My "bush" yellow crookneck squash grew more than ten feet across, overtaking an entire 4x8 bed and every pathway in sight. This year I'm leaving the squash (all of them) out of the raised beds, and have formed a mound of compost that's about 12' across and well away from the raised beds and paths! I'll do a hill of crookneck, one of zucchini and another of butternut, and I plan on placing three ladders of varying heights over each hill for the vines to climb. As far as I'm concerned, "bush" is a misnomer when it comes to squash or cucumbers!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Mary - you can grow 4 plants in a 4x4, if done correctly. I did it last year, although it was alot of work to keep coiling the vine of each plant. This year, i'll use tomato cages turned upside down, to make each plant grow vertically. The squashbugs will be all over any squash, whether it be a summer variety, or winter. Pumpkins too!

EG

I'm with EG. I think you can plant 4 and just have a plot that's one big green blog.

As for the squash bugs, I'm going to try a couple of methods this year. First I'm going to try a organic product called Surround WP. It's a kaolin clay product that you mix and spray on the plant to deter the bugs. It leaves a gray dusty film that supposedly they detest. Next I bought some zucchini that doesn't need pollination so I can keep it under cover all summer. One way or another I'm going to have squash this summer without having to buy it. I hope!

EG - I didn't think "bush" varieties sent out vines? It's been almost a lifetime since I have seen a squash plant growing. I will be using an insect floating row cover over two hoops on this square from the day I plant the seeds. Hopefully I can foil the squashbugs!

Granny - Did you feed your squash plants steroids?

Marymilkweed, I planted in my sandy soil that had been enriched with a couple of bags of composted steer manure and a bit of leftover peat from another year. I think I sprinkled in a bit of Osmocote for good measure. I put three seeds in the hill and thinned to the best two, then a cutworm took out one of those, so I ended up with just the one plant. I fought that plant all of August and most of September before I gave in and chopped it to bits. My neighbor and I measured the longest vine on it, and it was over 10' long. I'd hate to see how big it would have grown if I had it in one of the fertile raised beds!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

You can plant two, if you plan on taking the time to whack off leaves that sprawl into other squares. My rule of thumb is a bush sq./zucc. gets a 4x4 - less work in the long run. We've decided to forego both zucc and sq this year for one or the other (neither of us has won...um...convinced the other which one we keep).

Dan

Mary - if you're growing crookneck, it will vine. Mine were 8-10 feet long, at the end of the season. I just kept coiling them up, keeping them in their little spot. I got 54 fruit from my 4x4 area.

EG

LOL, I think ALL of granny's crops are on steroids, personally. Crooknecks vine, but zucchini is not really good for trellising, imho. Their branches come out spider like and weird. I used a 2x2 for the zucchini and it was enormous. I also grew on in with the tomatoes, also enormous and a pain to trellis.
EG: doesn't the de work on squash bugs? Can you remind me where you got it?

Thanks everyone for your advice, this 4'x4' is a single bed, so if the plants exceeds their space they won't be encroaching on other plants. We are going with two plants. EG - 54 fruits from 4 plants was wonderful! As for the butternut, after reading your posts, I've decided to plant one seed in a 4x8 bed with the trellised cucumbers and give it full run of the bed. This bed is also going to be covered with insect cloth. The other butternut will go on the old rose trellis and we will have to beat off the bugs. I love squash, can't you tell! I saute crookneck squash with sliced onions in butter and my husband says it like eating candy. My other 4x8 will be planted with trellised pole beans, bush limas, and cherry tomatoes, green onions and 2 eggplants. The okra will be in a bed on the west side of the house in native soil with compost added.
Granny, this is for you - loved your idea for using clorox bottles cut up for plant stakes, what about using old wire lamp shade frames for plant supports?

carolyn - I'm really not sure about diotamaceous earth for squash bugs...I really just find the eggs, and have a squishing party every evening. I kinda enjoy it...and come to think of it, I'm starting to miss it a little bit. Ha!

Mary - This year, i'll plant 2 straightneck, 2 crookneck, and also 2 zucchini in a 4x6 area. I'm not afraid of the big bad squash plants.....heh.

EG

Mary, I mix the yellow crooknecks with all kinds of veggies! I dice them and add them to green beans for just the last few minutes of cooking, likewise with broccoli. My favorite is to cut fresh corn from the cob and dice up the crookneck to cook with it. The squash seems to take on the flavor of the sweet corn, and it sure makes the $$$ farmer's market corn go farther!

Old lampshades would be great for things like peppers!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden