AllotMe
GROWING GUIDES
Butternut Squash
Vegetables
Moderate
Planting Schedule
Month by month
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Harvest
Sow Seeds Indoors
Sow indoors from mid-April, on their side, 2cm deep. Keep at 20°C for germination.
Outdoors
Plant out from late May to early June once all frost risk has passed. Needs a long, warm growing season.
Harvest
Harvest before the first frosts when the skin is hard and doesn't dent when pressed with a fingernail. The stem should be dry and corky.
Month by month
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Harvest
How to Sow
- Sow seeds on their side, 2cm deep in individual 8cm pots
- Keep warm at 20°C — a sunny windowsill or heated propagator works well
- Harden off for 7-10 days before planting out
- Plant into well-composted soil in the warmest, sunniest spot available
- Space trailing varieties 1.5-2m apart as they spread extensively
Plant Care
- Water generously in dry weather, especially when fruits are forming
- Feed fortnightly with a high-potash liquid feed once fruits appear
- Train vines to keep them tidy and pinch out growing tips after 2-3 fruits have set
- Place a tile under developing squash to prevent bottom rot
- Cure harvested squash in the sun (or warm room) for 10 days to harden the skin for storage
AllotMe’s Tips
- 'Hunter' and 'Waltham' are the most reliable butternut varieties for UK conditions
- A properly cured butternut squash will store for 3-6 months in a cool, dry place — amazing winter food from your summer garden
- Start early indoors and don't plant out until June — butternuts need every bit of our UK summer to ripen properly
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