Squash -- Vine or Bush?

There are so many varieties of squash. Winter and Summer but most seem to be bushes rather than vines. There should be a "Squash-o-pedia" discussion forum.

I am trying to find vine varieties so I can grow them vertically, as the bushy ones want more space than I am willing to give them. 1 zucchini bush takes a whole 4x4 box, as do most of the summer squash varieties. I don't like squash well enough to sacrifice so much growing space. I will have 4-4x4 SFGs this year.

I'd like some summer squash because they mature faster but they seem to be mainly big "bushes". Bush varieties that stay small enough to use one square with a wire cage would be ok but I can't seem to find any that fit that criteria either.

I am finding that Winter squash take too long to mature and very rarely produce here in the colder Canadian climate, even when given a headstart indoors. I am located in growing zone 4a and typically only get 4 months of frost-free growing, barely enough to even see them flower.

Any suggestions?

Does anyone know if Acorn or Hubbard squashes are vines? I acquired seeds at the local Seedy Sunday seed swap last weekend but they weren't labelled with their growth habits so I don't know what to expect.

there is a squash encyclopedia in book form "
The Compleat
Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourd"

I am planting the cucuzzi gourd which is eaten like a squash that is vining. I thought I saw several short season squash also. I just can't remember them off the top of my head.

Mel explains how to train zucchini up a trellis on the main website. Click on the tab "What is SFG?", then "Mel's Column" then "vegetables". Sounds like a lot of work to me. I know Gurney's has a compact summer squash and right now they are offering $1.00 shipping no matter how small or large the order. I'm going to plant it in the corner of my boxes and let it spread over the side. Hope that works!

Hi,
I have had good luck with my garden which wasn't a SFG growing acorn, zuchinni and summer squash vertically by just being deligent about getting them to attach as soon as they are tall enough and then they kept going but I would continue to work on them and I am in Zone 3 in VT. Good luck finding some

Mountain: Do you have any pics? I haven't actually SEEN a regular zuke plant trellised before.

Try Trombetta di Albenga
http://www.reneesgarden.com/seeds/packpg/veg/squash-trombetta-p.htm

or Tatume (about half way down the page)
http://www.victoryseeds.com/catalog/vegetable/cucurbita/squash_summer.html

I haven't grown either of these, but like you I like the idea of saving my squares to maximize the number of veggies I can grow.

Hi,
Since I am sure that you can tell by my postings I am new to computers and high tech gadgets in general so I am now able to put my pictures on the internet with the help of the digital camera and my hubby but don't have any from last year. Sorry hopefully there will be some others that you can see and when mine are ready this year I will post some. But just so you know I have 11 acorn squash hanging two years ago with no difficulty and they were just growing on string. I use 6X6 reinforcing wire now and it holds everything up really well because it is so sturdy.

In my search for advice regarding vining summer squash, the two varieties that Tim suggested came up at a recent seed exchange I attended plus a third which I am told is also a heritage variety -- Yellow/Golden Summer Crookneck Squash although I have seen conflicting descriptions of its habit on the internet (some say bush, some say vine).

Unfortunately neither the organic nor the heritage seed venders present had seeds for any of them in their show stock.

I was told that the Tatume, a heritage variety, has a very strong vining habit that grows 12-14+ ft tall/long (it will need lots of redirection if the trellis is short). It produces round green fruit and has excellent taste. Matures in 45-60 days and keeps producing as fruit are picked. As with other summer squash, pick and eat them while they are young. [If I can find some seed for this I may give it a try.]

www.eternalseed.ca a Canadian source of Tatume

Spaghetti Squash may also be a vine, has anyone grown this before?

Check out this zucchini. It is know for being able to climb by itself.

Info

I found seeds for sale here
Black Forest Zucchini

I just called Page's Seeds about my Garden Spineless F1 Hybrid and they said it is a vine :oD

Wow that Tatume variety could climb a trellace and take over a pergola! Can you imagine walking out of your back door and reaching up to pick a squash? That would just be so cool!

I think I'll just throw my zucchini in an earthbox and save those precious squares for other veggies. Although that hybrid Black Forest climbing zucchini I may try.

I had great luck growing spaghetti squash last summer - although I never got my trellis built and ended up having to let them sprawl over the edge and across the yard. They did over-take the bed a bit too - but that is my fault for not getting them trellised. The thing is, I can't remember how many I planted! I think it was 1 per 2 squares - but I'm just not sure. I was just trying to finalize my garden plans for this summer so came here in hopes of someone else knowing how to space vining winter squash! The book says 2 per square foot - but I thought I remembered that it was a typo (I don't own a copy of the book - only borrow it from the library - though hoping to remedy that soon so I can make notes in it!).

Hi Bonnie I just looked up winter squash spacing for you. Yes your memory is good, the recommendation is 1 squash per 2 squares.

Thanks bullfrogbabe! Where did you look it up? I see in the SFG book on page 157 it has the correct info but on page 192 it is incorrect. Just wondering if you had another source as I see that the same would be true for yellow squash and zucchini (1 per 2 squares) but according to page 192 I would have thought a vining variety was 3 per square and I want to make sure I don't overcrowd things!

We must have the same book (All New Square Foot Gardening) but mine says the same thing, 1 per 2 sq.ft for winter squash, on all the pages you refer to (mine is the 2006 revised version that seems to be corrected). I also found it on pg 229 Winter Squash At A Glance.

There may be some smaller vining winter squash varieties that could go 1 per square -- sweet dumpling perhaps? I'll find out this year.

I haven't successfully grown any winter squash yet, they take too long to mature for the growing zone I am in (Canadian Zone 4a). Last year was my first year SFGing and it was too cold to successfully set fruit before the fall frosts came. My butternut squash was transplanted in early June but only grew about 12 inches and flowered just before frost came in late September. We had a predominantly overcast and cool summer, which is atypical so I am hopeful that this year will be better.

I am planning to try summer squash this year as they mature sooner than winter squash but am having problems finding vining varieties; most of them are bushes that require a lot more space than I am willing to give them. I will also be trying sweet dumpling winter squash, as they are smaller and mature earlier than butternut. I'll be starting them all inside shortly to give them a head start.

bullfrogbabe wrote:We must have the same book (All New Square Foot Gardening) but mine says the same thing, 1 per 2 sq.ft for winter squash, on all the pages you refer to (mine is the 2006 revised version that seems to be corrected). I also found it on pg 229 Winter Squash At A Glance.

Maybe I'm just reading the "At a Glance" part wrong as mine is the 2006 revised edition too. It says "Spacing per Square Foot" - Winter Squash: 2 --- I would take that to mean 2 plants per square foot (as onions states 16 and I know there are 16 plants per square foot for onions).

Anyway - it doesn't really matter...that's what we're all here for - to help each other, right!?

Although, now I'm confused about cucumbers...they are 2 plants per square - right? That's what I did successfully last year, anyway!

bonnie0128 wrote:
Although, now I'm confused about cucumbers...they are 2 plants per square - right? That's what I did successfully last year, anyway!

Yep, 2 per square.

Did anybody grow any Cousa zucchini? I emailed the company who sold me the seeds (White Trieste Cousa variety), and they answered "it's a bushy vine", which doesn't help a lot to decide how many squares to assign to it...

since it is a bush squash, I would treat it like any other zuke or yellow bush squash, 1/9sf.

I found this also: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/107149/

9 squares, that's a huge chunk of my space... One question: is all that space needed because the roots spread that much, or is it the branches/leaves that need a lot of room? If it's the second, could I "save" some space by planting it in a corner and letting the plant drop out of the sides of the box?
If I really have to allocate all those squares, I might have to drop this plant, which is a pity because I was really looking forward to growing it.

belfrybat wrote:Mel explains how to train zucchini up a trellis on the main website. Click on the tab "What is SFG?", then "Mel's Column" then "vegetables". Sounds like a lot of work to me. I know Gurney's has a compact summer squash and right now they are offering $1.00 shipping no matter how small or large the order. I'm going to plant it in the corner of my boxes and let it spread over the side. Hope that works!

I'm curious about the $1 shipping - do you know if there was a special coupon code or something. I was just visiting their site and couldn't find any info about discounted shipping - maybe the promotion is over? ETA: apparently the shipping promotion is over - the "not very helpful" customer service rep had no idea and said they were running a couple promotions that were over last week. Now to decide if ordering one thing is worth the $6.95 shipping! Anyone want to share?

I did find 4 vining zucchinis!
Gurney's Pride Hybrid Zucchini
Jackpot Hybrid Zucchini
Zephyr Hybrid
Black Magic Zucchini

I'm planning to call to inquire about a few others that don't say bush or vine. I'm really looking for a yellow squash.

The $1 shipping ended on the 15th. It was in an email they send out.

Has anyone come up with a yellow squash that is a vining variety? I haven't been able to find one anywhere!