Before planting, create a small hill or mound about 18 inches tall. Hilling is a good method for trailing veggies, as it gives them room to sprawl and helps to improve air circulation to keep plants dry and healthy. An alternative is to train vines onto a sturdy trellis for upright growth. However, this is best for cultivating small fruits that are less than two to three pounds at maturity. Heavier fruits can snap stems and may require a sling and rigging to ease the weight. Butternuts are heavy feeders and benefit from an application of liquid fertilizer every three to four weeks, until about a month before harvest. Use a vegetable formula with a lower nitrogen level such as 5-10-10 to prevent unruly foliage growth. For container growth, choose pots at least 24 inches tall and wide to allow plants to trail in an airy environment. You can also add a few quick-flowering annuals to attract pollinators.
Squash flowers are often hidden under foliage, and they require insects for pollination. To promote good yields, plant alyssum, coreopsis, cosmos, or dill nearby to attract beneficial predators and pollinators to your plants.
Like other types of squash, it should be noted that butternuts are monoecious, meaning they have distinctive male and female flowers.
Male flowers appear first and do not produce fruit. The female flowers appear about five days later and each one has a tiny pre-gourd at the base of the flower stem which develops into a fruit when pollinated.
As fruits grow and ripen, raise them off the soil with small boards, flat stones, or dry straw mulch. This helps to keep the fruit dry and prevents rotting.
These sun-lovers can overheat on hot summer afternoons. It’s not unusual for leaves to wilt somewhat in the afternoon, then perk up again as the sun goes down. Should plants not revive, provide them with light afternoon shade.
If your area experiences extended periods of heat or drought, you can use shade cloth to protect plants from the afternoon sun.
Pruning the vines isn’t absolutely necessary, but it can help the plants to produce higher yields.
Butternuts are ready for harvest when the rinds have hardened and turned from green to a warm tan. After picking, the fruit needs to cure for a few weeks to help harden the rind for storage and to improve its flavor.
Gently wash the fruit then lay it out on a drying rack or shelf to cure in a warm, dry location with a temperature around 70°F.
Cure for four weeks, turning the fruit over halfway through the curing period. After curing, store fruits in one or two layers in baskets or bins for three to six months in a cool, dry location with temperatures around 40 to 50°F. A basement or cellar works fine, but don’t let the gourds freeze.
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