Your 2024 Garden

[LTAY1946]

Yes, butternuts have looooong vines! I plant them where I can let them sprawl. There may be a bush variety; I don't know.

What I like about butternut (aside from the delicious flavor) is that the neck is solid squash. So I get a LOT of squash to eat out of each squash. Plus the seeds for the chickens. Or to toast, like pumpkin seeds, for me.

I have seen bush butternut. I can't say if the quality is as good as the original vine type is. Some of the grow in a pot vegetables have been more of a novelty I think that a high quality strain that is prolific in the garden.

 

[LTAY1946]

I didn't find the bush butternut where I once did before and didn't like it. I do see a bush acorn now that I will plant. It's easier to plant and maintain for me using bush squash like the summer and acorn. Our weather is looking like I will be able to start tilling some sod ground soon. After I get the sod loose I'll spread cracked corn over it a few times and the girls earn their keep finishing off the grass.

 

[Iluveggers]

I've never grow any of the winter squash like Butternut. Do they vine as much as pumpkins and melons?

If I can find a spot I may give these a try.

There is a butter bush plant, supposedly only grows 3 feet or so.

I really like honeynut, which are mini-butternuts and super sweet. Enought for a personal squash, and delightfully sweet!

If you are looking for a good bush squash, delicata comes in a bush, which produces decently, and they are smaller and easier to cut. Another of my favorites!

 

[fuzzi]

I get Disco yellow.

The Disco series comes in yellow, orange, red, and marietta colors. The marietta color is the second picture here (sorry for the picture quality, it is as pretty as the others if you like that color), I don't see marietta in the Park's picture. E and R seed company carries the mix and each color individually. Most of the seed companies I've looked at offer only the mix. Same for retailers of seed packets.

I see more marietta than anything else as seedlings at the retailer that does offer the single blossom type; the tag says they are Disco.

I don't think the bees, nematodes, etc care what color they are but I really like the yellow. The last picture is mine on a very rainy day - they just glowed. They are bright and happy on sunny days too.

I always purchase the red and yellow petite marigolds. The bees and butterflies don't seem to have any issues.

 

[fuzzi]

This will be my first real year with a lot of things growing, at least I hope they grow. I will be trying to save on a feed bill with things that are healthy for the chickens to eat. Pumpkin should be healthy as long as it isn't the only thing fed. I've done a little research and is seems a patch of red clover will be good also for the chickens and the bees. Last year I had a beautiful patch of Fordhook Lima beans but they never made beans. Full of blooms but no bees to be seen. I may try and plant a row of clover along the edge to see it that can call some bees in. Okra made very well here as it got pollinated by bumble bees.

Plant red flowers next to the beans. Also, bees love Borage even though the blooms are blue.

 

[saysfaa]

I always purchase the red and yellow petite marigolds. The bees and butterflies don't seem to have any issues.
View attachment 3716935

They will be attracted by the color even if they can't get to stamens or the stamens are not functional as is often the case with double flowers.

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

I think a sketch journal might be fun to keep. Does anyone have one from past years they could share pics of? Just looking for clues as to what to include in mine, I'm seeing dozens of different pages from plant dates to pesticide calenders to garden plotting....

I just measure my garden out, then scale it down as best as I can. Fill in the each area with the plants you intend to grow. It gives you a great idea of how many tomatoes can technically fit into a twenty foot bed etc. remember to make notes for succession planting. Mine is not a perfect plan by any means but gives me a great starting point for starting my seeds to fill my garden..

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

Anyone have a favorite pumpkin that grows large that makes good chicken feed?

I grew Long Island Cheese pumpkins this year. They aren't huge but are known for pie making. The reason you may want to grow them is they are very resistant to vine borers. They have a solid stem unlike other pumpkins so they won't die just as the plant is getting nice and big unlike the regular varieties I've grown which die right before they produce. The chickens love them and they are prolific.

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

There is a butter bush plant, supposedly only grows 3 feet or so.

I really like honeynut, which are mini-butternuts and super sweet. Enought for a personal squash, and delightfully sweet!

If you are looking for a good bush squash, delicata comes in a bush, which produces decently, and they are smaller and easier to cut. Another of my favorites!

I grew butternut squash on an arched cattle panel and they did great! They hang down and don't need additional support. It makes cool tunnel to walk under that has shade from the vines.

 

[NanaK]

Trellising the butternut?? That would probably best for me. I already trellis cucumbers and I find them so much easier to pick. I don't think I miss as many either.

I let my pumpkins, watermelon and cantaloupes just sprawl. The summer squash get rather wild sometimes too.

I have a long trellis I put pickling cucumbers on last year. It grew really well but I had way to many cukes. The chickens didn't mind!

This year I think I will plant that trellis with some pickling cukes and a few butternut squash. I'll see how that does.

Haven't placed my seed order yet so will add butternut to the list.

Thanks for the advise, ya'll!