Topic: Which pumpkins/squash would you grow again?

[Dandytown]

Here are my thoughts on this years crop grown in my patch.  Plants will produce different results in other patches/conditions so tastes could be different.  My crop was also picked a little sooner as I needed to clear the vines to slow dwn the spread of powdery mildew to my AG plant.

Yes:
Bon Bon - nice sweet orange flesh and not too big - top of my list!
Tuffy Sweet -nice sweet orange flesh but not as sweet as Bon Bon, perfect for individual servings straight from the pumpkin by halving and cooking in the microwave.
Hooligan - perfectly sized for a snack, cooked as per tuffy sweet above.  Nice and sweet
Black Futsu - I have only grown one and I had it before maturity but it tasted perfect.  Not sweet.  Had a creamy and slightly nutty flavour.  Complex flavours.


No:
Thelma Sanders - pale fleshed variety, bigger than tuffy sweet but not very much flavour
Patty Pan Squashes - Quite bland in comparison to the courgette I grew (Black Beauty) which was delicious

Still to be decided are Spaghetti Squash and Uchiki Kuri as I have not cooked them yet

[antipodes]

I grew Black Futsu (thanks goodlife!) and they were great, very prolific fruiters! But I haven't eaten any yet! Actually they are so hard I am unsure as to how to open them!!!!

I am sure you will like the Uchiki Kuri, they are wonderful pumpkins, I am going to try them next year.

I grew QLD Blue this year, my favourites. Great keepers, and unbeatable flavour.
I tried Hooligans last year and was unimpressed. I would like to do butternuts again, I might try Waltham next year. Harriers are good though, so I am undecided!

[Duke Ellington]

I will grow again
Bon Bon.......good flavour nice size.
Honey Bear
Sweet Dumpling
Hooligan
All of the above are small ones. I used to grow huge squashes but found them impractical for the two of us.
Will not grow....
Golden Hubbard...I love the flavour but only got one on the plant. this is my second year of trying hub bards with the same poor yield.
Dont know yet.......
Pumpkin Windsor...It's a container suitable little pumpkin. Never grown it before so will have to report back.

Duke

[GrannieAnnie]

"Confection"- a small green fruit a reasonable size for two plus left-overs, deep orange inside and tastes like sweet potatotes- second year growing these.

Can't report on my new trials yet because letting them age a bit ( one is "Pennsylvania Crookneck" which are HUGE which means freezing some after cutting one open (not my favorite thing to do)

[Digeroo]

I am really pleased with Kamokamo.  Lots of fruits.  Haven't tasted it yet though.  Very attractive fruit.  Seems I should have eaten some small like courgettes, though they are round and ribbed. 

[saddad]

Crown Prince
Marina (?) D' Choggia
Vif Rouge D'Etampes
Muscade

In terms of taste and productivity...  :)

[goodlife]

I've only just cut into my first squash of the season..its 'banana' sort..not the pink banana, the other one..(forgot the name)...and nice one it is indeed.. ;D I've used it as carrot replacement in stir fry...and rest of it I'm going to roast tonight.
I do like Black Futsu..but mine didn't perform this year. Instead I have loads of Thelma Sanders...I do hope they are better than Dandytown rates it... :-\

[grawrc]

Uchiki Kuri is my favourite and it actually has time to ripen in these Northern climes unlike some of its larger siblings where it's touch and go depending on the weather.

[manicscousers]

These are some of Callum's jack o' lantern this year,seeds courtesy of Jeannine, he wants to grow an atlantic giant next year ;D

[ajb]

I liked my Uchiki Kuri, just the right size for two of us and good flavour.

[GrannieAnnie]

These are some of Callum's jack o' lantern this year,seeds courtesy of Jeannine, he wants to grow an atlantic giant next year ;D

Good job, Callum! And we especially appreciate when the model's shirt is coordinated with his pumpkin :)

[manicscousers]

These are some of Callum's jack o' lantern this year,seeds courtesy of Jeannine, he wants to grow an atlantic giant next year ;D

Good job, Callum! And we especially appreciate when the model's shirt is coordinated with his pumpkin :)

I rather think it's my camera on the blink  ;D
I will be growing more of Jeannine's squash seed next year, I'm making space  ;D

[pigeonseed]

I also love uchiki kuri for flavour, grilled mmmm.  :-*
Marina di chioggia too. Grilled with rosemary and salt sprinkled on (got that idea off someone on here  :) )
Galeux d'eysines is fragrant and light-tasting

My black futsu stayed tiny and I didn't like the flavour grilled. Bit of bitter aftertaste for us.

Although my rugosa friulana courgettes did rubbish this year i'll try them next year as i love the flavour.

[1066]

Crown Prince
Marina (?) D' Choggia
Vif Rouge D'Etampes
Muscade

In terms of taste and productivity...  :)

Got to go with that list!
I've yet to try any of the new ones this year, like Black Futsu, Kikuza, Anna swartz hubbard, Green Stripped Cushaw or australian Butter (thank you Jeannine for the last one  :) ). So the jury is still out around here.

[Deb P]

I have gradually narrowed it down over the years, definite favourites are:

Vif Rouge D'Etampes: 'Cinderalla's coach' shaped pumpkin. Reliable and very pretty. Buy from Franchi, you get a huge packet of seeds that will last for years.

Baby bear: small 1-2 kg sized pumpkin, I get a huge crop and they all seem to be reliably the same size, ideal for 'normal sized' portions of soup rather than having to make gallons at a time!. I tried these from one of Jeanine's seed swaps and now grow them every year. The do like to run a bit though! Good for growing under taller crops like sweetcorn.

[gavinjconway]

GemSquash (rolet) - the absolute best squash there is!! Honest!!  ;D
Courgette - Lebanese - the best tasting courgette there is.
Courgette - round type
Hubbard Squash - going to try here in the UK.. We grew a lot in Zimbabwe..
Honey Bear - a good solid small squash with good taste
Butternut - great taste and versatile 

Cant wait for my new allotment to be up and running - getting there slowly but surely. Hopefully all beds will be dug and  ready by the planting time..

[GrannieAnnie]

GemSquash (rolet) - the absolute best squash there is!! Honest!!  ;D
Courgette - Lebanese - the best tasting courgette there is.
Courgette - round type
Hubbard Squash - going to try here in the UK.. We grew a lot in Zimbabwe..
Honey Bear - a good solid small squash with good taste
Butternut - great taste and versatile 

What exactly does GemSquash have that puts it above others in your opinion" Is it a winter squash?

[realfood]

I grew Rolet last year and would not bother again. Yes, I know that it is popular in South Africa but I do not rate it for the following reasons. The fruits have very little usable flesh, poor taste, stringy and low sweetness. I was using it as a Winter squash and it did store well, changes colour from dark green to orange in store. But why bother as there are ones which are so much better in our climate. I suspect that it might be better used as a Summer Squash and stuffed with a savoury filling such as mince or something similar.

[plainleaf]

Atlantic giant
spaghetti squash
 hubbard

[gavinjconway]

GemSquash are a summer squash... at them young to medium age and they are delicious.  When they have gone yellow they are stringy..

Cut in half, biol for 10-15 minutes, mix in butter, salt & pepper.. delicious.. the whole squash can be eaten.. skin, seeds and all - just leave the stem piece...