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<h4>You're browser does not support iFrames - here is an exerpt of the content</h4> <a href="http://gardenerstips.co.uk/blog/flowers/vegetables-herbs/growing-butternut-squash/">Click here to read the article in full</a> <p><a title="Butternut Squash by brianpettinger, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hortoris/4340577124/"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4340577124_dac60dc676.jpg" alt="Butternut Squash" width="448" height="336" /></a></p> <p><strong>Butternut squash</strong> are delicious, prolific and easy to grow. They like to ramble and scramble, pinch out when the lead shoot is 3 feet long to encourage fruiting. Each plant can produce 4-8 fruit each weighing over 2 pounds. Butternut Squash has a sweet, nutty taste that is similar to pumpkin. It has yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer.</p> <ul> <li>Grow from seed when the risk of frost has gone and plant out 3 foot apart.</li> <li>During the growing season it is vital to ensure that the plant never dries out to stop fruit being shed.</li> <li>Deep beds with a mulch of rotted horse manure and a weekly feed with Miracle-gro or Phostrogen will help crop size.</li> <li>Keep stalks/stems dry to avoid rotting.</li> </ul> <h2>Harvesting and Storing</h2> <p>When the fruit is ripe the texture of the skin becomes firm, golden in colour and will easily resist the pressure of your thumb nail. Like a melon, it “rings” when given a good rap.<br /> Storage as for all <a title="vegetables" href="http://gardenersvoice.com/category/vegetables/">vegetables</a> of this type is in a clean, cool, dry place. I have seen them stored in a loft space on top of fiber glass insulation.<br /> If picked in late <a title="September" href="http://gardenersvoice.com/category/september/">September</a> they can last until April the following year.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Winter Barbara Butternut F1 Seeds <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=81944&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/778/1.html"> by Thompson Morgan</a></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Waltham Dutchy Originals Seeds <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=81944&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/gwd4732/1.html"> by Thompson Morgan</a></p> <p style="text-align: left;"> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>More Cultivation Instructions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><span id="more-6012"></span></p> <p>Sow seeds mid April to June, 25mm deep in pots or trays of moist seed compost and germinate at 20C for up to 7 days. Sow seeds on edge for reliable germination. Alternatively sow outdoors in rich soil in full sun from mid May through June, 25mm deep at 120cm spacing.</p> <p>Pot on individual <a title="seedlings" href="http://gardenersvoice.com/category/seedlings/">seedlings</a> in to small pots of compost, keep barely moist to prevent stems from rotting and protect from strong sunlight with a sheet of newspaper. Plant out at 120cm between plants each way once frost risk has passed, then water and mulch regularly.</p> <p>Harvest small as baby butternuts and steam or bake whole, or stuff when picked at full size.</p> <p>Harvest fruits regularly for heaviest crops and to extend the season. Harvest all fruits before heavy frost. Can be stored indoors at 10C for several months.</p> <div style="display: none">VN:F [1.6.3_896]</div><div class="ratingblock"><div class="ratingblock "><div class="ratingheader ">Rate this Article</div><div class="ratingstars "><div id="article_rater_28372" class="ratepost gdsr-soft gdsr-size-24"><div class="starsbar gdsr-size-24"><div class="gdouter gdheight"><div id="gdr_vote_a28372" style="width: 0px;" class="gdinner gdheight"></div><div id="gdr_stars_a28372" class="gdsr_rating_as"><a id="gdsrX28372X5X0XaXarticle_rater_28372Xarticle_loader_28372X10X24" title="5 / 5" class="s5" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX28372X4X0XaXarticle_rater_28372Xarticle_loader_28372X10X24" title="4 / 5" class="s4" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX28372X3X0XaXarticle_rater_28372Xarticle_loader_28372X10X24" title="3 / 5" class="s3" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX28372X2X0XaXarticle_rater_28372Xarticle_loader_28372X10X24" title="2 / 5" class="s2" rel="nofollow"></a><a id="gdsrX28372X1X0XaXarticle_rater_28372Xarticle_loader_28372X10X24" title="1 / 5" class="s1" rel="nofollow"></a></div></div></div></div><div id="article_loader_28372" style="display: none; width: 120px; " class="ratingloader article"><div class="loader flower " style="height: 24px"><div class="loaderinner" style="padding-top: 2px">please wait...</div></div></div></div><div class="ratingtext "><div id="gdr_text_a28372">Rating: 0.0/<strong>5</strong> (0 votes cast)</div></div></div></div>
