Topic: 2 squash questions

[1066]

TinShed - I think I have the same packet  8)

Jeannine - what a kind offer! I've been having a nosey and found that RealSeeds do a Coussa called 'White Volunteer' Cousa Courgette http://www.realseeds.co.uk/courgettes.html . It sounds similar. Do you think these are the same?
I seem to remember a thread on here a while ago where white courgettes were discussed and purchased! I'm also growing the Cavili - another pale one (new for this year - to me that is!)

[Jeannine]

The cousa one that is to make the lebanese dish called Kousa is definatley pale gree sprckled with white, yu have to be careful as it has a very differnt meat that others ,

Just looked at thelink, they atfirst appear white but they say thre are actually a very pale green, and the picture looks right

XX Jeannine

[1066]

in that case I may take you up on your kind offer -  will pm you
1066  :)

[Jeannine]

You are welcome. The ones in your picture are a cousa type definately and are OP, the ones I currently have are a hybrid  called Magda. I am  having to use it again this year  because the seeds I  originally had  were an old kept family one from way back ,I had run out and I needed them quickly.

 Might be good to grow both.

 I have  intended dehybridising my one  for the past three years, but never got around to it, I still am using the original 2007 seeds,I wanted  to try to get an OP back but the one in the picture might well be it anyway so next year I will send for some of them and compare..

XX Jeannine

[1066]

that sounds like a great plan Jeannine, and as I have gone ahead and ordered the Coussa from Real Seeds (along with a few other bits and bobs  ::) ) I'll be able to send you some to try 

1066  :)

[earlypea]

1066 - are you planning to get that Realseeds Coussa in for this season?

I must say you've both been driving me mad with all this talk of Coussas - if they're better than a crookneck then that's really saying something and it's a must have and eat item.

If you think it's feasible for this year then I will also buy a coussa from Realseeds now  :D  Some potatoes are surely coming up soon, plenty of room for a small one...

[gwynnethmary]

May I add another question?  We have planted butternut (free seeds from Dig in).  I have heard that they might not do well in the North-East of England.  Has anyone managed to grow them successfully up here, and if so, do you have any tips?

[Jeannine]

I had no problem in Hull, unless it was a bad cold year and then everything suffered.

Did they tell you which butternut they are some are early some late  and some are bush, some vining?

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

Go for it Early pea,if Realseeds are quick, I would phone it in, they are a summer squash so don't need a long season, mine were only seeded  about two weeks ago, went out with just first leaves and 1 almost real one on Monday. If you have a bad summer you will only be out a couple of seeds, don't sow a lot, they are quite prolific.

XX Jeannine

[earlypea]

Unfortunately, speed is not Realseeds' greatest virtue.  Maybe I should make do for this year and not be so greedy  ;D.  I've got pattipans to go in as the spuds are lifted and I do like a nice pattipan.

I also have a  Kamo Kamo which is sizeable already and that's another one they do say is 'even better than a crookneck'.  I'm curious, did you ever grow that Jeannine?

[Jeannine]

Hi,at first I was going to say no ( I think I have been asked before ) as it is not a regular one I grow.I often grow  a new one as a trial but sometimes don't grow it again for a while. I looked back and found notes in a book from 2005 . I have only grown it once. I fancied it as it is a dual purpose squash, can be used as a summer when young or a winter when mature, my thoughts were that if a bad summer it would be still useful, it did mature, just checked my page on it and have written in the comments box....

"Blimey,hard to say the least, nearly chopped my thumb off!" Opened at 7 months in store.Smaller than I expected, attractive ribbed fruit,good taste, would grow again but give it much more room, possibly why small size.From Jayne Morris, New Zealand.

Seeds were sent from a swapper  friend in NZ..Still have them but it didn't make the cut this year as I have  some other  rare ones which took priority. I have to grow those as   I need to harvest seed from  this year and very little space now.

Are you  growing it as a summer squash , comparing to crookneck and cousa?

Thinking about it after reading my notes, I remember it well, we almost dropped it from the bedroom window, it was very difficult to crack, but sadly I didn't write any notes on the taste of it eaten as a summer squash.

Good luck with it, I hope you have a spare field.

Not much help, sorry

XX Jeannine

[lottiedolly]

I am growing crookneck for the first time this year, and am growing them up a metal  trellis. I understand you can treat it as a summer squash but is it true you can treat it as a winter squash also. At what size do you pick it as a summer squash as i do not want to pick it when it is too tough. sorry for the questions but was given the seeds in a swap

[tomatoada]

May I add another question?  We have planted butternut (free seeds from Dig in).  I have heard that they might not do well in the North-East of England.  Has anyone managed to grow them successfully up here, and if so, do you have any tips?

Are they the squash seeds from last years Dig In?   If so they are Hunter.  I grew them and they did very well.

[earlypea]

Are you  growing it as a summer squash , comparing to crookneck and cousa?

Jeannine - Exactly that, yes.  So, you didn't remember the taste of the immature version.  The rave reviews (on NZ websites) I've come across are for that - I didn't see any particularly favourable reports of the mature squash.

Basically, I grew crooknecks last year for the first time and everyone was so wowed by them.  Described as a 'revelation' by my brother-in-law who mixes in top foodie circles  :P so I thought I'd explore other winter squashes eaten at the immature stage.  No-one here really likes courgettes, apart from the first few, they rot in the fridge which is why I'm excited by the Coussa now because that would be earlier and sounds most edible!

Lottiedolly - apparantly Crooknecks don't keep well as a winter squash or so I was told last year by an American (they're common place there) when I asked the same question.

I think they're best eaten when they are still fairly smooth and a pale, creamy yellow as they mature they get nobbly and darker yellow (still quite nice like that though!).

e.g. this stage



rather than this, more advanced stage

[Jeannine]

Lottiedolly, if you are growing straight neck or crookeck, from the pepo family, bright yellow with bumps on them then no, they are a summer squash but... if you are growing Pennslylvanian Crook neck AKA Neck squash then still no but they area winter squash, this where the confusion come id , they are tan and related to butternuts. The summer crookneck will kep better than a courgette but it will not keep like a winter Eraly pea is is a summer squash

[1066]

this thread is truly wonderful  :)

Sorry EarlyPea I've been off-line. And yes I did go ahead and order  ;D. I wasn't planning on doing any this year, but as you say I MUST have some space (the Mayans are looking good BTW  ;) ) . So I think I will - would you like some seeds?

I remember it well, we almost dropped it from the bedroom window, it was very difficult to crack,

XX Jeannine

priceless! I remember reading a Madhur Jaffrey recipe/story where she did the same  ;D