Do the growing tips need to be pinched out?

Natalie

"Natalie" wrote in message
Do the growing tips need to be pinched out?


Didn't when I grew them and we got a superb crop. Ran everywhere though.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

"
Didn't when I grew them and we got a superb crop. Ran everywhere though.


Thanks for the reply Bob.

I'm growing them at school...they'll be able to chase the children ;-)

Couldn't understand why the ones inside the school were being eaten until I
found a slug in a pot. God knows how it got there!

Natalie

In article ,
"Sue & Bob Hobden" writes:
|
| "Natalie" wrote in message
| Do the growing tips need to be pinched out?
|
| Didn't when I grew them and we got a superb crop. Ran everywhere though.

I have never got anything. They are very iffy in the UK, as they
need a fairly hot summer - C. moschata needs one only slightly hotter
than C. maxima, but the UK is very borderline.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick wrote in message
| Do the growing tips need to be pinched out?
|
| Didn't when I grew them and we got a superb crop. Ran everywhere
though.

I have never got anything. They are very iffy in the UK, as they
need a fairly hot summer - C. moschata needs one only slightly hotter
than C. maxima, but the UK is very borderline.


I was under that impression too Nick, but having saved some seed from a
Sainsbury's bought BS I planted them as per other cucurbits and they grew
well producing fruit exactly the same as is for sale at the supermarket.
The best one grew out of seed that had been in the compost bin; I plant all
cucurbits in a bin sized hole filled with compost and when the original
incumbent, a Marrow, died (Virus I think) the BS simply germinated from in
the compost and grew alarmingly producing 9 full sized fruit.
Best stored for 3 months before use to develop their flavour though, but
then that's the same for most cucurbits.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

In article ,
Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:

"Nick wrote in message
| Do the growing tips need to be pinched out?
|
| Didn't when I grew them and we got a superb crop. Ran everywhere
though.

I have never got anything. They are very iffy in the UK, as they
need a fairly hot summer - C. moschata needs one only slightly hotter
than C. maxima, but the UK is very borderline.

I was under that impression too Nick, but having saved some seed from a
Sainsbury's bought BS I planted them as per other cucurbits and they grew
well producing fruit exactly the same as is for sale at the supermarket.
The best one grew out of seed that had been in the compost bin; I plant all
cucurbits in a bin sized hole filled with compost and when the original
incumbent, a Marrow, died (Virus I think) the BS simply germinated from in
the compost and grew alarmingly producing 9 full sized fruit.

Well, I have failed several times. What I can't say is that I have
failed in years when I have done well with other cucurbits, but I got
SOME fruit from the others and none from the butternuts. Yes, that's
how I got my seed, too ....

Actually, I don't like them all that much, anyway - too sweet,
slippery and sickly - I much prefer hubbards. The same thing goes
for the orange versus white sweet potatoes, but you can't get the
latter around here any more :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Sue & Bob Hobden" pushed briefly to the
front of the queue on Mon, 12 May 2003 23:05:14 +0100, and nailed this
to the shed door:

^
^ "Natalie" wrote in message
^ Do the growing tips need to be pinched out?
^
^
^ Didn't when I grew them and we got a superb crop. Ran everywhere though.

Exactly what he said, except we didn't get a superb crop. Three or
four good fruits and dozens of proto-fruits.

Andy

--
sparge at globalnet point co point uk

"There's no better way to get to know a man's character
than to get him tight and see how he talks then"
Nevil Shute, "So disdained"

"Nick wrote in message
Actually, I don't like them all that much, anyway - too sweet,
slippery and sickly - I much prefer hubbards.

I think Sacha and Ray are rather nice too. :-)


The same thing goes
for the orange versus white sweet potatoes, but you can't get the
latter around here any more :-(

Oh! Real sweet potatoes (and fried plantain) takes me back!!! I can almost
hear the Reggae band and smell that smoke. :-)

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

Have you tried growing sweet potatoes on your own? It is a challenge and
rewarding when you dig them up and find that you have suceeded. I still
have some and some butternut squash from last fall in my storage room.

I grow both on raised rows. Easier to keep watered, weeded, and they dont
suffer from too much moisture.

Dwayne




"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Nick wrote in message
Actually, I don't like them all that much, anyway - too sweet,
slippery and sickly - I much prefer hubbards.

I think Sacha and Ray are rather nice too. :-)


The same thing goes
for the orange versus white sweet potatoes, but you can't get the
latter around here any more :-(

Oh! Real sweet potatoes (and fried plantain) takes me back!!! I can almost
hear the Reggae band and smell that smoke. :-)

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

" I was under that impression too Nick, but having saved some seed from a
Sainsbury's bought BS I planted them as per other cucurbits and they grew
well producing fruit exactly the same as is for sale at the supermarket.
The best one grew out of seed that had been in the compost bin; I plant
all
cucurbits in a bin sized hole filled with compost and when the original
incumbent, a Marrow, died (Virus I think) the BS simply germinated from in
the compost and grew alarmingly producing 9 full sized fruit.
Best stored for 3 months before use to develop their flavour though, but
then that's the same for most cucurbits.


Got my seeds from that source too ;-)

Currently they are all growing in individual pots but will plant some out as
soon as we've weeded a suitable area.

We are also growing tomatoes from a Sainsbury's tomato and peppers. The
object was for the children to see the food cycle.

Does anyone know why the green pepper seeds didn't germinate but the red
pepper ones did? Is because they were not ripe?

Natalie

In article ,
"Dwayne" writes:
| Have you tried growing sweet potatoes on your own? It is a challenge and
| rewarding when you dig them up and find that you have suceeded. I still
| have some and some butternut squash from last fall in my storage room.
|
| I grow both on raised rows. Easier to keep watered, weeded, and they dont
| suffer from too much moisture.

You're not posting from the UK, right? Our problem is that our summers
are usually cool and the period of high light is very short, which
means that it is already getting dark by the time that squash set
fruit.

Sweet potatoes are virtually impossible, as they need a long growing
season, and even winter squashes are borderline.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
"Natalie" writes:
|
| We are also growing tomatoes from a Sainsbury's tomato and peppers. The
| object was for the children to see the food cycle.
|
| Does anyone know why the green pepper seeds didn't germinate but the red
| pepper ones did? Is because they were not ripe?

Almost certainly, though they MAY have been gamma irradiated to
increase their storage life.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 14 May 2003 07:22:42 GMT, Nick Maclaren wrote:


In article ,
"Natalie" writes:
| | We are also growing tomatoes from a Sainsbury's tomato and peppers.
The
| object was for the children to see the food cycle.
| | Does anyone know why the green pepper seeds didn't germinate but
the red
| pepper ones did? Is because they were not ripe?

Almost certainly, though they MAY have been gamma irradiated to
increase their storage life.

Pepper seeds, like chillies, like it pretty warm to germinate, and can
often take 3 or 4 weeks to even show any signs of life.
I try and keep mine above 20°C. Better even warmer. Try some in the airing-
cupboard.
I suspect the green ones weren't ripe though, as Nick says. Soaking them
overnight in luke-warm or cool water often speedsthings up a bit. Sometimes
they can germinate in a day or two then.
Tim.

On 14 May 2003 07:21:28 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

~
~In article ,
~"Dwayne" writes:
~| Have you tried growing sweet potatoes on your own? It is a challenge and
~| rewarding when you dig them up and find that you have suceeded. I still
~| have some and some butternut squash from last fall in my storage room.
~|
~| I grow both on raised rows. Easier to keep watered, weeded, and they dont
~| suffer from too much moisture.
~
~You're not posting from the UK, right? Our problem is that our summers
~are usually cool and the period of high light is very short, which
~means that it is already getting dark by the time that squash set
~fruit.
~
~Sweet potatoes are virtually impossible, as they need a long growing
~season, and even winter squashes are borderline.
~

This is a useful thread for me, too, as this is the first year I've
tried growing butternut squashes. I bought some seed as I read that
saved seed from bought squashes is often from varieties that are bred
for Mediterranean countries like Spain. This also applies to garlic.
The seed we buy here eg butternut sprinter are ones that should set
earlier in keeping with our summers.

I planted two seeds really early (like nearly 2 months ago!) and both
grew: I currently have a pair of yards of squash plant snaking through
the conservatory in large pots. I am expecting to start hardening off
in a couple of weeks and hopefully they will be at an advanced enough
stage to make use of the best daylight.
(Mind you I've got three nearly full-sized cucumbers on my vine too
thanks to my Dad being a bit fast on the planting too :-) so I know
conditions in the conservatory/greenhouse are pretty ideal for
cucurbits)

I'll let you know what happens... I was tempted to keep one of them
indoors but after what was said here about them running everywhere I
think perhaps I won't! The cucumber's bad enough!


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove nospam from replies, thanks!

You should try them roasted - cut them lengthways into 4, scoop out the
seeds, sprinkle with olive oil & roast at 180C for about 1/2 hour or so.
Delicious with lamb dishes. Also great on the BBQ - cut in half, de-seed,
oil & season (you can stuff them with tomatoes etc if you like), wrap in
foil & bake.

Jayne

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
Actually, I don't like them all that much, anyway - too sweet,
slippery and sickly - I much prefer hubbards. The same thing goes
for the orange versus white sweet potatoes, but you can't get the
latter around here any more :-(