Which squashes for next year?

[Trix]

So what squashes is everyone planning to grow next year? And why?

I've been very excited to harvest seven buttercup squashes this year (from four plants - was hoping for more but it was my frist try) and I'm really looking forward to growing more next year. I'm also wondering what other varieties to grow - I've been looking at the Blue Banana and Acorn squashes on realseeds.co.uk - very tempting. I'd love to know what others would recommend?

[Kristen]

I've been making a list of ones that people have recommended, but which I have not yet tried, which includes:

Rolet (gem rolet) prolific and tasty.
Potimarron (which might be the same as Red Kuri or Uchiki Kuri??)
Thelma sanders
Sweet dumpling

[Bex]

I'm growing Blue Banana next year. I got my seeds from Premier Seeds Direct on Amazon - might be a bit cheaper. I'll grow butternut again and I'm not sure what else yet, I've got seeds for Tennessee Sweet Potato so will give them a try.

[sparrow100]

Definitely second Kristen's suggestions, apart from rolet, which I haven't tried. Am also growing queensland blue, rouge vif d'etamps, muscat de provence, crown prince, tonda padana and black futsu, all for the first time, so not yet tasted them, but they look fab!

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

I asked a very similar question last year and have grown quite a few varieties this year as a result of the responses.

We'll have about 25 squashes to work our way through. I can only base my suggestions on the yield from this year and hear say over flavour on the ones I've not tried yet (there are way more experienced squash aficionados on here than I) .

-Crown Prince (very popular and flavoursome/versatile for cooking)

1st yr growing, but reasonable yield and I have tasted before defo get and worth shopping around for seed (premier seed direct on ebay was the best value I could find). Sprawly trailing plant.

- Potimarron (red hubbard / uchiki kuri / Onion squash)
Eaten before, find they break down on cooking (good for soup). We use mainly in curries. Very pretty fruit. My plants were quite compact.

- Marina Di Chioggia

I am looking forward to trying these - they are used to make gnocchi apparently (amongst other things). Small yield for me though (2 from 2 plants) but big fruit. Sprawly trailing plant.

- Thelma Sanders sweet potato

I am really, really, really looking forward to trying these. Sadly only a couple came to size for me and it was probably due to my positioning and cramming. I have read that people generally get great yield and they are amazing flavour. I had trouble sourcing the seeds and ended up getting them from rareseeds.com (usa) as realseeds had run out and were not sure when they would be getting more. Sprawly trailing plant.

- Galeux D'Eysines

Not eaten before, grew for the looks as much as the taste but mine have not warted up as much as I'd hoped (yet). Big. Sprawly trailing plant.

- Harlequin

I don't think the flavour on these is the best (not tried my homegrown yet), but got good yield and the plants are compact.

- Winter Festival

Only grew one plant, not too sprawly and best yield (hoping to have 4 or 5 fruit from 1 plant).

- Guatemalan Blue

Big trailing plant, can get huge sausage/banana fruit. Mine managed 1 per plant and the fruits are like huge blue lemons but probably a quarter of the size they can achieve. Supposedly great taste.

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

muscat de provence

You are in for a taste treat. Have not grown, but purchased one in a local world food emporium in the winter and it was literally - amazing. I did not know what it was called, but, having googled the name from your list we have a positive ID.

That is on my shopping list!

[Hans Mum]

CRown prince for me too, tastes great & stores really well. Also spaghetti squash, grew as a novelty couple of years ago but really tasty and a bit unusual.

[sparrow100]

You are in for a taste treat. Have not grown, but purchased one in a local world food emporium in the winter and it was literally - amazing. I did not know what it was called, but, having googled the name from your list we have a positive ID.

That is on my shopping list!

rareseeds is a very dangerous website for seed hoarders! I have quite a long wish list there...I hand-pollinated my one surviving muscat so if you want some seeds, send me a PM and I'll sort out sending a few over when I crack it open.

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Yes, rareseeds is a bit of a dangerous site to visit. Their squash selection is formidable.

I would certainly take you up on that very kind offer and am obviously happy to reciprocate with anything I have that you wish to try I'll pop you a PM.

[Trix]

Loving these lists! Uchiki Kuri, black futsu and muscat de provence are all now on my wishlist! The Thelma Sanders is the one I'd looked at on realseeds. I think I'm going to get a bit carried away with squashes next year - my garden is big but not that big!

[veggiechicken]

Just a reminder that there are lots of different squashes and pumpkins in the VSP if you want to try some new ones next year http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...nce_68032.html
Swaps welcomed from anyone who has been a member for at least a month and has made 50+ posts.

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Just a reminder that there are lots of different squashes and pumpkins in the VSP if you want to try some new ones next year http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...nce_68032.html
Swaps welcomed from anyone who has been a member for at least a month and has made 50+ posts.

^^ This reminds me I must sort through my seeds and send some in. Next time it is cold and wet and I have not been assigned other duties.

[marchogaeth]

Burgess Buttercup (Got mine from Real seeds). I ate them all through the season as well as now waiting for the final ripening for storage. I may never grow courgettes again.

[VolesAteMyPeas]

This year I've grown:
Hundred weight, just for fun. Done amazingly well. I may have a chance at heaviest pumpkin competition!
Uchiki Kuri. It was a bit slow to get going but it now has five fruits ripening. Maybe more to come.
Sweet Dumpling. Fantastic. About 15 fruits from one plant if they all ripen in time.
Hooligan. As far as I can tell, they're just like sweet dumpling but orange. Ten fruits on this one.
Sadly, as this is my first year growing them, I can't comment on flavour or storage quality. Except for Hooligan. I grew that two years ago and the flavour was beautiful. Like roast chestnut. It stored really well too.

[sparrow100]

Just a reminder that there are lots of different squashes and pumpkins in the VSP if you want to try some new ones next year http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...nce_68032.html
Swaps welcomed from anyone who has been a member for at least a month and has made 50+ posts.

I err *may* already have made myself an 'I want this' list from that and am looking for interesting things to swap in in exchange next year.