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 Dropped off a Tromba di Albenga with my folks to pass onto my brother..... he was angling for courgettes but they're all at home(plot is near where I work/used to live, about 30 miles from me ATM).... he got a mixture of small summer crooknecks, a TOndo di Toscana (on the ploit due to mix-up) and a 16" long tromba... I've grown them up some banmboo so they're stright...

chrisc

Queensland Blue, yesterday.

Oh lawks a lordy a dismembered hand  :o  :o

Looking great Ninny  ;D

Potimarron-today

Quote from: 1066 on August 15, 2010, 15:57:13
Oh lawks a lordy a dismembered hand  :o  :o

Looking great Ninny  ;D

Thanks 1066 - I only put the glove down for scale, I could have used secateurs but I didn't want to alarm the QB  ;)

Great crop Cleo and nice to see the handles in place.

Ninny

Don't use them as handles though.

Well done for leaving such a lot of stem on, I always tell folks ot leave some beyond just the stalk  and you do it. I am proud of yer.. Great squash too XX Jeannine

Cleo - Why are you cutting them now?

I thought they were best left as long as possible on the vine to mature.  It's my first year growing winter squash so I just wondered.

Thanks...

Cleo - Why are you cutting them now?

The honest answer is that they were trailing all over my leeks ;D and they are ready.

I see  :) Cleo

Was wondering if it might be because of the steady rain - mine are propped up on pebbles and roof tiles.  They won't rot, will they?   Very free draining earth....

Maybe I should give my Trombas the nail test - they look just about ready.

I am not sure that Trombas will take kindly to a nail test.  They do not go as hard as other types of squash.  They may not keep quite as long as they do.  They are great because when you cut them they ooze out beads of sweet material which hardens and so once you have started the squash it will still keep for several days.   You can eat them at any stage from courgette size upwards.

I have very free draining soil and have always just squashes to get on with it. 

I thought you could keep them  ??? being butternut related.

I ate the courgettes from it ages ago at all sizes (very nice, I agree) and it stopped because I let some get very large. 

Want them later because I end up on my own for a few weeks at this time of year and I've got a very prolific crookneck, not to mention a Cossa and a late pattypan to deal with.

They keep quite well but not like a butternut squash which can keep for a year.  I tend to eat mine first once the frost have got the courgettes.  It is always possible to cut them easily with a knife. 

Well, that's fine - thanks.  They'll be the first squashes on the autumn menu  :P

Well I finally got to a stage last week where male and female flowers were appearing at the same time, so i did abit of pollinating. It now looks like I have at least 3 that are continuing to grow (Butternuts)

I keep finding slugs curled up inside the flowers having a good munch ;(

fingers crossed Mort - those slugs are b*********rs!

well after all the effort - of the 2 crown prince plants, I can only see 1 squash. Rather disappointed by that as it's one of my faves. And my Pottimarron are titchy  :-X

1066  :)

This is a photo of a Tromba I grew a few years ago, being held by my brother in law.  I grew the plant up canes and when the fruit reached the ground it bent back on itself making this rather weird-shaped thing.

It stored well into the new year.
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Click on the thumbnail for a bigger picture

My big Vegetable Spaghetti today, just about a foot long and 6" in diameter, as you can see from the tape measure   :D

It's nearly twice the size of the fruit on my other plants ... I'll definitely be saving some seed from this one for next year!

I am cutting Queensland Blue, Kiri Blue, Pyjamas and Rolet because the neck has dried and the fruit is solid, hollow sound to them. Have eaten the first butternut, festival and acorn.
If the neck is firm and dry I consider it ready.

Yep definatly, it has been a good squash year from what I have heard. so good to not have that lat few weeks sweating about  will it /won't it.

X XJeannine

Had to cut my one and only Crown Prince today - the plant foliage had gone all mushy as can be seen on the very short stem which is all I was able to leave attached! It weighed in at 2kg 546g (approx 5.6 lbs) and is now curing, after its bleach wash, by the south-facing window for a couple of weeks. Hope it will keep!

Also have the huge Jarrahdale, 3 Green Hubbards and 5 Black Futsu on plants where the foliage is still green and several small butternuts which have a long way to go!

Tricia

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