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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: suncekoret on June 16, 2010, 18:27:03

Title: Bush winter squash
Post by: suncekoret on June 16, 2010, 18:27:03
Didn't want to crash in on the Queensland Blue thread but it reminded me that I have struggled to find bush ( non vining ) varieties of winter squash.

Like most folks I have limited space but would like to grow more squash because they keep so well, are high value, versatile and I love em
A few years ago I grew Table Gold which gre scarecley bigger than a courgette plant but produced about 6 fruit. I couldn't find it this year.

Does anyone know good bush varieties and where I can obtain them for next year?
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 16, 2010, 18:33:20
Hi, I can help you with is one.. there a  quite a few winter squash that are now bush, I can think of butternuts, acorns, delicatsas, they all have bush types now. I will get you a list of types and suppliers if you give me a bit of time.

XX Jeannine

Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: chriscross1966 on June 16, 2010, 19:02:47
Winter Festival is fairly well behaved, though not strictly a bush. Cornell's Bush Delicata springs to mind tgoo. Do you have a south-facing wall you could let them climb?.... Hunter (an F1 Butternut) will climb up that, indeed there are a fair few climbing moschatas.....

chrisc
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Duke Ellington on June 16, 2010, 19:20:14
Jeaninne .....

I would be interested in your list too :)

Duke
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 16, 2010, 21:34:04
there are many but to give you a start.This s from my own records.most of which I have grown.

These are all bush types..sometimes it says bush in it's name but be careful there is often a parent plant with similar or even same name that is not bush, so look at the description as well as the name, if you get stuck I will look into my own refernece pages.

Table Gold..acorn
Table King Bush..acorn
Honeybear acorn **** excellent
Whte Acorn
Table Queen bush acorn
Bush Buttercup
Tivoli spaghetti type
Butterbush..butternut
Hercules..butternut
Hornet..butternut
Emerald Bush buttercup type
All Season..
Gold Nugget
Cornells Bush Delicata***8excellent
Bushkin pumpkin
Sprit pumpkin

This should give you a good start, as it covers a selection of the most popular types.

I also have in my own records many semi trailers that take up less space than the biggies.

For supplies in the UK try Kings first, Seeds by Size,T&M probably for the butternut types..but Kings are cheaper.

In the US try Baker Creek seeds, super supplier charges only $3 dollars posting to the UK and you get a free packet which covers the cost, I have been buying from Jere for years, store name is rareseeds.com  I think but look up .

I do have some of the above spare but not sure how many, you are welcome..I will look after dinner.

Hope this helps.

XX Jeannine

Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 16, 2010, 22:26:02
Just had a stash look.

I can give you Bush Buttercup..have loads
Table Gold Acorn..have loads
Table Queen bush..not many

I do have a very few Butterbush if you can't find them anywhere I can give you a couple .

I also found Tricky Jack  pumpkin in my stash, not  enough to share but it is another bush ..naked seed type, and I need to correct one from above,,Spirit at the bottom of the list is a semi bush.

XX Jeannine

I have Bush Delicata growing si will have seeds in the fall if I hand pollinate them
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Duke Ellington on June 16, 2010, 23:04:11
Thanks Jeannine ;)
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 17, 2010, 01:25:59
PM me if you want seeds  X X Jeannine
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: kt. on June 17, 2010, 07:03:04
I did my first attempt at squash last year.  I got some but hopefully wil be a bit wiser when growing the next lot.  I intend to try Harrier butternut squash from T&M:

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/76/1.html
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: shirlton on June 17, 2010, 08:20:36
I have made a copy of those bush squashes Jeannine. It well enable us to grow more varieties if they don't trail. And we won't get legged over by them ;D
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 17, 2010, 09:10:55
There are more  and there is a bush marrow. Badger Cross  something  like thatXX Jeannine
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: suncekoret on June 17, 2010, 10:08:41
Many thanks for all replies
AS ever there are so many varieties
I found that Kings have Gold Nugget & Cornelles bush Delicata

Tozers ( who bred the new British Butternuts ) have
   Table Ace F1 but doesn't say if Bush or trailing
   Golden Acorn Table Gold
   Cream of the Crop  described as 'semi bush

Years ago I used to use 'Terre de Semmence' who listed hundreds of varieties now it's changed to Association Kokopelli who list very few

Other mainstream seed suppliers list perhaps only 6 winter squash at most

Real Seeds are helpful but don't have a bush squash at the moment


Any other suggestions gratefully received I'm alreday looking forward to next year!
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 17, 2010, 10:40:03
I think you might confuse things if you ad on ones that are not bush as that was why I wrote the list,, semi bush and semi vining defeats the purpose of the list, and unknown ones means someone has to do some research.Sone of those you added on are not bush, I can put a semi list somewhere else but you specifically asked asked for bush and I didn't want to confuse  you or anyone else by putting anything other than what you asked for.

Check out Baker Creek if you want to look at a good selectiom they send to the UK for $3 only whatever you order unless very heavy beans.Excellent company

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: belairebel on June 17, 2010, 15:16:02
You might want to try Chase Garden Seeds (there is a good website), who seem to specialise in Squash and are very reasonably priced. Enev if you don't buy from them, you can certainly use thier website to bone up on types.
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: suncekoret on June 17, 2010, 19:25:50
Quote from: belairebel on June 17, 2010, 15:16:02
You might want to try Chase Garden Seeds (there is a good website), who seem to specialise in Squash and are very reasonably priced. Enev if you don't buy from them, you can certainly use thier website to bone up on types.

As far as I can tell none of their squash are bush
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: suncekoret on June 17, 2010, 19:51:57
Quote from: Jeannine on June 17, 2010, 10:40:03
I think you might confuse things if you ad on ones that are not bush as that was why I wrote the list,, semi bush and semi vining defeats the purpose of the list, and unknown ones means someone has to do some research.Sone of those you added on are not bush, I can put a semi list somewhere else but you specifically asked asked for bush and I didn't want to confuse  you or anyone else by putting anything other than what you asked for.

Check out Baker Creek if you want to look at a good selectiom they send to the UK for $3 only whatever you order unless very heavy beans.Excellent company

XX Jeannine


I am not wanting to confuse anyone, just pointing out what is available

To clarify -  KIngs Seeds have Gold Nugget & Cornelles Bush Delicata which are both on Jeannies list as bush varieties

Tozers have Golden Acorn Table Gold - is that not the same as Table Gold Acorn on Jeannie's list?

The only one I'm not sure about is Table Ace - just thought with there being Table Gold, Table KIng and Table Queen it might be a bush also but I did point out it didn't say if it was bush or trailing

So can anyone tell us if Table Ace F1 is bush or trailing??
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: tomatoada on June 17, 2010, 20:24:20
Thanks for posting this information Jeannine, and S/K for asking.  It is what I am looking for myself. 
Can you tell me the difference between Summer and Winter Squashes?
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 17, 2010, 21:46:33
Summer squash is a catch all term for courgetets,(zuchinni) pattypans, most crooknecks, even one called Coban pumpkin, these are the ones that we eat in the summer as they grow, they don't keep they have the same sort of shelf life of cucumbers.They grow and mature fast and almost all are bush.Skins are soft and fruit perishes quickly

Winter squash are the ones that we can save for  eating through the  winter,Acorns, Butternuts and Pumpkins, but  they still grown during the summer season,  they usually take about twice as long as the summers, but once picked when fully mature and cured a bit, they   will keep for many  months,  depending on the variety. They get sweeter as they age in storage , skins are hard, sometimes almost impossible to get into. They are usually much better after some storage rather  then eaten freshly matured, this is often why folks are disapointed in a flavour, they need time in storage to convert their starch to sugars.They can be as small as an apple or huge.

Most winter squash can be picked immature and used as summer squash  and some are very good this way, personally I rarely do this as once they are growing I need to keep them to maturity so I can store them.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 17, 2010, 22:20:58
The confusion comes with the names.

eg Table Queen and Table King are old open pollinated  types of squash both semi vining. Bush Table Queen and Bush Table King are the more modernised compact  types, but to newbies to squash growing they sound the same, or one word is dropped off,.. bush is not a description in the above, it is part of the name.. another eg, Delicata is a vining squash, Bush Delicata is a bush version, and Cornells is an improved Bush version. Sugar Bush is a variation of a Delicata as is Sweet Dumpling. It gets even more complicated when it is assumed that anything to do with the acorns or "tables" is the same.. very not true, all the above all still available for sale  plus a great many more. Table Ace is  another creation that has come down from the original acorn squash and is a semi, it is also a hybrid.. no doubt soon we will be seeing a Bush Table Ace too eventually.

The names get all mixed up between gardeners and the seed compamies don't help,as descriptions are sparse and sometimes names are changed, Eg I have seen Table Queen described  as a bush hybrid.. it is neither, it is an OP semi vining squash.

To a newbie to squash growing it can be a nightmare, these are queries I get every year, and I can understand why which is the reason I took the time to post he list.

I suggested keeping the "bush" post just for bush to help those folks who are just learning or maybe need to ask , but of course your imput and questions are welcome it is after all your post.

Perhaps this will help explain my reason.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: tomatoada on June 18, 2010, 09:01:45
Thanks for all this information.  I am printing it out as you suggest.   I think I have caught the squash bug from reading your posts and my success last year with 5 seeds from Digin. I  have joined your surplus seed thread.   Many thanks again.
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: 1066 on June 21, 2010, 07:39:41
I'm saving this list too - I'm already thinking I need more LAND  ;D

1066  :)
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: lottiedolly on June 21, 2010, 10:51:56
Quote from: Jeannine on June 17, 2010, 22:20:58
The confusion comes with the names.

eg Table Queen and Table King are old open pollinated  types of squash both semi vining. Bush Table Queen and Bush Table King are the more modernised compact  types, but to newbies to squash growing they sound the same, or one word is dropped off,.. bush is not a description in the above, it is part of the name.. another eg, Delicata is a vining squash, Bush Delicata is a bush version, and Cornells is an improved Bush version. Sugar Bush is a variation of a Delicata as is Sweet Dumpling. It gets even more complicated when it is assumed that anything to do with the acorns or "tables" is the same.. very not true, all the above all still available for sale  plus a great many more. Table Ace is  another creation that has come down from the original acorn squash and is a semi, it is also a hybrid.. no doubt soon we will be seeing a Bush Table Ace too eventually.

The names get all mixed up between gardeners and the seed compamies don't help,as descriptions are sparse and sometimes names are changed, Eg I have seen Table Queen described  as a bush hybrid.. it is neither, it is an OP semi vining squash.

To a newbie to squash growing it can be a nightmare, these are queries I get every year, and I can understand why which is the reason I took the time to post he list.

I suggested keeping the "bush" post just for bush to help those folks who are just learning or maybe need to ask , but of course your imput and questions are welcome it is after all your post.

Perhaps this will help explain my reason.

XX Jeannine

All i can say is thank you Jeannine, i will say though that i am personally blaming you for my squash obsession, until i joined the forum, i never even thought about squash, now i am looking forward to roasted squash in the winter from all of my squash plants and cannot wait to try out more varieties, i am so looig  forward to receving the squash seeds you have promised me.

Thank you very very much kind lady and i hope that i will be able  to inspire people on my allotment and in my gardening group to grow squash also.

Kxxxxxx
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 21, 2010, 11:25:41
Thank you for the sweet comments, but  it's not just me,there are a few of us on A4A  and we pledged to converting  the whole world to growing squash and it's  working  because of all the  dedicated squash  bods on here. We are a team, dedicated to the cause.

HA HA we hooked another one guys  ;D ;D ;D

XX Jeannine

Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: grannyjanny on June 21, 2010, 13:39:38
I wish my OH could be converted ::). I am trying, I keep putting it on his plate & he keeps leaving it. He does eat them in soups & stews, but he is ignorant of the fact ;D. I lost all the ones I had bought last year to try so I am a bit in the dark really but enjoying the challenge of tasting the ones I am growing (hopefully). I've got a spare duvet to wrap them in just in case we have a bad one again.
Title: Re: Bush winter squash
Post by: Jeannine on June 21, 2010, 23:00:28
No, this is really important, what pattern is on the duvet.. not too dark now, red is best :-*

XX Jeannine