"Harlequin" or "Sweet Dumpling"?

[endymion]

We were given some "Harlequin" and "Sweet Dumpling" seeds by a friend who had some left over, but they've vanished, there's no sign of them in the pots. The Butternut seeds have germinated without any problem.

I'd like to buy some more while there's still time to plant them, but only one variety. The thing is that neither we nor our friend have grown them before, so I'm not sure which to choose.

I think I'd like the most productive (the one most likely to produce lots of fruit) and I wonder if anybody who has any experience of these two varieties could suggest which would be most likely to fit the bill.

Thanks.

[Flummery]

I've sown Harlequin seeds from a supermarket squash. They were lovely. However, I bought a packet of Sweet Dumpling seeds and never got a single one to germinate. I don't know if anyone else has had this experience?

[Alison]

Never grown Sweet Dumpling but LOVE Harlequin. Grow it most years and whilst it never seems to produce a huge number of fruits, they keep well and tast really very good and are lovely roasted or stuffed, usually about the right amount for a good meal for two.

[endymion]

Hmm, so it looks as if Sweet Dumpling might be an iffy germinator, but Harlequin isn't a prolific cropper.

Maybe we should go back to the drawing board and try to think of another little Winter Squash to try?

[stavroslinni]

I brought a packet of sweet dumpling seeds earlier this year and have sown around 7 seeds through the previous weeks and none have appeared at all..... all the other squashes through without any problems

[realfood]

Festival is reliable, but sweet dumpling often has problems. There is further information on the easier and better tasting Winter squashes here :- winter_squash

[Nik]

I bought some sweet dumpling seeds from Homebase - bargain, it was in their cheap seed range so just 39p. I planted 4 in a seed tray along with loads of other squashes and repotted them last night, two were decent sized and two were still first leaf stage. They are definitely much slower than butternut squash and courgettes, but hopefully worth the effort.

[BroadRipple]

Any idea how big they might grow? One of my Sweet Dumplings (only) seems to be germinating, but have very limited space...btw like Flummery I've tried growing from supermarket squashes, in my case a couple of Sweet Mama, which are growing on very well...only problem is where on earth to put them. Does anyone know how big a container is realistic for them? Ditto courgettes, with which I've never had much success. And lastly, TROMBONCINOs - try them. They're incredible.

[Flummery]

Exactly my experience. I tried again the following year with the seeds left over - they were still in date - and again, no results. I wrote to Marshalls about it - their reply - it's best to use them in the year you buy them (I HAD, they hadn'd read or wanted to understand my letter!) but they credited me with the cost to my next order. Haven't ordered anything this year though - I am an avid seed saver!

[Flummery]

Couldn't say regarding containers - I grow in the ground so the space isn't so much of a problem. As big as you can manage because they will want loads of water.

[dirtgirl]

Still waiting for signs from any of the 3 Sweet Dumpling seeds I started at the end of last month, but other varieties are romping away, so it will be interesting to see if any of the SD germinate, as this is my first time trying them.

[stavroslinni]

iv got 1 germination just come through!!! .....albeit of around 10 sown lol

[LittleShamrock]

I've had a lot of trouble with squash germination - 3 seeds each of four different kinds never germinated at all (they were inside, it wasn't cold). I tried a few more. No such luck, out of seeds.

I bought the 39p value sweet dumpling seeds from homebase or wherever it was and sowed them carefully in pots a few days ago, on their edge as recommended, and put them somewhere warmer this time. I've just checked and there's one germinated! Also an Unchi Kuri squash seed has come up! Then I went and bought some squash Celebration seeds, because I've heard they are quite compact plants. I'm growing in pots too, but wondering if maybe one of those potato bags would be more suitable for holding a large sprawling squash?

[buzzingtalk]

I haven't sown mine yet! I hope it isn't too late.

i am going to sow some in pots indoors on a warm and bright windowsill. (Not much direct sunlight in the afternoon though). I have harlequin, patty pan and butternut...will probably sow them all as am hoping to train them in spirals around the base of some other plants (goosberry bush, blackberry bushes) and am taking note on what flum said about sowing them the year you bought them.

The Harlequin seeds I got from someone off here, so thanks! I hope they germinate and I can pass on some seeds myself at the end of the year ..

[endymion]

Sorry for seeming to ignore this thread, but I couldn't find it.

Our friend found a couple of Sweet Dumpling seeds the day after I asked the question, so we sowed them straight away (8th May) in 3" pots full of veg growing compost. They were on the second to top shelf of the plastic growhouse thing from Wilkinsons, with a plastic food tray as a lid. Both came through today.

Any idea how big [Sweet Dumpling] might grow?

I thought they were bush rather than vine, that's what we'd planned for. If not, then they're going to end up in a right old tangle.