Topic: Squash Volunteer?

[galina]

It remains a mystery until you grow these seeds.  Good luck.

Have just come across this excellent description of the features (including seeds) of the various squash species.  That should help with stray squash plants.
http://alanbishop.proboards.com/thread/8400/visual-guide-identifying-squash

[Jayb]

My little one is a little bigger now and is definitely developing scratchy leaves.

[Silverleaf]

I have two seeds hopefully germinating. Not sure I'll be any wise when I see the fruit though! ;)

[pumkinlover]

It remains a mystery until you grow these seeds.  Good luck.

Have just come across this excellent description of the features (including seeds) of the various squash species.  That should help with stray squash plants.
http://alanbishop.proboards.com/thread/8400/visual-guide-identifying-squash

Thats a great help Galina

[Jayb]

I'm still none the wiser, but I don't think a crookneck. Aren't they a yellowy colour even when they are tiny?
I'll go leaf fondling when it stops raining.

[galina]

I'm still none the wiser, but I don't think a crookneck. Aren't they a yellowy colour even when they are tiny?
I'll go leaf fondling when it stops raining.

Sibley?  or Sibley-ish?  looking at the embryo fruit, ie a cucurbita maxima?  Maybe just a tad early to say, but that's what I make of your picture at this stage.  Leaf fondling should confirm it or otherwise. 

[Digeroo]

What about a round pepo?  One Ball or ronda de nice type.  They come in pale and dark green.  What about a cross between a pepo and a maxima?

[galina]

What about a round pepo?  One Ball or ronda de nice type.  They come in pale and dark green.  What about a cross between a pepo and a maxima?

A cross between c pepo and c maxima species outside of laboratory conditions is unlikely.   It will be much clearer soon.

Awaiting news of 'scratch test'.  Also in a few days, if we get the 30C that is forecast, c maxima leaves will droop alarmingly (and pick up after it cools down), c pepo leaves don't droop to the same degree.   

[Jayb]

What about a round pepo?  One Ball or ronda de nice type.  They come in pale and dark green.  What about a cross between a pepo and a maxima?

Nice thinking but I didn't grow One Ball or ronda de Nice type last year. I had some Gem the year before.

Sibley?  or Sibley-ish?  looking at the embryo fruit, ie a cucurbita maxima?  Maybe just a tad early to say, but that's what I make of your picture at this stage.  Leaf fondling should confirm it or otherwise. 

It would be lovely if it is a Sibley, but I think the fruit is a little rounded, the sibleys I planted are a bit behind this one, no baby fruits to compare.

Well it's not a butternut on the leafy touch test, so yes most likely a maxima. But I only grew butternuts or pepo's last year!

[Digeroo]

Maybe you did not grow the father bees go up to four or sometimes even six miles.

You also do not know what genes are lurking in your plants and will pop up later.

You grow a lot of squashes etc so perhaps the gem gene has come through from the previous year.

[galina]

Perhaps the little embryo fruit is a little more developed today.  Any striping at all?  Even faint striping would suggest some sort of butternut rather than Sibley.   

[galina]

Me again.  I failed to take a really clear photo.  The closest I have to butternut this year is tromboncino and the embryo fruits are not stripey, but have whitish flecks instead.  My embryo fruits are only half an inch at the moment.

[Digeroo]

I have one or two trombocino or may be 15.  And the leaves are not like that. The stems are much hairier.   The leaves do not look moschata to me.  I am still going for a pepo.     

[Jayb]

This little volunteer is the furthest along of my squash. You're right Digeroo it could be a cross of just about anything. It took my notice because it was a real tryer, popping up outside despite the cold grotty weather, I'm surprised it lived to be honest.

No striping noticeable yet, flowers nearly open.

[Jayb]

We haven't had droopy squash plant weather here, it's been nice at times and a couple of days were hot, but not hot hot like some places.

I have one or two trombocino or may be 15.  And the leaves are not like that. The stems are much hairier.   The leaves do not look moschata to me.  I am still going for a pepo.     

I think you are right, not a Moschata.
It could be a Gem or Gem x  but....

I thought by the fruit shape it might have been a Blue Ballet or a Kuri/potimarron type, but now it's developed a bit I think Galina could well be right with Sibley.
If it is a and is true to type I'll try and save seeds as it's done so well to get this far!

[galina]

What was it in the end Jayb?  And what about your mystery squash Silverleaf?   

Hope you have been handsomely rewarded for giving these stray plants garden space.   

[Silverleaf]

And what about your mystery squash Silverleaf?

I can see one tiny fruit so far. It's green and square-ish. I don't think it'll mature, to be honest.

There's another plant in my manure pile, but there's such a tangle of plants in there I can't see if it's doing anything and I can't even remember exactly where I planted it! ;)

[Jayb]

Mine has only set one fruit and I think it looks similar to a Blue Ballet, which is a possibility. Something took a few nibbles out of it early on so the shape has been a bit distorted. Still it's ripening up nicely and I'm looking forward to seeing how it tastes 

[Jayb]

This is my other mystery squash this year, it was meant to have been an Uncle David's Dakota squash, but obviously it's not. I'm not sure if it is a wrong seed or a cross, It doesn't match anything else I'm growing this year.

Second picture has got the much smaller, green and real deal Uncle David's Dakota squash by the side for comparison.

[galina]

Yes, both packet accidents and volunteers can be great fun.  Being maxima, they are bound to taste ok and store ok too. 

What does make a packet accident annoying is that one might have, in good faith, pollinated one with another and created a definite hybrid.  By the time that becomes obvious, it might be too late for another handpollination :(

Looks like this one, which does grow very large:
http://www.bolster.nl/groenten/vruchtgewassen/pompoen+gele+centenaar++cucurbita+maxima