Can I reposition my small Butternut squash plants?

Discussion in 'Fruit and Vegetable Gardening' started by vicarious1, Jul 25, 2008.

  1. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Hello. I have Butternut squash that aren't doing very well and only SOME seem to be going ok I did fertilize the other day and added nitrogen fertilizer sticks near all of them.
    Don't know how long to wait for reaction/improvement. Most of my veggies on the other house are ok although the get slightly more Afternoon sun . the butternut gets same amount naturally but more morning to lunch time sunshine. Can I move the good butternut plants and rip out the others and sew some other plants instead that I got. I need the space for the seed for that are still ok for this time of sewing ? I don't want all the things mixed . Thank you so much. Vic Vancouver Burnaby BC Canada
     

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  2. growest

    growest Active Member 10 Years

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    Unfortuantely I'd say forget the moving...the squash family are notoriously hard to transplant even at a small size, those larger plants even less likely.

    The nitrogen will begin by increasing the green-ness of the squash leaves, then they should put on a spurt of growth for you. Full day sun is pretty important for squash, but especially butternuts as I find them just barely able to ripen in our climate at the best of times...hope for more sun and warmth thru September!
     
  3. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    hello. thank you so much for your reply. So may I ask one last opinon. Do you think I am waisting precious veggie pad m2 and go ahead and switch to more normal edibles ? As now is the time. I have seen NO improvements to the butternut so I am tempted with your remark on sun ( as they only get full sun 4hr a day ) to rip the sickly looking this week end. thanks for your reply now I know why they grow them in Mexico and South Africa where I spend the last 10 years :-).
     
  4. growest

    growest Active Member 10 Years

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    I'd rather not have the lives of these squash plants in my hands, vicarious :-)

    My own butternuts are going slowly this summer, with just a few flowers so far and probably no fruit set yet...not a good year for them being a cool spring and little really hot summer weather.

    I would be surprised if you get much from yours, esp. any runty plants, so replacing them with some quick growing crop could still produce at least something before winter.

    These are indeed much better suited to other climes...southern Ontario in a normal year grows huge crops of these in their hot humid summers...good for growing butternut squash, but bad for trying to sleep at night!
     

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