Topic: Chriscross1966's squash and exotics swap

[Squash64]

Thank goodness for that - I thought I was more senile than I actually am!

Yes, the silly seed company got the name of the squash wrong  ::) - you are right, it is Lunga Piena di Napoli.  I only sent them the photo because I was amazed at the size, the taste is nothing special!  I still have seeds left but I wasn't going to include them in the swap because the squash taste like watery pap.  But if anyone would like some.........

[chriscross1966]

I hope to join next year, when i have saved some of the seeds from the plants that i will be growing. so keep the parcel goiwing until i join pleeeeease.

i had some envelopes with sweet dumpling, white bush pattypan and golden nugget seeds on the side as i was showing my friend. left them there went out of the room, idiot husband picked up the envelopes and chucked them on the wood burner thinking they were scrap paper. i am deciding how long it will be until i talk to him again, i am thinking of making him suffer for at least a week....any ideas on other forms of torture????  :'(

Hi LD, if we end up with spares I'll see if I can point them in your direction.... :D Don't be so hard on your hubby, the first time in history that a straight guy without a mental health problem shows some initiative in tidying up the lounge and what happens?... He gets yelled at.....

chrisc

[lottiedolly]

Thanks Chrisc, i appreciate the thoughts, ok point taken, yes he is straight without mental issues and trying, but goodness sakes how can you not see my precious seeds  >:(  ;D ;D

but yes he is forgiven  ;D

[anemone]

Could I join in too please?

[chriscross1966]

Welcome aboard anemone!

[Suzanne]

My order from Baker Creek USA arrived today. Lots of squash seeds and they always do a minimum of 25 seeds per packet so a few to spare.

I have some different summer squash this year as well - so are these included?

[chriscross1966]

Hmm... hard call re: summer squash, I've never eaten any other than courgettes, though I did get some Yugoslavian White Finger seeds for this year to try one, but mostly because it looks bonkers.... what do the rest of you think? Is anyone else going to be including summer squashes?

chrisc

[Suzanne]

The summer squash I would include are all new to me and trying for the first time this year are:

Lemon squash
Pattisons Golden Marbre squash (pattypan type)
Pattisons Jaune et Verte squash (another pattypan type)

I wouldn't look to include courgettes of any colour really.

Details from Baker Creek

Lemon squash: The shape, size and color of a lemon, it grows great here, has huge yields and the best resistance to insects I have seen in a summer squash. Very tasty, great fried! A favorite, this is a superb market variety and is very attractive. Our most popular summer squash!

Pattisons Golden Marbre squash: A unique French scallop squash, fruit is a beautiful bright golden-orange color, very beautiful. Young fruit are very tender and well flavored! Also makes good winter squash. Tall bush plants are very attractive and yields are good. A favorite of mine

Pattisons Jaune et Verte squash: The stunning pure white scallop with deep green radial streaks. Small fruit may not show streaking and it can be variable. Its delicious flesh is great fried or baked. A real treat for both taste and visual appeal, a pre-1885 French heirloom.

[chriscross1966]

They sound very interesting :D... I'll open that one up to the floor then....

Just had a thought (5 seconds after I sent out the PM's which you should have got)... it would be a good idea to include the species (maxima, pepo, moschata and that other one that I can never remember) as well as the varietal type, it might be of some aid to those of us that will be trying to save seeds next year

chrisc

[Squash64]

I think summer squash are a good idea.  I don't have any to send, but I would be interested in receiving some if that's possible.

About the exotic seeds -

The only two I have are Carob seeds and Doogi.
I saved the Carob seeds from a massive tree in Sicily.  I have grown one plant in a pot which I put outside in the summer and in the greenhouse for the winter.
'Doogi' (sp?) is a type of Amaranth which our Bangladeshi plotholders gave me this year.

Are these the sort of things you want?

[chriscross1966]

Sounds like that's exactly what I'm talking about... my contributions are cumin (commercial seed, first time for me but you get tons in a packet), Pepino (saved seed sent to me by someone, probably Jayb or 1066 thinking about it), some odd looking fluffy seed that's name I can't remember (:D) and Oca if it's survived underground though this cold snap....


Folks: I'm going to suggest that you can put Summer squash on your blacklist generically if you want, otherwise I'll assume it's OK to put one in there. If you whitelist summer squash generically then I'll look to put up to 50% summer squash in your allocation.T hey will all be labelled and bagged (I have unlimited small plastic bags), you won't just get a bag of mixed squash seeds :D.

Exotics: might be a good idea if folk who are sending oddities in stick a list on here and we have a quick "dibsy" on the list. I'll handle them seperately to the squash as barring the odd monster most squash take the same planning and conditions whereas you might not have enough greenhouse space for a GH only exotic or enough room for Oca (which amounts to an extra row of spuds in terms of space) etc....

Sound reasonable?

chrisc

[mpdjulie]

Just to let you know that I put my seeds in the post Saturday evening so will be picked today I guess.  Also I hadn't noticed that you had asked for people to put species names on for each seeds. unfortunately I had already put mine in the post.  I hope that this isn't a problem.
 :-\ :-\ :-\

[chriscross1966]

No worries Julie, I've got a reference guide somewhere......

chrisc

[1066]

good cos you're going to be busy doing mine  ::)  ::)  ;)

[chriscross1966]

good cos you're going to be busy doing mine  ::)  ::)  ;)

Yours have arrived 1066! 12 varieties, I know I can do a few of your whitelist myself, but here's hoping we get plenty of variety from other folks too.....

chrisc

[Squash64]

Have mine arrived yet ChrisC?
They were posted on Wednesday.

[Suzanne]

Mine posted today - 1st class so hopefully you will get them soon.

[chriscross1966]

Your arrived today Squash!... I'll be able to make your white list easily enough, will get back with an "exotics" list as and when I know what's turned up, the doogli looks interesting, as does the carob.....

chrisc

[chriscross1966]

Seeing as several people have got their stuff in I started having a hack through last night......

Some of you obviously have a very needy relationship with your squash :D... One of the packs contained over 50 seeds, most seem to be in the 20-30 range  :o.... THe good news is that the white lists so far are being very well serviced, short precise ones are beign straight-filled, more general ones will get a large proportion directly off the white list. The closest I've got to havcing to make a judgement call was to not include Lunga Gigante di Napoli in someone's pack who'd whitelisted Italian but blacklisted giant squash...... it may well be Italian, but it does ahve a rep for hitting 50+ pounds in this country....

Exotics: Bit think on the ground so far, are folks likely to send more in?

chrisc

[mpdjulie]

How's the  swap going Chriscross?
 :)