• DELIVERY INFO: Now taking pre-orders for Spring Plants for 2024. Bare-Rooted Fruit plants will be shipped in Dec/Jan. See FAQs for further info.

Winter Squash – Cornells Bush Delicata

£5.99

A fun alternative to butternut squash
Produces narrow squash with cream/yellow coloured skin and dark green stripes. It looks great in the vegetable garden! We like it as the flavour is not dissimilar to butternut squash – sweet and nutty – but it is a little quicker to mature and ripen. If you’ve struggled to get butternut to ripen, then give this a go instead. Winter squash are easy to grow – they like lots of compost and plenty of water, sunshine and warmth. This is a compact variety, suitable for beds or large pots, and it doesn’t need space to climb/sprawl. You’ll receive a growing guide with your plug plants.

Number of plants: 3 plug plants

Variety: Cornells Bush Delicata (organic*)

In the kitchen: For a simple and delicious side dish, try roasting this winter squash with a drizzle of olive oil and season well.  Also brilliant and tasty in soups and risotto.

THESE PLANTS WILL BE SHIPPED IN SPRING 2024

Delivery Info: Please see FAQs for up-to-date delivery info.

Planting: Plant plugs 80-100cm apart. Keep well watered, they are thirsty plants!

When to harvest: Harvest pumpkins and squash in Late September/October when the stalks have dried out and the skin has changed colour and toughened up.

*Transplants suitable for organic growing.

Butternut Squash

Full sun & fertile soil

Full sun and fertile soil are important – Squash are hungry plants so make sure you dig in plenty of organic fertiliser when you plant them.

Butternut Squash

Traditional Plot or Raised Beds

Squash tend to be large sprawling plants so are best grown in raised beds or traditional plots where they have space. Alternatively, you can grow them in large pots and train them up a trellis. Tie the vines in frequently, and when fruits start to form you may need to help support them by making little hammocks!

Butternut Squash

How far apart?

Plant squash 1 to 1.5 metres apart

Butternut Squash

Don't plant out too early

Plant them outside when the risk of frost has passed and the weather has warmed up. Until then, keep them in pots under cover. If you do have to plant out early, use a cloche to protect them.

Butternut Squash

Watering & feeding

These are thirsty plants and need a lot of water. We’d suggest you water them daily during dry spells. Try not to let the soil dry out. Should you start to notice any discolouration in the leaves it’s probable that they’re not getting enough water.

Butternut Squash

When to harvest

Summer Squash: Harvest regularly once the squash reach a good size.

Winter Squash: Harvest in late September/October, before the first frosts. The stalk of the squash should have started to dry up and turn brown/yellow, and the skin should have hardened enough that you can’t pierce it with your thumbnail.

Powdery Mildew

This fungal white coating on leaves is nothing to be worried about and is very common in all pumpkins and squashes. During the early part of the season, leaves should come through nice and green, and towards the end of the season you start to see powdery mildew creep in. If you do have it earlier in the season, remove affected foliage and keep plants well watered to strengthen them.

Nutrient Deficiency/Lack of water

Any yellow or brown patches forming on the leaves can usually be attributed to a lack of nutrients. Make sure your squash plants are getting enough water so that they can draw up the nutrients that they need – the soil should be consistently moist – and use a liquid feed fortnightly once fruits start forming.

Symptom Checker

Yellow Leaves = nutrient deficiency

White coating on leaves = Powdery Mildew

Leaves eaten = slugs/snails

No fruits forming = poor pollination or too early in the season

Storage Tips

Summer squash can be kept in the fridge for a few days once picked. Winter squash will keep well for several weeks (sometimes months) stored on a windowsill in your home.

Ways to cook

Winter squashes are great for creamy risottos, and lovely roasted for soups as well.

Summer squashes can be cooked in much the same way as courgettes.

Delivery Info: Plants will be shipped in spring 2024. Please see FAQs for delivery info.

Do I need to sign for them?
All our plant orders are dispatched with an overnight courier* to mainland UK and do not need to be signed for when they are delivered, but will be left somewhere safe. When placing your order, please let us know where you would like the plug plants left if you are not in when the courier delivers.

We will keep you posted
You will receive an email to let you know that your order is ready to be dispatched and another on the day your plants are packed and leave us, so you know to expect and prepare for their arrival.

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