Starting squash seeds indoors?

[JalapenosinDelco]

I’ve researched this a bit but still in need of some advice.
I have an issue with squash and sunflower seeds being dug up and eaten by animals.
I’d really love to grow these in places where I have sun and places for squash to climb up, like by a fence.
Is there a way I can start indoors without stunting them? Or is there a way to plant without allowing animals to get to them before they grow?
Thanks in advance!

 

[so lucky]

Squash is one of those fast-growing plants that can get out of control indoors, in a hurry. I certainly wouldn't advise starting it indoors or outside until the soil has warmed up and you don't expect any more frost. Maybe middle of May in your area.

To keep animals or birds from getting to the little plants, you could fashion a loose wad or a tent of chicken wire and attach it to the ground on top of your newly planted seeds. The plant should grow right through it. There are probably lots of variations in the theme of making a cage for your tender plants, such as this.
Or, blood meal is used as a rabbit repellant but it has to be reapplied after a rain.
If cut worms are the problem, lots of people poke a stick along the side of a newly transplanted seedling. This will prevent the cutworm from doing his dirty squeezing deeds.
Do you know what varmint is doing the damage? There are probably other things to do that are specific for the animal you are dealing with.

 

[JalapenosinDelco]

Squash is one of those fast-growing plants that can get out of control indoors, in a hurry. I certainly wouldn't advise starting it indoors or outside until the soil has warmed up and you don't expect any more frost. Maybe middle of May in your area.

To keep animals or birds from getting to the little plants, you could fashion a loose wad or a tent of chicken wire and attach it to the ground on top of your newly planted seeds. The plant should grow right through it. There are probably lots of variations in the theme of making a cage for your tender plants, such as this.
Or, blood meal is used as a rabbit repellant but it has to be reapplied after a rain.
If cut worms are the problem, lots of people poke a stick along the side of a newly transplanted seedling. This will prevent the cutworm from doing his dirty squeezing deeds.
Do you know what varmint is doing the damage? There are probably other things to do that are specific for the animal you are dealing with.

We have lots of squirrels, and chip links running around and moles all of a sudden too.
I think some of all of those are digging up the seeds before they have a chance to sprout.
The mini cage around the seed sounds like the best option. Thank you.
I think I’m so eager for spring I’m just getting ahead of myself.
Do you think the same of sunflower seeds or could those be started indoors?

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can sprout squash indoors, just get the timing right. Don't start them until you can move them out. Don't try to game it and guess when the weather might be right, Don't plant the seeds until the weather is right.

I'd also start them in a container you could just plant in the ground so you don't disturb the roots. What comes to mind is to dampen a newspaper (provided you can find a newspaper these days) and form a decent sized container. When you plant it outside, plant newspaper and all.

I tried that wire cage over the start one, in summer starting kale for the fall. Something was chewing it up, wasn't sure what. Turned out it was bugs that could get through the wire. Sometimes if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any at all.

Those cages can work, they are pretty easy to make just by folding hardware cloth. I've had rats and rabbits chew off the plants themselves just as they sprout, it isn't always the seeds they are after.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

You can sprout squash indoors, just get the timing right. Don't start them until you can move them out. Don't try to game it and guess when the weather might be right, Don't plant the seeds until the weather is right.

I'd also start them in a container you could just plant in the ground so you don't disturb the roots. What comes to mind is to dampen a newspaper (provided you can find a newspaper these days) and form a decent sized container. When you plant it outside, plant newspaper and all.

Cow Pots work good for this. However, you need to keep them moist. Like a baby in a hot tub the surface area is essentially greater than the volume and will just dry up quick if you don't keep it moist. baby in a hot tub can have a greater chance of overheating since they have more surface area than volume.

Last year I must have planted 200 sunflower seeds out in my prairie, and none came up. the only ones that worked were ones I planted in my corn rows, which were mounded. I planted some that I started in coir discs, but that almost made it easier for a squirrel, rabbit or whoever was digging my crap up to just pop it out of the soil. this year I might start sunflowers indoors for my sporadic prairie planting but then just plant them by seed in my corn rows.

As said before squash can get out of hand quickly if you don't time it right, so if you're cool we starting a few indoors and keeping them away from other things and maybe separating them by 4 or 5 days just in case you need to toss one batch out you'll probably be fine. Last year my squash did terrible, but I was so busy with other things I could barely find time to weed out of the thistle that was getting in there.

 

[flowerbug]

chicken wire won't keep chipmunks out, but i've never had chipmunks bother squash seeds since they are planted pretty deeply enough.

sunflower seeds on the other hand, they'll dig those up any time they can sniff them out. we put fine mesh netting over those until they've sprouted well enough to not get attacked, but then the rabbits, deer, etc might come eat them anyways if they are outside the fenced gardens.

 

[JalapenosinDelco]

chicken wire won't keep chipmunks out, but i've never had chipmunks bother squash seeds since they are planted pretty deeply enough.

sunflower seeds on the other hand, they'll dig those up any time they can sniff them out. we put fine mesh netting over those until they've sprouted well enough to not get attacked, but then the rabbits, deer, etc might come eat them anyways if they are outside the fenced gardens.

Fences keep animals out????
Not in my experience HAHA. That being said we have standard chain link on 2 sides, and wide fencing on the other 2 sides. We need to get serious. Animals don’t mess around!

 

[Zeedman]

In my location, I use transplants for squash & other cucurbits not because of pests (the gardens are completely fenced) but because of temperamental weather. If the soil temperature and/or moisture is less than optimal (a frequent occurrence) direct-seeding has spotty results, sometimes no germination at all. Even in a good Spring, germination would usually be slow, up to 2 weeks. Seed started indoors germinates much more quickly, and at a much higher percentage.

As others have already stated, squash seedlings grow quickly - so this is not one of the vegetables I would recommend starting early to extend the season. Two weeks before the anticipated transplanting date is a good starting point. For best results, the transplants should go in when the seedlings have their first true leaf. I've put them in as late as 3 weeks after planting; but much beyond that, they will become root bound & stunted.

For best results, the transplants should be started in something the roots can grow through (peat, paper, soil blocks) and transplanted with as little root damage as possible. I use peat strip pots, and place about 1/2" of sand in the tray beneath the pots. This helps to keep the pots moist, and allows the roots to wander without being air pruned. Those roots can be carefully pulled from the sand at transplanting time, and if handled carefully & kept moist, will help the plants recover quickly.

Don't have any observations about sunflowers, I never tried them as transplants. There are a couple bird feeders near my rural garden, so there are always 6-10 volunteers, and unless they are in the way, I just plant around them.

 

[flowerbug]

Fences keep animals out????
Not in my experience HAHA. That being said we have standard chain link on 2 sides, and wide fencing on the other 2 sides. We need to get serious. Animals don’t mess around!

a properly built fence works well against all sorts of creatures. chipmunks can get through chicken wire like it's not even there. hardware mesh works though for them if you can keep them from climbing over the top. as of yet i haven't bothered. we have so many i have to hunt or trap them some years.

the top three worst critters that do damage here are deer, rabbits and groundhogs. chipmunks can be pests for some crops but they generally don't bother most of what we grow (they raid the strawberries but i don't mind sharing some of those with the animals). same with raccoons (since we don't grow corn). the fence we have up right now around most of the vegetable gardens is barely functional but it does usually keep these three out. 8ft fence.

 

[catjac1975]

I’ve researched this a bit but still in need of some advice.
I have an issue with squash and sunflower seeds being dug up and eaten by animals.
I’d really love to grow these in places where I have sun and places for squash to climb up, like by a fence.
Is there a way I can start indoors without stunting them? Or is there a way to plant without allowing animals to get to them before they grow?
Thanks in advance!

I start both in peat post with great success. I also seed direct at the same time for succession planting. A couple years I had trouble with sunflowers being dug up. I attributed it to chipmunks. I now soak the sunflower seeds before planting until they are sprouting. Seems to babe a deterrent.