Patty pan squash

frazzbo · 11 August 2011 at 1:34PM

I am growing patty pan squashes this year but I have no idea when I'm supposed to pick them! I bought them from the Real Seeds website and this is the picture, but mine still seem to be green even though they're getting really big! I was assuming they would turn white at some point but perhaps they won't.

Is anyone else growing these or grown them before?

Sambucus_Nigra · 11 August 2011 at 1:36PM

Yes, grow them regularly. Like all squashes [summer] pick them as soon as they are big enough for you - I pick mine smaller than you'd think as they grow so fast. If they reach 4 inches across then get them, as the next day they will be 6 inches and too big.

jollyanna · 11 August 2011 at 1:57PM

I've just been looking at my squashes and wondering about picking a couple off, so this is useful to me - thanks. Will they continue to mature after cutting ? ( I'm presuming it is best to cut them off with a knife) or do they need using quickly ?
This is my first year of growing this type of veg. and I'm uncertain how big to let the Spag. squash (hasta la pasta) get. The largest is almost the size of a rugger ball, should I cut it now?

realfood · 11 August 2011 at 7:24PM

The patty pan squashes are best used as soon as cut.
Just leave the spaghetti squash on the plant until it starts to die down in the Autumn.
Leave the fruit to mature and harden off into October. Winter squash only develop their full sweetness and taste when allowed to mature and harden off. When the foliage has died down, cut off the fruits leaving if possible, at least 5 cm stem attached, to help to prevent early rotting of the fruit. Leave the cut fruits to fully dry off in a sunny dry place, such as a greenhouse, cold frame or sunny windowsill for two weeks.
Storage of Winter Squash is best in a cool, dry and frost free place. Do not store alongside apples or pears, as the ethylene gas given off by them can cause the squash to start to rot. Remember to check your stored squash every week and cook any that are showing signs of rot. While in storage, the grey, green and blue skin colour can fade to allow an orange colour to shine through.

ladylouise62 · 11 August 2011 at 10:31PM

Patty Pans can be white, yellow or green, so being green doesn't mean that they are unripe . With this sort of summer squash they are edible at any size so it won't hurt to cut them early. You don't want them to get too big as they will be more solid and the seeds will become too chewy and big. They should sit very easily in the hand, if you can't at least slightly curl the fingers around them they are getting too large, and they should preferably be quite a bit smaller than that, although you will be able to decide by trial and error which is your favourite size. Also, the more you harvest, the more they will produce, so small sometimes is good

Winter Squashes are not so easy as they do need to have reached a certain stage.. although colour is quite important as well as size, and as it's been a few years since I've grown much I wouldn't want to attempt to advise you how to decide when.

frazzbo · 15 August 2011 at 1:51PM

Thanks for your help. I picked one over the weekend an plan to eat it tonight. It had actually turned white so that's good - a couple of days not looking at it made the difference, I think! It's around 8cm in diameter. With courgettes I usually pick them small, but I wasn't sure what size patty pans needed to be. I think there are going to be a few more ready in the next week or two.

smallblueplanet · 15 August 2011 at 2:34PM

You can leave summer squash/patty pans to get big and then the skins will harden like winter squash. They will keep for a few months after but not as long as winter squash (keep an eye on them, you can see if they start to go 'off'). I always do this with our patty pans, pick some small and use them like courgettes and leave some to get big and store them.