Butternut triffids taking over my allotment!

floss2

I have (foolishly, with hindsight) planted 2 butternut squash plants on a compost heap on my allotment. They seemed quite happy until about 3 weeks ago, when they went absolutely crazy and have covered not only the compost heap but have climbed over the path, scrambled up the dividing fence to next door, and are in danger of smothering my yellow courgette plant.

Can I tidy them up a little and curtail their take-over plans by trimming them? There are several flowers that I can see, and at least 2 squash forming.

In my defence, I had absolutely no idea they would cover that much space, and I will only be planting one next year!

mrbadexample

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/butternut_squash



If I'm lucky I'll grow one.

floss2

mrbadexample wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/butternut_squash



If I'm lucky I'll grow one.

PM me your address as the way it's looking I'll have enough for everyone!

DaftyDuck

;)I might add a picture of my marrow and squash patch later today. If I don't report back, you'll need to send in Rambo and a machete to get me out. :eek:

So far, they've taken over the brassica patch, the asparagus bed and are beginning to crawl up an apple tree. I'm in serious danger of losing my garden shed if I don't go in now.

Four or five butter-nut squash, two or three pumpkins ... more than a match for my secateurs, I fear! :rotfl:

Edit to be useful, rather than ramble about Rambo.... yes, they can be pruned back. Just take back to the fruit you want. Most exciting, you can build a wigwam of sticks (treetrunks for mine) with thinner bits for going round (like a thatched roof on its side) and make them go up. The shoots are fragile so take care if doing this. Make sure the shoots go near support where there are fruit, as they get heavy there! I'll post a picture of that later too! (... and I'll be honest about it at some point.. .;);))

DaftyDuck

OK, here's a wigwam I built earlier..... my house in the background.....


.... NOT! (I wish... Walmer Castle, with lovely veg garden) It's what I am going to TRY to do to sort mine out. Obviously, best done a couple of months ago.... Wish me luck!

DaftyDuck

And, happily back from the garden, having survived my jungle, here's what I did....

Before... a mess in the corner....





and an hour later.... still a mess, but less triffid-like!



Now to see if those photos worked. The brassicas I uncovered were well gone with cabbage white. I did find a celery bed and beetroot that I'd forgotten existed.In the background of the first picture you can see one of the pumpkins and a butter-nut squash. heading up an old apple tree. I've left them to it, and just given the branch a further support.

I meant to do a photo of the frame before getting it covered by the squash, but it had already started raining, and I wanted to press on.

Now off to the "In my home DIY thread " to work out how to convert my shed to Walmer Castle....

Money_maker

Wow, your squash patch is more impressive than Walmers (but your shed really needs a makeover!). Lovely pics, thanks for sharing. Never considered using a wigwam, wont need to this year but good idea to keep in mind for better years for me.

DaftyDuck

And, popping out this evening, all those wilted leaves are upright and healthy... It's quite frighteningly Triffid-like... :eek: