How Long Are Butternut Squash Vines?

Vine Length

• Depending on the variety of butternut squash, the vines can be longer or shorter, as the growing habits of varieties will differ. Short-vining butternut squash varieties will produce vines of 5 to 8 feet long. If even shorter vines are preferred, bush butter nut squash varieties produce vines of 3 to 4 feet only. Long-vining varieties can reach upwards of 12 feet long. In all cases, plenty of full sun and well-draining soil provide an ideal habitat that will encourage growth.

Prune

• If you underestimated how long your vines would be relative to how much garden space you have available, you can carefully prune some of the vines to prevent your butternut squash from taking over the garden. If you remove whole vines however, that can severely damage your plant to the extent of killing it. If you do prune your butternut squash vines, remove only up to three leaf nodes between still-growing squashes to ensure they continue developing.

Trellis

• An external support to aid the butternut vines in climbing upwards can help prevent the vines from overtaking your garden space. This technique is useful for home gardeners that have limited space available, but are still interested in growing squash. Use a wooden trellis or one made from metal, plastic or garden rope as an external support for the vines. Train the vines to climb upwards as they develop, by carefully wrapping them through the trellis or gently tying them to the supports. Trellising your butternut squash vines has the added benefit of keeping your squash off the soil, where it will be less susceptible to insects and mold from damp soil.

Space

• For optimum growth, plant your butternut squash in mounds, where you can have up to five plants per mound. Too many plants per mound will lead to extra moisture on the plants because of the cramped spacing, making your squash susceptible to fungal infections like powdery mildew. Space your mounds of butternut plants at least 4 to 8 feet apart. The more plants per mound you have, the more vines you will need to deal with, so consider this before planting.