Squash Suggestions

DavidAC

I planted Black Beauty Courgette seeds last year with some success and want to try Butternut squash as well this year. Any suggestions as to the best type for each? I know its too early to plant yet but I want to get prepared.

I planted Butternut seeds from a standard Tesco squash as well last year and it started growing well. But I planted it too late and the weather turned when it only had a few small green Squash growing. Has anyone had success with growing seeds from a bought Squash?

Thank you for any suggestions.

radiohelen

I had lots of success with harlequin mini pumpkins last year. We are still eating them. Butternut squashes are good but you need to make sure the ones you get are earlies - otherwise they don't have time to set fruit and for it to get big. The Real Seed company have a whole section devoted to winter squashes. I've got the Burgess Vine buttercup, some more harlequins, and uchiri kuri. As for saving seeds, squashes are quite promiscuous so unless you know they were grown in isolation (quite likely) be prepared for mystery squash.
We had some mystery squashes last year and they were loverly!!:)

angelavdavis

I grew golden globe courgettes, patty pan squash, green bush courgettes, butternut squash and green globe courgettes.

I planted two plants in my garden last year which did OK, but got word I had a new allotment plot in June, so planted 6 mixed plants which I had over from the garden sowings.

Because the allotment soil was so hard, I couldn't dig it over, so instead created lasagne beds - using freecycled grass clippings, manure, cardboard, newspaper, all watered well and topped with compost into which I planted the small plants (4 inches high).

I had the best crop I have ever enjoyed of squashes and courgettes. The butternut squash produced 6 large squashes alone. I was harvesting courgettes long after the garden plants had run their course. We still have tubs and tubs of sauteed squash/courgettes and onions left in the freezer ready to put into bolognaise. Clearly the rich soil environment really did the trick. So I would simply make an effort to do the same again and I am sure whatever squashes you plant will be very successful.

Davesnave

I can't see the point of playing Russian roulette with winter squash seeds when a packet of tried & tested ones costs about £1.50 and will produce a wheelbarrow-load of fruits. You want those fruit to ripen in UK conditions, or they won't store well. You want the fruit to taste good too, not like mush.

I'm another Real Seeds fan. Their 'Blue Banana' squashes are still being eaten here daily, as are their 'Burgess Buttercup,' though conditions were hardly ideal for ripening them last autumn, with early, quite severe frosts.

RAS

If you want a butternut try Hunter http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/digin/vegetables/squash.shtml

For other winter squash, I really like Crown Prince. Lovely flavour, but a bit tempermental in poor summers.

DavidAC

Thank you for the suggestions. I planted Black Beauty Courgettes last year and had quite a few. They did have problems with leaves turning brown and dying. The Courgettes were also a bit tasteless.

How does the Defender F1 Hybrid compare on taste?

Rahbob

Davesnave wrote: »

I can't see the point of playing Russian roulette with winter squash seeds when a packet of tried & tested ones costs about £1.50 and will produce a wheelbarrow-load of fruits. You want those fruit to ripen in UK conditions, or they won't store well. You want the fruit to taste good too, not like mush.

I'm another Real Seeds fan. Their 'Blue Banana' squashes are still being eaten here daily, as are their 'Burgess Buttercup,' though conditions were hardly ideal for ripening them last autumn, with early, quite severe frosts.

That's great news, I'm a real seed fan too and have just received my Burgess Buttercup. I can't wait to try them.

radiohelen

Wow - the blue banana squash always scares me a bit I'm wondering if one of those turban type squashes might be a cool thing to grow.
I'm using squashes to cover up a whole heap of allotment so I don't have to weed it so regularly

Primrose

The problem with Winter Squashes is that saved seeds from supermarket purchased plants don't necessarily produce exactly the same plants. They can end up being slightly different shapes, colours or even flavours so it's always best to start off winter squash plants with commercially bought seeds if you want your plants to produce 100% identical replicas.

Another thing to bear in mind is "How many people will be eating these squahes?" Crown Prince (the bluish skinned large squash with orange flesh) is undoubedly one of the finest for flavour but if there are only two of you in the house who eat it, you won't be able to get through it quickly enough to stop it rotting. I greatly flavour Sweet Dumpling variety. It's the size of a large grapefruit, cream skin with green stripes, so ideal for a small household and when roasted has the sweet flavour of baked chestnuts. It's also a less instrusive plant that some of the bigger squashes which require a huge amount of space. Reckon on getting 2 or 3 fruits per plant. My experience is that often the earlier fruits tend to wither on the plant before it really gets going, so growing these smaller type varieties gives you a better chance of them growing to maturity before the autumn weather gets too told and the plants start dying back.
I've grown Defender courgettes for ages and always get a good crop - too many in fact. They have a good flavour - not that I think courgettes have much flavour to begin with,. We often tend to pick ours when about 3 or 4 inches long and use them raw in salads.

realfood

Turks Turban squashes are really for decoration. They can be eaten but the flavour is not a patch on the likes of Crown Prince, or Festival.

Davesnave

radiohelen wrote: »

Wow - the blue banana squash always scares me a bit I'm wondering if one of those turban type squashes might be a cool thing to grow.

I think Primrose has covered that well.

We've frozen a good amount of our squashes to use in stews etc, but tonight, I stir fried some with onions and peppers to put into a curry. They are pretty quick to do if sliced thinly and they often stand in as a courgette substitute in the winter months.