How big will it get?

[sunnychooks]

I'm planting some Butternut Squash and need to know if they grow as big as my Zucchini plants did. The zukes were huge! Some leaves were larger than a foot across and they shaded and killed the row of eggplant next to them. I had NO IDEA how big the plants got! Will the Butternuts be as big (or as sprawling)??? How much room should I leave around each plant? Thanks!

 

[silkiechicken]

I usually put the zucchini about 4 feet apart and expect a thick canopy of leaves.

As for the squash, I think it's a sprawling type so I'd give them a big chunk of area or places to send their vines. I have a single accidental pumpkin which I thought was a zucchini that is now about 5 feet in diameter, with two runners popping out leaves that stretch about 2 and 8 feet from the 5 foot circle respectively. Two acron squashes have taken over a 10x8 area.

 

[rockytopsis]

My butternuts ran like they were cucumbers LOL.

Mine were inbetween the zukes and cukes, but they did quite well for the first time ever planting them and not knowing what to expect and the fact that the dogs dug up the first planting.


Nancy

 

[patandchickens]

Butternut squashes are one of them things like watermelon that are notorious for their conquest of vast amounts of space.

Are you CERTAIN you can still plant butternut squash at the end of August and get a crop????? I mean, it takes several months to mature, and that's with summertime temperatures. If other people in your area do it and get a crop, then fine, it just would surprise the bejeebers out of me. I can't imagine it would be a very efficient greenhouse crop either.

This isn't because it's called a "winter" squash (on account of it keeps well, not on account of when you grow it), is it? As per my husband

Good luck,

Pat

 

[sunnychooks]

Thanks, all! I guess I'll have to expect to use a larger area than I thought. When I prepared a spot for my garden I thought it was a good size. My plan was to plant "just a few" veggies. Now after I see all the goodies I can grow myself my garden seems somewhat puny!
I'll be expanding it for next spring!

Pat, yes I think I'm pushing it, but what the heck? I'll see if I get anything anyway. Some of the frost dates for my area go to the middle of November so I'll hedge my bets and see if the weather patterns will stay as they have been for the last few years. It's stayed warm (relatively) until the end of the year. If I get nothing, I'll just have to be sure I plant earlier next year. That's the nice part about being a gardening newbie - I'm allowed to make all the mistakes I want without having to admit I should have known better!

 

[silkiechicken]

Sept, nov... I doubt you'll get more than leaves. I think those take about 3 months to start really setting fruit, and then an extra month or so to mature. I'd just save that seed for next year. Assuming NJ is similar to WA weather wise, even if your first frost is in Jan, the average temps won't be high enough for the plant to thrive.

 

[sunnychooks]

I think you're right, Silkie. For some reason my head was still in August! I was thinking from Aug. to Nov. was 3 full months. So if they need 3 months to fruit and another to mature I guess they should have been planted in June or July. That's what I'll do next year. Thanks!