Time to squash the difficult veg rumours?
I’ve found squashes very difficult to grow, apart from compact patty pan varieties, probably because I don’t have the room. If you fancy a go, the highly-rated Mashed Potato and Baked Potato winter squash are low-calorie, low-carb and high fibre. The big selling point is that they can be used instead of potatoes.
I do recommend patty pans. The fruits are small, come in white, yellow or green and don’t take over. There are two plants in this small bed. They are also pretty trouble-free to grow for beginners.
Growing butternut squashes
I love butternut squash, but my initial bad feelings about growing them came true – a waste of time. Our cool, dull summer put paid to any crop, helped by a terrible year for slugs and snails. Some fruit did set, only to be severed by some evil monster gastropod.
Still, if you want to give them a go, Sweetmax F1, from Mr Fothergill’s, did flower and set fruit early. I sowed mine indoors, 1.5cm (1/2”) deep, placing the seeds on their edge (they can rot), in small pots of compost – a temperature of 15-20°C (60-68°F) is ideal.
Keep the pots moist, and seedlings usually appear in seven-14 days. Grow the plants on under glass and then gradually harden off before planting out 90cm (3’) apart, after the last frosts – the beginning of June here.
You can sow outdoors if you’ve got warm soil (don’t do this in heavy clay) where they are to crop, 1.5cm (1/2”) deep directly into finely prepared soil which has already been watered. Sow two seeds on edge per position. You’ll need to protect any early sowings with cloches, as they really don’t like the cold. Thin to leave the stronger plant. Water well until plants are established.
Honey Boat squash
I was sent two Honey Boat squash from Rob Smith’s Heritage Veg Collection at Dobies. Here’s what Rob has to say about them: “I first found this squash in the United States, California, to be exact… This squash is easier to grow and sweeter than butternut squash. It’s more productive, too.
“First introduced in 1894, Honey Boat can be left to crawl over the floor or trained up a frame or wires. The fruits are super sweet with firm, deep orange flesh, the ideal size to serve 2 people. It’s also got its own built-in best before date, as the green stripes will disappear as the squash ages, so you’ll always know which to eat first.”
Sadly, my failure on the squash front continues… sorry Rob, I let the side down – or maybe it was the weather in NE England.
Native American Indian Three Sisters planting
Growing sweetcorn, squash and beans together is the traditional Native American Indian growing system, known as the Three Sisters. The runner beans grow up the sweetcorn stalks, keeping them off the ground; the beans attract beneficial insects that prey on pests. The squash acts as a living mulch, prevents evaporation, and spiny varieties deter predators.
That’s great – but I’ve never managed to grow either sweetcorn or squash successfully in NE England, so my runner beans are an only child.
