For a delicious alternative roast dish that is packed with flavour and colour, this stuffed butternut squash recipe is bound to be a success. Go one step further and grow your own squashes and watch the journey of the veg going from seed to your plate.
Growing squash
Start by sowing seeds in pots indoors in April to May to give them a good start. The seedlings can then be planted out in May to June when the risk of frost has passed. Alternatively, seeds can be sown in the ground in May to June.
Before planting out, there needs to be a period where the plants can acclimatise to the outdoor temperatures.
This can be done by placing them into a coldframe for a week before planting. However, if you don’t have a coldframe then move the plants outdoors during the day and bring them back indoors overnight. Then the following week leave them out there for the whole time in a sheltered spot.
Plant out in a position with moist but well-drained soil. They are thirsty plants too, so it’s a good idea to sink a plant pot or bottle next to their planting spot to allow water to drain down to the roots. To boost fruit growth feed the squashes every 10-14 days with a fertiliser that’s high in potash when flowers appear.
Most varieties will produce fruits approximately 15 weeks after sowing the seeds. For summer squashes, these can be harvested when the fruit is quite small and immature – these don’t tend to store as well as winter squashes. Winter squashes can be left to mature on the plant, then harvested before the first frost.
• ‘Metro’ is a popular variety to grow, tasting great roasted or added to curries and soup dishes. Not only that but it has a good resistance to powdery mildew too.
• ‘Winter Hunter’ is well suited to the British climate. It has a light colour, with fruits that weigh about 1kg that have orange flesh and wonderfully sweet taste.
Stuffed butternut squash recipe
This veggie roast dish is sure to go down well as it’s filled with flavour and textures.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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