OK, it's the first time we've been able to garden so much... and I didn't know how close I could plant stuff... so now these squashes are taking over the whole area. I tried transplanting the well-established tomatoes but they didn't fare well. So now what do I do? And also - what do you use to allow your squashes to climb?
HELP! Zucchini and butternut squash taking over
Zucchini does not ramble, though it can get big, but the butternuts will go for twenty feet or so if they are happy. I've had them ramble over to the garden fence, climb up and over and down the hillside below. They are impressive strollers. They will latch on to whatever is handy, including your tomatoes and tomato cages. Just gently remove the tendrils and guide them as best you can towards open space (which it sounds like you don't have). They do not need to be trellised and like laying down roots from those long vines as they ramble around. Maybe you need to thin? I'm not seeing a photo but the vision of tomatoes, zucchini and butternuts communing sounds complicated.
Here's a recent picture. Of course you could pull up a chair and watch them grow. Everything is lush this year because we started so early with transplants and direct seed crops alike. We LOVE butternuts and root vegetables - are determined to at least triple the amount of vegetables we eat by growing it ourselves and picking it when we need it. Oh! I can't wait, we'll have a harvest salad tomorrow. :)
Oh and there are marigolds, and direct sow beets under all those big leaves, too. :) We're taking over the back yard to farm it - we'd have to take it all out anyway, so why not grow a miracle amount of food!
You're my kind of gardener! For the sake of cultivation keep in mind that you can harvest out your beet greens/beets and kale to make space for better productivity with your tomatoes and squash. Greens can be blanched and frozen, beets the same or canned and then give those tomatoes some space. Think about the retail value of your produce. Tomatoes are the most expensive. You may want to wait 'til later to plant winter squash next year. I don't know the time line in your zone but I plant winter squash as late as possible. Planting late allows for long storage into the next season. I still have Long Pie pumpkins from last Fall's harvest.
Looks like you have quite the jungle happening there LOL!!
I made that mistake last year - not with zukes or bnuts, but with my entire garden - I didn't give everything enough room to grow, and had to constantly trim back everything so there would still be good airflow. This year I expanded the garden, but added zukes and a couple bnut plants. they are quite big, but I do plan on trellising them. I have heard that it's quite effective, especially for bnuts.
I want to use old ladders for trellises - just have to find them.
I have used my Dad's method for the butternuts, after there are 3-5 blooms on ech vine, I pinch off the end of the runner, keeps it in check, so it does not run all over the place. I like the idea of the ladders, DH not too cool about it though.(where is my ladder?)
annabelle I like your Dads method and will give it a try. Sounds reasonable and simple. Thanks!