Immature winter squash

[chris]

I'm going to have a few butternuts, and other squash that aren't going to ripen in time. I'd usually compost them, but after reading about tromba d'albenga being used as both summer and winter squash (tasting like a long butternut when left to mature!) I thought I'd try eating the immature winter squash I have growing.

Do any of you eat them this way?



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[kathyd]

Lots of my squashes are still quite small, and the butternuts are showing no signs of changing colour yet, and the weather is set to change at the end of this week! Argh!! So I was also going to post and ask if it's OK to eat things before they're fully ripened? I don't want any more upset tummies after our experience eating decorative gourds last year!

[chris]

I've read online that you can eat winter squash as summer squash (as mentioned, spawned on from the idea after reading Franchi's website) - a lot of people do apparently. So thought I'd ask this side of the pond

[SarzWix]

Bring them in with plenty of stalk still attached and they'll ripen a bit, even little ones. But you can keep them growing on the plant for a bit longer with a fleece cover.

[Jamesy_uk]

I hope they can carry on as I have lots of Squash half size or so I don't want going to waste! Must have 10-12 butternuts (Hunter) 10 sweet dumpling and 8 crown prince

[kathyd]

Do they need protecting from the rain or anything? Mine are just lying on soil at the moment - do they need straw or something under them?

[Tiberius]

I cooked an immature Turks Turban last night and it was delicious, no upset tummies this morning either! Kathyd you do need to put something underneath them to stop them rotting on the wet ground, straw is always good.

[Alison]

They are totally fine to eat early but won't store as the mature fruits can.

[buzzingtalk]

Oooh I'm glad they are still edible. My squash plants are very behind (only pollinated last month!!) but there's a few decent sized ones on them, but just not ready yet. I have a mix of summer and winter squash so glad to hear I can still eat them

[Alison]

Unless you've damaged the connecting stem then don't take them off yet as they may have time to ripen yet - last year I didn't pick mine until the end of October (although was on standby to pick under torch light if a frost was threatening )

[bretty666]

sorry to sound dumb but what would a frost actually do? kill the plant or the fruit or what??

[Thelma Sanders]

A light frost would kill the plant and a really hard frost would turn the fruits to mush