Butterbush Squash

[headfullofbees]

I used to like growing a few butternut squash or pumpkins when I lived in England, although they could be a bit marginal.
Now I live in Scotland there is little chance of growing them outside, & the sprawling vines would take up my whole greenhouse.
I have however, found a BUSH butternut squash (called Butterbush) which looks similar in size to a bush courgette (zucchini), so I'm giving it a go.
I've seen squashes with poor germination ratios, so I sowed all of a 10 seed packet, & have nine germinated.
I need only two plants, might cut back a cuke & go for three, but fortunately, I've found a home for some of the others.
The fruit are smaller, but that's fine ~ 1kg (2 1/4 lb) is more than enough for the missus & me.
Let you know how it goes.
Since there will be no other squash grown in the vicinity of my greenhouse, I may save & try some seed next year, if I get that far, even though they are F1

 

[Meadowlark]

I found my Hügelkultur containers to be perfect for growing a few butternut squash (and a few is all we can use). They produce abundantly as long as they have plenty of water.

 

[Toddz]

You might try honeynut variety next year. It's a smaller bush like variety that is OP. I know it doesn't do you any good this year, sorry lol.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I know people say you can't use seed from an f1, but as I understand it the f2 generation will be in the proportion of two with the same genes as the F1 and one like each of the original parents. Nobody is going to pick a rubbish plant as a parent when they are trying for a F1, so really you have to be on a winner.

 

[Toddz]

They may not pick a rubbish plant as the parents but one parent could have short runners but so so fruit. The parents will not be identically the same and you won't know what you have until the following season. If the seed you used from the f1 is parent with short vines but flavorless fruit then you will have wasted a whole growing season.



F1 can be fun to experiment with if you have the space and good growing conditions but in this situation, I wouldn't recommend using the seed.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I suppose I am thinking more of the sort of thing where you grow a number of them, they may not all be perfect, but 50% is okay if you have lots, not so much if it is one butternut squash.

 

[Toddz]

I suppose I am thinking more of the sort of thing where you grow a number of them, they may not all be perfect, but 50% is okay if you have lots, not so much if it is one butternut squash.

I think F1 experimenting is great. I do it with tomatos some times.

However since he lives in Scotland, that's why I advise not to do it. It read like he has to do a lot just to grow what they do.

I have the luxury of almost 120 frost free growing days. I also have plenty of ground that I can devote to experimenting like I'm doing this year with cotton, tobacco, luffa, peanuts, barley, butterfly pea vine and 15 different lettuces. Lol