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Author Topic: Pinching winter squash  (Read 1591 times)

Alex_

  • Joined Jul 2016
Pinching winter squash
« on: June 18, 2020, 08:52:48 am »
Hey everybody,

I have a large sprawling squash plant. If i pinch out the ends of the vine will it stop advancing and still produce or will it irrevocably damage the plant?

macgro7

  • Joined Feb 2016
  • Leicester
Re: Pinching winter squash
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2020, 09:36:52 am »
You could pinch it but I just let them grow - btw you can eat the leaves - in Africa they used pumpkin leaves for cooking just like spinach.
Growing loads of fruits and vegetables! Raising dairy goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits on 1/2 acre in the middle of the city of Leicester, using permaculture methods.

Terry T

  • Joined Sep 2014
  • Norfolk
Re: Pinching winter squash
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2020, 11:02:53 am »
If you pinch out the tips it will produce side branches and continue to grow in this way. It may affect flowering and fruiting time.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Pinching winter squash
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2020, 12:57:54 pm »
Geoff Hamilton used to take a spade to the longer stems at the point he wanted to stop them, but I think he did it once there were several fruit set.  I grow trailing squash up ropes and along the crop bars in the polytunnel, so I only stop the side branches after each has a growing fruit.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

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Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

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oor wullie

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Strathnairn
Re: Pinching winter squash
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2020, 03:57:55 pm »
I grow mine as a single stem up and along crop bars in a polytunnel.

I pinch out the side shoots as they start and the growing tip once its at the other side of the tunnel and enough fruit is set.

I don't know if this is the best way to grow them but it stops them taking over.

Alex_

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Pinching winter squash
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2020, 10:18:47 pm »
Thanks for the advice. No fruit set yet so i will leave them be.

 

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