butternut squash and courgettes

wiltshire, United Kingdom

hello everyone have some young plants of the above they have grown a bit leggy is it ok to bury the stems when planting out will they grow roots like tomatoes or should i just put them in how they are, thankyou :o)

6 Jul, 2009

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courgettes
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Answers

Bertiefox

I wouldn't risk burying the stems as in many members of the cucurbits family, the stems have a tendency to rot. In fact, often the advice is to plant them into a small mound to keep the base of the stem dry.
The fact they are leggy shouldn't matter as the butternut squash in particular is a trailing plant and most of the flowers and fruit will form on new shoots anyway. Even a bush courgette makes new shoots.
I expect you will find that once they are in the open they will bulk up and start growing away nicely.

6 Jul, 2009

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