Topic: Pumpkins and squash

[FennelandFern]

Hey guys,

What are your favourite varieties of winter squash and pumpkins? I'm growing butternut 'hornet', pumpkin 'delica' and 'atlantic giant' (this last is to make husband happy as he is new to gardening and a nice big fat pumpkin is just the thing to persuade him the whole thing is very exciting).

I'm probably going to write a post on pumpkins and squash in the next few days, so would love to hear more about your favourite cultivars and your tricks and tips. I've developed my own method which seems to work, but I imagine there's some quirky tricks out there!

[chriscross1966]

The only one I used to grow the last time I had a garden (10 yrs ago) was Spaghetti.... the plant is a thug once it gets going but the cropping ios good and it isn't hard to grow head-sized fruit. They were popular stuffed and baked and also if you made up a marrow and ginger jam recipe with them it came like a sort of ginger marmalade due to the shreds.....

This year I'm growing quite a few as a clearing crop over the weedmulch plastic.... Waltham butternut, Hunter, Festival, Uchiri Kuri, Bon Bon, an Italian or French sounding one the sis-in-law gave me and a pumpkin that I think will be an Atlantic Giant (sis-in-law again....) Either grown onb small mounds of growbag compost through holes punched in the plastic or else from bulk builders bags with a mix of compost, soil and horse manure......Not too fussed if I don't get a great crop as growing them as cover but will keep updating......
 of course if we get a good summer for them I will have more squash than I know what to do with and an untransportable pumpkin.....

chrisc

[1066]

Here's my list! It will be initeresting to see how we all get on

I'm growing 2 of each (  :o )
Uchiki Kuri - Winter Squash
Marina di Choggia   
Anna Swartz Hubbard - Winter Squash
Burgess Buttercup -   Winter Squash
Queensland Blue - Gourd
Small Sugar - Pumpkin
Bon Bon - Squash (Gourd)
Cornells Delicata - Winter Squash
Little Gen Rolet - Pumpkin
Blue Kuri - Winter Squash
Crown Prince - Winter Squash
(SA) Gem Squash
Hunter - Butternut Squash

Before anyone asks the type (ie pumpkin/winter squash etc) info is from the packets

I'm going to grow the little gem / small sugar / blue kuri up some supports I've rigged up at the lottie.
And very much like Chris - grown in holes through weed suppressant / manured ground, so to kill off the couch and be able to grow something in that patch this year. I've given them roughly a meter square each, and thats their lot! I grew Little Gem and Cornells Delicata last year and both were very good, so trying some new ones this year as well

Hoping we have a great hot summer with some light rain at night (so I don't have to worry about watering  ;)

1066

[Digeroo]

I have
Red Kuri
Uchiki Kuri
Blue Hubbard
Big Max
Turks Turban
Tondo di ?(forgotten this one)
Trombetta d'albenga

The Blue Hubbard have already taken off.  Not sure they have read your one metre rule.  Have grown them near potatoes so as I dig them it can fill some of the space.  Have grown Trombetta d'albenga that also in the past has not stuck to a metre.  Growing that one next to sweetcorn so it can ramble underenath.  Have one to ramble below the runner beans, keeps their roots cool.  But I will make sure it does not put down extra roots or it will suck all the moisture and nutriants from the beans.

I have also in the past grown 'Sicilian Snakes' .  Lovely flowers, very shy at producing fruit.  Found the fruit bitter.  Does anyone know if this was a one off and I should try again?

[1066]

I already don't think they are paying much attention to my 1 metre rule! Now how do you tell off a pumpkin  ;)  :D  Its just a question of space and what was ready when. I've tried to put the trailing ones round the edges so they can ramble off over the paths and rough ground. Its all a bit of an experiment!
1066

[Digeroo]

I have in the past put sticks next to the roots, so that I can find them to water once all the courgettes, squashes and pumpkins get mixed up.   

[daileg]

Digeroo

I find it easier to keep control of the watering when planting out i put in small up side down bottles 500ml coke bottles with the bottom cut off next to the plant on a mound thus allowing better watering and feeding later on

[realfood]

Digeroo, could the one that you are unsure of be Zapallito Del Tronco?

 This is a real find and is actually a variety of Winter Squash, Cucurbita Maxima. It is usually used when young and still light green, as a Courgette or even as a Cucumber. The consensus view is that when used as a Courgette, it is better tasting than a standard Courgette. In the areas surrounding Buenos Aries in Argentina, it is an important commercial crop when it is used while still young and tender.

If allowed to mature on the plant and harden off, it will store and keep till the following Spring. After storage, the skin can be peeled with a potato peeler, seeds removed and pan fried. As I write, I still have one in storage!!

As It is a very large bush plant, allow 1 sq m. It should produce about 10 cannonball sized fruits.

One of my fellow plotters, who gave me the seed last year, did a swap with me today for one of my tronco plants.

[amphibian]

This year I am growing:

Red Kuri
Shark fin
Howden
Waltham Butternut
Baby Blue Hubbard
Jarrahdale
Black Futsu
Troba D'Albegna

[lewic]

I have just planted a 10" tall pumpkin seedling (I think it is a Jack o Lantern) and the instructions say that when the fruits have reached the size of a cricket ball, pick off all but two, so they grow bigger. Is this correct? Seems like a waste of pumpkin if the others would have grown to edible size.

Also I planted it on the remains of my (v well rotted) manure heap, but since read that the manure should be mixed 50/50 with soil. Should I replant it?

[chriscross1966]

I have just planted a 10" tall pumpkin seedling (I think it is a Jack o Lantern) and the instructions say that when the fruits have reached the size of a cricket ball, pick off all but two, so they grow bigger. Is this correct? Seems like a waste of pumpkin if the others would have grown to edible size.

Also I planted it on the remains of my (v well rotted) manure heap, but since read that the manure should be mixed 50/50 with soil. Should I replant it?

Jack is bred as a halloween lantern fruit, it follows that these want to be fairly big if few in number in preference to numerous and small....  restricting the number of fruit per plant gets you the biggies

chrisc

[Squash64]

I have also in the past grown 'Sicilian Snakes' .  Lovely flowers, very shy at producing fruit.  Found the fruit bitter.  Does anyone know if this was a one off and I should try again?

I grow Sicilian Snakes, but up canes, not on the ground.  In Sicily, the ends of the shoots are eaten too so it is much easier to grow it as a climber.

They are very popular with my (Sicilian) relatives but they don't let them grow as long as the one in the photo. 

I took this one to a display I had at the Kings Heath show in Birmingham.

In 2006 we had a competition at the allotments to see who could grow the longest one.  Over 30 people joined in and the winning one was 78inches long.

I don't like the flavour of the snakes much, but I grow them so my relatives can have the shoots.

[1066]

Wow Squash - the Sicilian Snake actually does look like a snake sitting on that chair  ;)

[Digeroo]

Zapallito Del Tronco

Thanks 'Realfood'  I like the sound of this one.   Will give it a try next year.  This year I am all spaced out for sqaushes.  Problem is that I keep liking things I hear on this site, but will I remember when it comes to next year. 

Perhaps we could do  a seed swap.

[susan1]

I sowed some of the dig it free seeds from the BBc  Butternut squash (in the consevatory in pots) a week ago and they are now about 3 ins tall is there enough time for them to grow succesfully if i plant them on the plot over the weeekwnd

[chriscross1966]

I sowed some of the dig it free seeds from the BBc  Butternut squash (in the consevatory in pots) a week ago and they are now about 3 ins tall is there enough time for them to grow succesfully if i plant them on the plot over the weeekwnd

Should do, Hunter is a quick to mature variety, I'd restrict it to the first three or four fruit it deverlops though, possibly with it being rather late keep it down to two or three....

I've got some in and they're doinga fair bit better than the Waltham butternuts I've got in there too....

chrisc

[shirlton]

Ive got quite a few that I'm growing up canes. Can't remember the names of them cos I haven't grown all of them myself. I got them from other folks. I know that the sharks fin is first up the canes at the moment.

[manicscousers]

we're growing
hunter(bbc freebies)
red kuri(saddad's open day)
potimarron(from someone nice on here)
butternut (kings)
golden nugget(internet)
think there's another but can't remember what it is  ;D

[anemone]

I have these growing -
Becky
Amish Pie
Hundredweight
Harrier F1
Potimarron
Winter Festival
Kabocha
Crown Prince
Jarrahdale


Last year I had becky and winter festival - both were nice but on the small side :) I also tried to grow cobnut last year but had no luck at all.

[saddad]

Vif Rouge D'Etampes... hasn't had a mention yet... excellent "pumpkin" very Cinderella. Crown Prince, Marina D'choggia, Muscade... the list is endless...  :-[