Topic: How are everyones squashes doing

[pigeonseed]

Can i ask a question.  the other day i went to make soup with my uchiki kuri and when i was doing it the flesh nearert the skin was turning green - is this normal?  It was still solid to the touch so I carried on with it and the soup tastes fine (but i have got a cold!).  Is this normal?

I think it sounds ok, but I haven't got one to hand to examine and compare. They're not like potatoes, where you have to worry about green bits.

Anyone else know for certain?

[pigeonseed]

As Shirl say's Betty they look great, I harvested a single butternut today,   I was also given a squash by one of my mates at work, its the same colour and size as a butternut but is more of a big pear shape and I can't work out what type it is,    HELP! ! ! ! ! !

Fraid I don't know the answer to that either... It just sort of sounds like a butternut - is the skin very smooth and even-coloured like a butternut?

[chriscross1966]

Could well be a butternut, I've seen them perfect ovals before.... Sucrine de Berry is that colour when ripe (which mine isn't yet....grr.....

[shirlton]

Kev, The harrier grew like that. Have a look at the pic I posted about a week ago. The one on page 13 of this thread shows the waltham at the front and you can just see the harrier in the background.They are the small ones.The other pic is on page 14 and you can really see the differene between them. Just like big pears they are but just enough for two. They taste ok but not very prolific. I stand by my earlier statement that Waltham are my favourite

[1066]

Can i ask a question.  the other day i went to make soup with my uchiki kuri and when i was doing it the flesh nearert the skin was turning green - is this normal?  It was still solid to the touch so I carried on with it and the soup tastes fine (but i have got a cold!).  Is this normal?

I think it sounds ok, but I haven't got one to hand to examine and compare. They're not like potatoes, where you have to worry about green bits.

Anyone else know for certain?

Does this happen when the squash isn't fully ripe? I had a Crown Prince like that last year, a fine green line between the flesh and the skin. It all got roasted and eaten  ;D

[GrannieAnnie]

As Shirl say's Betty they look great, I harvested a single butternut today, :'(  I was also given a squash by one of my mates at work, its the same colour and size as a butternut but is more of a big pear shape and I can't work out what type it is,    HELP! ! ! ! ! !
 ??? ??? ???

I've noticed that butternuts of very different shapes and sizes can grow from the same see crop, from pear shaped with a very skinny neck(bad due to little meat there) to blocky shaped ones(good) and in all lengths.

[goodlife]

second lot harvested..
[attachment=1]
very happy for this years harvest...now all I have to do is to prepare, cook and eat... ;D

[Duke Ellington]

Here are mine all them grown in 2 10x4 feet beds!!
Apart from five of the Hunter Butternuts grown in a standard black dustbin.

HUNTER BUTTERNUT~SWEET DUMPLING~CROWN PRINCE ~JARRAHDALE~BON BON~BABY BLUE HUBBARD~SNOWMAN PUMPKIN.





Duke:)

[GrannieAnnie]

Excellent work, Duke!  Please tell us your taste comparison when you get around to eating them all.

[macmac]

Wow Duke fab crop,I've been pleased with Sweet potato,butternut and one other from real seeds the name escapes me.However proud I was of our crop your offering pales mine ....well done

[tricia]

Goodlife and Duke - great harvests - well done!

It seems we have all harvested rather earlier than last year with most varieties ripening quite a bit earlier. I can't remember harvesting squashes in September before!

Tricia - with just two small butternuts still on green vines.

[shirlton]

Great stuff. I am getting seriously addicted so much so that next year we are giving half of the plot to squash so will also be interested to hear what other folks opinion on the taste. I'm not keen on the sqaush with ridges in cos of the difficulty in peeling the skin. We only like it in soups and stews you see

[earlypea]

That's a fabulous haul Duke Ellington and from such a small area?

I was wondering, how big are the baby dumpling plants; are they vining or bush?  They look really sweet, but manageable in the kitchen.  Ditto the Baby Blue Hubbards.

[Bugloss2009]

the Sweet Dumplings are extremely vigorous. They were the ones that nearly brought down my arch, not the bon bon vines. Lovely squash though

[earlypea]

BTW, I can't reveal my haul yet - the remaining squashes are pretty ripe, but my second kamo kamo and especially my Queensland Blue appear to be in absolute squash heaven on the ex-compo heap and with a trellis to keep above the frost are even still producing new ones despite the mist and rain  :D  the QZ Blue's limb I severed earlier to get one squash home is continuing to grow babies.  And my tromba up the same trellis is still developing long courgettes.  

They're just about the most delightful and vigorous plants I ever grew.  It's nothing but the fabulous earth, weather can be doing nothing much for them.

I really can't bring myself to give them the snip  :)

[Duke Ellington]

Earlypea ......Sweet dumpling is a vine type. Baby blue hubbard is also a vine type.
The largest sweet dumpling weighs about 1lb and the smallest one is 7oz.
The baby blue hubbard weighs approx 3lb.
I haven't grown sweet dumpling before but its a cute little thing!! and is slightly larger than a cricket ball. They produce alot of squash per plant. The baby blue hubbard I have grown before and they only seem to produce two per plant.

I have ordered some more seeds from moreveg.com and they arrived yesterday with a lovely hand written compliment slip wishing me luck for next years growing season. They are are lovely seed company~~~ thanks Flighty for introducing me to them last year.

I will report back with my opinions on the taste.

Duke :)

[1066]

Lovely photos and haul you have there Goodlife and Duke  ;D

I've still got a few on the plot to come in  :)

[Suzanne]

I need to go and bring all mine in. Happily I have a day off on Monday  ;D

[pigeonseed]

Not a good year for my squash, I'm afraid. Very small - that's a teaspoon next to them!

One peach-coloured galeux d'Eysine, which isn't very galeux, plus two bright orange uchiki kuri and 2 marina di Chioggia. Only the uchiki kuri are the normal size.



Oh well - there's always next year!

[goodlife]

Pigeonseed...that's ok...you get few suppers from that ;)..and next year will be better..I'll promise ;D..get your wheelbarrow ready over winter as you'll be needing it next year for the crop ;)
Do you always call soup ladels as teaspoons ;D