Winter squash

[Hazelky]

Trying crown prince and Kuri for winter squash for the first time this year. Kept them nice and warm on my heated propagating tray. Crown Prince germinated fine but nothing happening with the Kuri. It is ten days now. Are they slow to germinate? Have resisted poking about in the compost so far! Lebanese zucchini, cucumber and butternut up in 4 days.

[charles]

Hazelkey that sounds like a batch of old seed, when others are germinating in the same conditions.
What is the date on the Kuri packet?

[Hazelky]

They were from Real seeds and I’m afraid it was operator error, not the fault of the seeds. They were in separate little pots and when I investigated the compost was barely damp🙄 I gave them a soak and two have already responded miraculously, with a little sprout. I’m sure they are looking at me reproachfully. Have sown a few more and will keep an eagle eye on them.
Windowsills are in short supply in our cottage, so they are in the bedroom where there is power next to the sill. Will do better!

[Rhys]

Hazelky

I have just built a full compost heap after the first spring cutting of grass. With the warm dry weather I have been germinating dwarf beans, cucumber and squash on what is effectively a hotbed (internal temp 64C day three after building it). Seedlings are coming through on day 4 in case of cucumber and dwarf beans, no squash yet but roots have poked through the bottom of the modules so probably should appear soon.

If you are short of windowsill space, this is another alternative if you build a heap in the spring…..

[Hazelky]

Great idea Rhys. My big compost bin is past the heat stage, but the plastic council supplied bin has just been filled with grass nettles ash urine spent brassica leaves cardboard and assorted weeds. As it is reducing in height daily, there must be lots of activity going on. I’ll give it the hand test, as no thermometer. I could get a couple of small seed trays on the top. I’m on my neighbour’s shoulders as they mow their lawns!

[Hazelky]

Memo to self: do not hand test the heat of your compost through a layer of nettles…

[Rhys]

Hazelky

Here is a picture of my germinated dwarf bean, cucumber and squash on day 6, now indoors as the temperature cools. They had four days on the hotbed when the weather was warm.

18/18 cupidon dwarf beans germinated, 5/6 Green Maraicher cucumber and 5/6 Hokkaido Red squash germinated.

Will transplant cucumber and squash to 8cm pots tomorrow.

[Hazelky]

Nice going!

[Author]

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