Butternut squash is a popular vegetable in Mzansi. Though it is grown all over the country, the main production areas of this vegetable are in Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Experienced agriculturalists Leshalagae Mojapelo and Segwarihle Siesegoana give us some insight into butternut farming.
Farming with butternuts does not require an excessive amount of work, says Mojapelo, from BK Agric Traders based in Polokwane, Limpopo. Mojapelo explains that the vegetable must be planted in the warmer months, which varies depending on your region.
“Last year, I planted in late November then harvested late February into March. The challenge was, though, that [I] experienced too much rain. Butternut does not require much water.”
Mojapelo says planting from late August into September has worked very well for him in his region.
For farmers with a bigger budget, Siesegoana says planting later could work if they have the right infrastructure.
“When you plant also depends on your budget. If there is rain, for instance, you can plant [butternut] in tunnels as this keeps the rain out. But if you are an emerging farmer, and you have a tight budget, you would have to plant during summer.”
According to this production guide on planting butternut by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), butternut does not germinate when the soil is too cold. Frost damages the seedlings, and the plants grow best when the temperatures are between 23 and 29 degrees in the daytime and 15 to 21 degrees at night. Temperatures below 10 degrees stunt plant growth.
Soil requirements
The same production guide also states that the ideal soil to grow butternuts in is loamy to sandy loam soils. These soils offer easy drainage, which is critical to the health of butternut plants, says Mojapelo.
“When you plant butternut, you don’t want to have your planting area waterlogged because too much moisture in the soil leads to too many diseases.”
Mojapelo explains that soil analysis is incredibly important, regardless of the type of crop you are growing. He adds that crop analysis helps you determine your crop limitations.
“When you know the type of soil you are dealing with, you know how capable the soil is of sustaining the crops. In terms of butternut, you are looking for well-drained soil where there is ease of penetration for roots and ease of filtration for water. Also, butternuts thrive at a pH between 6.0 to 6.5, which is a more neutral pH. This helps you in terms of [root nutrition].”
The ARC guide highlights the ideal soil pH for butternut, emphasising a pH of between 6.0 to 7.5, and an ideal soil depth of 40cm.
Seedlings vs seeds
Both Mojapelo and Siesegoana encourage new farmers specifically to use seedlings to grow their butternuts. Siesegoana says the reason seedlings work out better is that they are more consistent and predictable. Seeds generally do not sprout at the same time, and often do not sprout at all.
“When you use seedlings, you can count your plants. They are already little trees you can monitor. With seeds, it is more difficult to keep track of. I have planted both seedlings and seeds, and the seedlings did much better than the seeds.”
Mojapelo points out that seedlings mitigates some of the risks.
“When you buy seeds, it takes almost two weeks for the seedlings to emerge. Also, another advantage of seedlings is that they are treated, unlike seeds, which may not emerge.”
Pointers on planting
If you are using seeds to grow butternut, the ARC recommends that you plant your seeds 3 to 4cm into the soil, with three seeds at each station. These seeds usually grow into a single seedling within two to three weeks.
While butternut plants do not require excess water, the soil should be thoroughly irrigated before planting. Cover soil that is too wet can cause a crust, which is why the seeds should be covered with dry soil. In summer, mulch is recommended to ensure that the soil does not dry out too much.
The ARC also suggests that butternut rows have between one to one and a half metre spaces. The plants should also have a 50cm distance between each other.
Water requirements and diseases
How you water your butternut plants directly impacts your disease exposure, says Siesegoana. He explains that too much water makes your butternut plants susceptible to a number of diseases.
“You have to make sure that the soil does not get too wet because you might get black rot. So you have to irrigate [your butternut] with around 1.5 liters per day.”
Leshalagae says that butternut plants are vulnerable to squash bug, powdery mildew, and the mosaic virus, when too much water is used. He recommends that farmers manage their plant water needs using drip irrigation.
“You can still use sprinklers, but then you need to time your irrigation. For instance, in summer, you need to irrigate before the sun is up so excess water evaporates during the day and you don’t have waterlogged areas.”
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