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Hoping for some help! I planted some "mixed squash" seeds which I am now regretting as I have no idea what variety is now taking over the allotment. Although the packet said mixed there seems to be one dominant variety - trailing growth like a pumkin but smaller egg shaped pale green fruits. The fruits seem to stop growing at about 15cm and have started to turn from pale green to a more yellow hue. The skins are mainly smooth but with some "warts". Photo attached. Any advice gratefully received - hoping its a winter squash of some variety but an idea of type will help me work out when to harvest!
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Did the packet list the different types that might possibly be in it? Who was the packet from? Looks a lot like spaghetti squash to me, at the moment (shapewise but not with warts as I understand it), but it may well change colour completely and turn out to be something else.
The thing with squash is that there are so many different varieties and many of them look similar to start with but change as they mature. Hopefully someone with more experience will be able to help you more but the seed packet/make would probably help a lot.
Reet
xLast edited by reetnproper; 16-08-2011, 10:30 AM. Reason: Hit send by mistake when had to sort out world war three (Reetlets not playing nicely) -
The seed packet doesn't give any information - its a european brand of seeds (think they came from Lidl or Aldi) so there's not much to go on - it gave seed planting / planting out guides in pictures
I'm happy to leave them and see what happens but intrigued as they don't resemble any of the types I've seen through searching on-line and in my books. I definitely won't make the same mistake next year - specific named seeds only (but what a magical mystery plot I have this year!) I have hundreds of them so hope they taste nice!
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Good thinking there Reet',could possibly extend it by looking at the individual varieties from the same supplier/packer
As an aside do you think this would lead to the term ...... Gourd only knows
.. got m,e 'at & running for the door
He who smiles in the face of adversity,has already decided who to blame
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity
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I've got something similar to this, and the packet simply says Yellow Summer Squash.
Best picked when fairly small, I've got loads of them - they seem to keep on coming the more you pick!Comment
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oh no! was hoping for winter squash so they'd keep. Already over run with courgettes and marrows! I'll pick one and see what its like- many thanksComment
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Looks like my hasta la pasta squashes (a type of spaghetti squash).... but who can tell
SUPRISE!Comment
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my spaghetti squash haven't got any warts on them
They look like crooknecks, but without the crooks LOLComment
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I too have several mystery squashes...not sure how to post a pic on here but will investigate. main question though is (I feel your pain, Shona B) if I can't identify them, how DO I decide if it's a huge and increasingly inedible summer-squash-turned-marrow-horror, or if it's a handsome winter squash ripening up nicely?Comment
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I know what you mean, I have 4 'winter squashes' from a generous fellow grape, but the all look different. One is dark green squash on a bush type, well behaved plant, one is more like winter festival (named variety grown elsewhere, ) and 2 vigourous trailing variety, with an oval shape. Unfortunaetly, whichevre will be best, I'm unlikley to be able tp replicate the squash,
The urchi kuri seeds, from 2 different reliable grapes seem to be doing well
variety of seeds)I could not live without a garden, it is my place to unwind and recover, to marvel at the power of all growing things, even weeds!
Now a little Shrinking Violet.
http://potagerplot.blogspot.com/Comment
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I have some spaghetti squash that look very much like that one.Granny on the Game in SheffieldComment
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I'm going to go with the idea that they are some sort of spaghetti squash and leave them to harden. I think I'll start to pinch out any new ones to let the many maturing ones get the best chance. Would you knowledgeables recommend removing some leaves to allow the sun at more fuit - does that aid the ripening?Comment
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I tend to remove any leaf that is entirely or more than 75% shading a fruit and leave it at that. I think most books do recommend maximising exposure by judicious removal of leaves.
As per identification, if you do have plenty of fruit, then I would sacrifice one to open it up and see what it looks like inside. If it's a spaghetti type then it'll be easy enough to see but the colour and texture of the flesh may help identify whether or not you have a winter or summer variety. Just a thought
It'd be a shame to treat them like 'Winters' only to discover they're actually 'Summers' and potentially lose or restrict the crop by waiting too long to harvest (if that makes sense).
Reet
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Great idea - I'll post an "opened-up" pic and see if there's a hallelujah moment of recognition!Comment
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Reet, I agree but weirdly and frustratingly have only one of each! looks very weird, a long bonkers vine with one huge alien squash growing alone...so can't sacrifice in the interests of knowledge.
anyone know what happens if you try to eat a winter squash early? is it just dull, or poisonous, or delicious but just different?Comment
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