Topic: Zapallito di Toscana

[Chantenay]

Got some of these seeds at the Ryton Potato Day swap. Does anyone know what I can expect of it? Flavour and longevity especially? How many fruits should I let it grow? Would you sow more of this or more Potimaron? Google will only tell me in languages I can't speak!

[antipodes]

I am a bit conversant in some other languages - they only thing I found relating to a zapallito is a type of summer squash, often found in S. America, it seems to be round, green with a white flesh. But zapallito seems to also be a word used to refer to courgette varieties in Italy. Not sure you will be getting a pumpkin as per se with your seeds  ???
Maybe plant some other types as well, just to be on the safe side :D

[Suzanne]

I would agree with antipodes - this is a variety of courgette - so probably the best to treat the same.

[Jeannine]

It is the Italian equivalent of an eight ball summer squash.XX Jeannien

[Suzanne]

Bit like "rond di nice" then Jeannine. From growing these last summer I thought they tasted just a little bit nicer than normal courgettes.

[Jeannine]

The flesh on Ronde is a wee bit firmer than usual courgettes but I can't be sure the texture is the same on this one,I simply don't know XX Jeannine

[Chantenay]

Thanks everyone - I am going to be courgetted out again this summer - ah well ::)

[Suzanne]

I don't know whether this is good news or not. But on looking up a squash I wanted to grow this year in curcubita maxima group which are winter storage squashes, there was a reference to the zapallito group in this family - and that would make it a winter squash. There wasn't much on the varieties so didn't see reference to "di Tosca", but there were pictures showing a round squash with a greenish skin and orange flesh which looked almost like a hubbard.

Perhaps you won't be weighed down by courgettes again this year!