Pumpkin/Squash Advice from seedaholics please

[SelkirkAlex]

the other squash I have grown here is little gem, great eating very easy to grow where we were in South Africa, last year were very successful not so this year. can really recommend this as an eating experience, very popular in SA steamed and halved, filled with sweetcorn and a knob of butter.

[Small pumpkin]

I've got my list down to 8 varieties from 4 different suppliers.

Uchiki kuri
Black futsu
Boston squash ( yellow, semi crook )
Thelma Sanders sweet potato ( white, acorn )
Galeux D'Eysines ( peach, warty )
Pumpkin hooligan ( mottled orange, white & green, little fella )
Pumpkin kakai ( orange with black stripes)
Pumpkin lil' pump-ke-mom ( white with orange strips )

I need to get it down to 7 varieties! Which would you lose?

They will be growing alongside
Small sugar ( alway grow )
Vegetable spaghetti ( alway grow)
Turks turban, sweet dumpling, Queensland blue, summer sunburst ( all having a second chance, because like VC has already said, it's been a horrible year for cucurbits, & because I have seeds left )

[veggiechicken]

Ummmmmmmmm - where's the Butternuts?

[Snoop Puss]

No idea about your first list, but I might not bother with Turk's Turban...

Here's another good source, just to add to your headache:

Squash - Moreveg

[Guest]

Just checking you are aware

Pumpkin hooligan (might have changed since I grew it) but I think it is an f1
Pumpkin kakai is for hulless seeds the flesh is pretty much animal fodder but nice compact behaved plants. Lady godiva is another hulless but that is vining habit.

Sorry, I will go before I complicate things more

[veggiechicken]

My little rule (which I've just made up) is that little squashes and massive pumpkins are out - I'm sticking to middle sized ones as they're more versatile. Little ones are too tiddly and you need an army to eat a biggun and they take for ever to grow.
Its the same with tomatoes - but that's another story

[Small pumpkin]

Just checking you are aware

Pumpkin hooligan (might have changed since I grew it) but I think it is an f1
Pumpkin kakai is for hulless seeds the flesh is pretty much animal fodder but nice compact behaved plants. Lady godiva is another hulless but that is vining habit.

Sorry, I will go before I complicate things more

Don't be sorry that's exactly what I need, thank you.
Looks like kakai is out. I'm not to bothered about f1 because no seeds are saved for growing, they all get roasted & caramelised .

My little rule (which I've just made up) is that little squashes and massive pumpkins are out - I'm sticking to middle sized ones as they're more versatile. Little ones are too tiddly and you need an army to eat a biggun and they take for ever to grow.
Its the same with tomatoes - but that's another story

A very good rule VC think I might adopt that one myself ( sort of ). I'm on the fence about hooligan because of its size. I'm growing wee-be-little this year and by time you've peeled and removed seeds, there's not a lot left.

[Snoop Puss]

Has anyone grown Rolet or Buffy Ball? I know they're both F1 and both tiny jobs, but I actually fancy growing some small squash for stuffing.

[Zelenina]

I was going to say the same as NG about Kakai.

Black Futsu is a C. moschata even though it doesn't look anything like a butternut, and mightn't do so well that far north. Though that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Sucrine du Berry is another moschata that I found easier to grow and I think is still in the VSP, so you could try that one first without wasting your money. Or Orange Hungarian.

If you don't mind F1 varieties I highly recommend Crown Prince. Medium sized, blue-grey, not too fussy about growing conditions and very good eating. I even know people who save seeds from it and are convinced it isn't a hybrid.

Boston squash looks like a pretty big Hubbard type, if I've found the right Boston Squash. Hubbards are supposed to be very good for eating and for long storage but have a very tough skin and are hard to open.

[Small pumpkin]

Has anyone grown Rolet or Buffy Ball? I know they're both F1 and both tiny jobs, but I actually fancy growing some small squash for stuffing.

Buffy ball does look cute and rolet look to much like a round courgette to me ( just gooooogled both ).
Can't help sorry.

[Zelenina]

Has anyone grown Rolet or Buffy Ball? I know they're both F1 and both tiny jobs, but I actually fancy growing some small squash for stuffing.

I did try Rolet a few years ago. Tney didn't do well but that's probably due to sowing them too late and having an extremely dry summer. I think they would be good for stuffing but are usually used immature like a summer squash or courgette.

If you want a small winter squash for stuffing you could try any of the acorn types, e.g. Thelma Sanders, which is one I want to try, or the Table Kings and Queens, or the delicata types which are quite small but longish in shape e.g. Honeyboat or Cornell's Bush. Or Sweet Dumpling which is like a round delicata.

[Small pumpkin]

I was going to say the same as NG about Kakai.

Black Futsu is a C. moschata even though it doesn't look anything like a butternut, and mightn't do so well that far north. Though that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Sucrine du Berry is another moschata that I found easier to grow and I think is still in the VSP, so you could try that one first without wasting your money. Or Orange Hungarian.

If you don't mind F1 varieties I highly recommend Crown Prince. Medium sized, blue-grey, not too fussy about growing conditions and very good eating. I even know people who save seeds from it and are convinced it isn't a hybrid.

Boston squash looks like a pretty big Hubbard type, if I've found the right Boston Squash. Hubbards are supposed to be very good for eating and for long storage but have a very tough skin and are hard to open.

Thank you zelenina. I think you found the right Boston squash, I think he gets quite large.
You and NG seem very good at this! What 7 varieties would you choose?
I'm looking for different shapes, sizes (nothing tiny or massive), colours. All must be good eating. All must cope with my version of the frozen north .
I don't want much

[Guest]

I like your list I think it is a good range. Unfortunately I am now on smaller fruit size stuff as it is only me that eats them. Hubby has had issues with some veg in the last 18 months, so lots of things getting a rethink. My must grow is tuffy sweet an acorn type. It is a beggar to pollinate for seed though.

My peanut squash (galeux) is doing really well. Will take pics tomorrow just to show off (yes, I know they are not very small but I have lots of seeds)

[Small pumpkin]

Oooooh yes please.........show off I'd love to see photos

[sparrow100]

I've got my list down to 8 varieties from 4 different suppliers.

Uchiki kuri
Black futsu
Boston squash ( yellow, semi crook )
Thelma Sanders sweet potato ( white, acorn )
Galeux D'Eysines ( peach, warty )
Pumpkin hooligan ( mottled orange, white & green, little fella )
Pumpkin kakai ( orange with black stripes)
Pumpkin lil' pump-ke-mom ( white with orange strips )

I need to get it down to 7 varieties! Which would you lose?

They will be growing alongside
Small sugar ( alway grow )
Vegetable spaghetti ( alway grow)
Turks turban, sweet dumpling, Queensland blue, summer sunburst ( all having a second chance, because like VC has already said, it's been a horrible year for cucurbits, & because I have seeds left )

My tuppence ha'penny'orth: I'd lose Kakai from those - like NG I think the flavour is awful. Some of your list is in the VSP ).

Thelma Sanders can range widely in size - I've had a few really big ones over the years, usually the first 2-3 to be pollinated but they are pretty prolific and I must remember to grow them again next year.

If you want something that is meaty & a bit butternutty, Flat White Boer is a very good substitute and a beautiful white squash whereas Thelmas are a creamy colour.

Sucrette is a lovely smaller squash (I don't really grow massive ones as there are only 2 of us) and a bright yellow with warts. A few seeds will be making their way into the VSP later on. It's a pepo and chucks out 4-5 squashes per plant.

North Georgia Candy Roaster is a FAB squash too - thick fleshed and the banana shape/peach colour looks great on the plot.

If you want different colours, Tonda Padana is lovely - green with white ribs that go orange in storage. Geraumon Martinique also has beautiful skin tones, is smallish and tastes great.