A friend of mine has given me a few seeds of a type of squash she grows locally. They are of a Chinese variety known as 'Shark's fin'; which has a green stripy skin like a courgette, with white flesh and black seeds, and grow to the size of a watermelon, from about 5lb in weight plus. The name describes the flesh inside apparently!
Has anyone ever heard of this or grown it before?
New one on me Deb... Oh and I'll be away all weekend again... up to Leeds this time..
;D
Bring your thermals with you then, it's been blustery here in Leeds today.
Jo.
I'm tough, I'm going to Pudsey!
;D
Quote from: saddad on March 01, 2007, 16:53:53
I'm tough, I'm going to Pudsey!
;D
to see pudsey bear ? ;D ;D
Other side of Leeds from me. YES.........it's the home of Pudsey Bear ;D ;D ;D
Jo.
Deb when I lived in Canada I used to buy stuff in China Town in Vancouver,they had what was called a shark fin melon which I have heard folks describe as a winter squash, I think this is what you are describing.I have never grown it but I think if you have enough seeds I would treat one plant as a melon and one as a squash and look after then accordingly. If you finds a source for the seeds I would like to add this one to my collection and if I find any info for you I will get back to you XX Jeannine
Aha! Found it. There was a thread about something which would seem to fit the description way back in the autumn - including a picture. The conclusion was that one name for them is wintermelons.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,25595.0
Hope this helps.
Pete
That sounds exactly right, my friend Lee's description exactly!
Thanks for that Trojanrabbit! ;D
I found this reference too, looks like it can be used as a vegetable or a fruit! I also saw they were mentioned on GW last night; coincidence eh!? ;D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucurbita_ficifolia
Hi I have just got you some info from my Chinese friend in Vanciuver, she is sending pictures she found on a chinese web site later,however this is the scoop. Winter melons and wax melons come in several shapes and sizes, the flesh is similar to our winter squash but a bit more bland.
The Sharks fin is not a winter melon. it is large oval to round looks similar to a water melon,has the same mottling on but also has very clear white stripes coming from the start of the menon and forming a star shape. When it is cooked especially if chunks are popped into thin soup it goes into this translucent bundles rather like transparent glass noodles.
I will try to get the pictures on here as soon a si get them or ask here for the web site they are on.
XX Jeannine
I have pictures on my computer now but don't know how to get them onto this message, can someone help me please Thank you Jeannine
I saw that as well Deb, don't think we have any plotholders who are quite that bad... I'd be quite happy to look at Delphinium's but the slugs eat them!
:'(
Found this on the web. I might give it a go:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/rickstevens/ohmygourd/Freeseedhome.html
they're vegetables not fruit ;)
they can used as make soup,or stir fried or steam!
UK weather are suitable to grow these sorts of squashes or melon ;D
I only have 3 plants last year,and been collected over 60 squashes,each one around 10lbs in weight ;D ;D
I've to use some to feed my hens because I have too many :D
Thanks for that, perhaps I will only try and grow one of the five seeds I've been given if they are that prolific!!! ;D ;D
There is a film due for release about a group of refugees living up north who are encouraged to take on allotments as therapy (seen on Gardeners World last Friday). One of the old boys has a go at one of the refugees thinking he is growing illegal substances or Delphiniums! The refugees manages to say in halting English "Shark's Fin Melon"!
Thought you might like to see was has grown as a result of the Shark's fin squash seeds.....there are about four fruits growing off the one plant and it is rampaging all over my sweetcorn!
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l47/dlp133/sept008.jpg)