Hello, I am fairly new to gardening, had some success so far with buttercup squash, but they are taking over my garden. I planted some in my flower beds and they are thriving trellising along the rock border. Could I just plant individual seeds in small plots alone outside of a garden, and leave logs astound t=for them to trellis? (resident of Ottawa) Thanks.
Congratulations on your successful gardening adventures.
Butternut squash, Cucurbita moschata, is a tremendous addition to any vegetable garden. As you have found out, it is a vigorous grower and can run in all directions if not somewhat curtailed.
Ideally in a formal row type vegetable garden where growth is not supported, plants should be spaced at least 3 feet apart within a row with the rows being 6 feet apart – this setup would give them lots of space. Unless you have acreage and can do this, the most effective method is to train the plants upwards on a strong support system such as a trellis as this would enable you to plant them slightly closer together.
These plants are heavy feeders and really need to be planted in garden soil in order to get enough moisture and nutrients, so planting in small pots would stunt their growth, limit their fruit production and ultimately cause plant stress and/or demise.
Hope this helps.