfully and the squash grew so well. I did have a few butternut squash growing in the ground (wasn't growing them the SFG way) without being grown vertically and I just moved the vine in a spiral. Each plant remained in it's circle and grew well too but of course took up more ground space. Oh - the main thing I was writing about was that according to Mel's book you're supposed to plant 1 winter squash per 2 squares.

Hope that helps.
Bec

Retired Member 1 4/26/2010, 5:08 pm

Vining squash is grown in two squares, but this variety is a bush squash. I would think it will take up a similar space as zucchini -- 3x3' or larger unless allowed to run over the edges.

Cropper2 4/26/2010, 5:16 pm

Pattipan,

In the photos, is that a bush or a vine squash? I'm guessing that since it is growing up a trellis that it is a vine, but I want to check to make sure.

Thanks

pattipan 4/26/2010, 5:23 pm

Cropper2 wrote:Pattipan,

In the photos, is that a bush or a vine squash? I'm guessing that since it is growing up a trellis that it is a vine, but I want to check to make sure.

Thanks

Cropper,
I think the blog it came from said that it was butternut squash. If you click the link above the pictures it takes you to the blog where you can read more about it. I just found it by doing a Google search for "trellising squash." :-)

Patti

Bec 4/26/2010, 5:31 pm

Sorry I got so long-winded in my previous post. I get carried away when talking gardening.

pattipan 4/26/2010, 5:34 pm

Bec wrote:Sorry I got so long-winded in my previous post. I get carried away when talking gardening.

No need to apologize -- you're among kindred spirits here!

Pattipan

Cropper2 4/26/2010, 5:38 pm

I'm sorry. I thought the photo was from Pattipan. Whoops.

jenjehle 4/26/2010, 6:20 pm

Bec wrote:Sorry I got so long-winded in my previous post. I get carried away when talking gardening.

I think if it were required to apologize for being long-winded when it comes to gardening, we'd all be apologizing constanty! Bush Buttercup Squash Icon_lol

We all have that happen a lot! You're in good company... it's what we all love to talk about. That's why we spend so much time in this forum, b/c we can "talk" to each other about gardening when everyone we live with is tired of listening!!!!

Keep on "talking" and we'll listen!

Bec 4/27/2010, 6:20 am

Thanks guys. I appreciate you all.

Retired Member 1 4/27/2010, 8:43 am

I imagine the squash in the photo is vining, but the op asked about planting a bush squash. From personal experience and Mel's book, it takes 3 square feet (9 squares) for bush, but only two for vining. I've gotten away with using 2x2' for a zucchini but I planted it in the extreme corner and let it grow out of the box. But even then, it encroached on a caged tomato's domain. Bush squashes really do take up so much room -- but I really think they are worth it.

Cropper2 4/27/2010, 10:01 am

Thanks. I have an available 3x6 box. Maybe I'll put it in the center of one side (3x3) and see what happens.

Retired Member 1 4/27/2010, 10:56 am

Cropper2 wrote:Thanks. I have an available 3x6 box. Maybe I'll put it in the center of one side (3x3) and see what happens.

Just stand back so you don't get knocked over! Bush Buttercup Squash Icon_biggrin

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