Description
Grow your own butternut squash with RHS Squash Butternut Harrier F1, a British bred variety that is ideally suited to our relatively short UK growing season. Expect sweet tasting, medium sized fruits that can be ready to harvest in just over 3 months, perfect for roasting, soups and autumn dinners.
Harrier F1 is a reliable performer and a winner of an RHS Award of Garden Merit for good performance. Start seeds indoors for an earlier crop, or sow outdoors once the soil has warmed. For indoor sowing, sow singly in small pots of moist compost, edge down into the compost and cover with a fine layer. Keep warm at around 15 to 20°C and seedlings typically appear in 7 to 21 days. Once seedlings appear, remove the cover and grow on. When plants reach the 5 to 6 leaf stage, harden off by standing outside for a few days, avoid frosts, then transplant into the growing position around 90 cm apart.
For outdoor sowing, sow 2 seeds per position around 90 cm apart in a well prepared seed bed, cover lightly with fine soil and keep moist. Thin to 1 strong seedling per position. Keep plants well watered and weed free throughout the season. When fruits start to swell, feed with a liquid feed every 7 to 10 days to support a strong crop. Harvest from September to November, and once cured, fruits can store for weeks in a cool, dry, frost free location.
