Butternut squash from saved seeds was a surprise success in a generally poor season

This year wasn't very good because of the cool rainy spring, and then excessive rain in the summer which led to excessive weeds.

One exception was butternut squash. I didn't really expect anything because in 10 years of gardening I have never once successfully grown a winter squash from garden store seeds. They generally have made long vines, flowers and no fruit. (This does not include summer squash/zukes, which have done OK.)

This year, just for kicks, I cleaned the seeds from a supermarket butternut squash last winter, dried them and put them away. I planted them this spring.

Surprisingly, I have about a half dozen squash on the vine! I didn't even know they were there with all the weeds.

The funniest part was when I was in my tiny urban backyard and my elderly neighbor came running out calling me. She told me to look over our fence. One of the squash plants had snaked into her yard about 15 feet and had several giant butternuts on it!

And I thought sqaush bugs weren't supposed to like butternuts. :(

Hoping that the two fruits on the vine will ripen enough before the whole plant dies off. :(

I bet that was a nice surprise for her.

And it's the nicest one. I was going to ask her to clip it for me, but my friend says I should tell her to clip it and keep it since it took over part of her yard.

I'm still a but puzzled about harvest schedules. There are still flowers, and I wonder if I clip the ones that seem ripe, will I encourage more pumpkins?