I have heard some people claim that they can speed up the ripening of squash when they cut off the ends of the vines? Fact or fiction? Wouldn't cutting off the end of the vines make the squash put more energy into trying to reestablish the end of the vine.
squash
I've read of people using this same trick to ripen tomatoes as frost is near. Another trick is root pruning.
All I know is that as far as plants are concerned, their sole purpose for existence is reproduction. They will do whatever they can to ripen fruits/seeds when stressed. I would think that it would speed up any fruit that was set. If no fruit is set, I think pinching would just make the vine branch.
People who grow monster pumpkins for competitions snip the vines, so all the growth energy goes into the one fruit.
So, yes, I'd say that if you snip the ends, you'll hasten the ripening. Certainly at this time of year in VT you're not going to get enough time to ripen any baby squash that are forming on the ends, so they're expendable anyway.
Throwing a row cover on at night, or setting up a quick & temporary greenhouse over the plants might help too, to keep them warm.
For any of the vine crops, once you know that any more fruit that they would produce wouldn't have a chance to ripen, it's a good idea to cut off the ends of the vines so that all the energy of the plant goes into maturing what's there rather than fruitlessly (hee hee!) trying to produce more. I've read that in a lot of places. I've also read the same thing for tomatoes, although I've got some unlikely specimens still ripening on green off-shoots!
You all got to be right. I planted a acorn squash and after the first female set my granddaughter broke of the growing tip. I have never seen one squash grow so fast. The seed was planted 8/16. The darn thing is almost ready for picking.
Yes, I always do it when I feel the first frost is about to come and my pumpkin needs to mature a bit more. It works.
Interesting!
Thanks everyone. Now I know its fact not fiction and next year I'm go to snip like crazy!
So what are you going to grow next season?
So far I am thinking acorn squash.....
Does anyone know how long it takes? If Icut off the growing end of my pumpkin plants how long will it take for them to get ripe?
Thanks,
Lisa
No but I had some winter squash that ripened up real quick like from bright green to finished in 2 weeks. The shortening daylight is sending them a message too.
Thanks, that's what I wanted to know.
I wondered about that, too. I had some Musquée de Provence and they looked beautiful, and then SVBs or squash bugs got to the plants. I wasn't sure whether there was any way to save the squash or how to know when it was ready to harvest. So it just rotted on the ground....
Blossom Buddy,
Over the years I've grown a lot of varieties of squash (I'm 54) and once I discovered kobocha squash from Johnny's Selected Seeds I've never wanted to grow anything else. There are several varieties that are great because they're very sweet, flavorful and dry; store 2-3 times longer than regular squash and make a wonderful pie if you have leftover squash from dinner. You'll need to add extra liquid as the flesh is so dense and dry. If you google kobocha squash on the internet you'll find some interesting facts about the squash.
Are they susceptible to Squash Vine Borers? Most butternut types aren't supposed to be.
http://foodblogga.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-is-kabocha-squash.html
This sounds irresistable. I was so pleased to harvest my first delicatas recently and wish I had more. Now I'll look forward to kabochas. I love doing things in the oven in the winter and the cooked product freezes well too.
Gal I really don't know if they're susceptible to vine borers because I live in zone 4. It might be too cold for them here. Johnny's Selected Seeds may be able to tell you. They have a very nice customer service dept..
I actually planted my winter squash in the later part of July and I think that was after the SVB's mating season because I haven't seen any evidence of them. If you live in a zone where you can do that it might be helpful. I do plan on planting them a little earlier next year, because there have been many years that we have gotten a freeze by now but so far there are no frost on these pumpkins. (HaHa).
Lisa
I don't think there would be time to get much zucchini at that point. I did try it one year, though, and although the SVBs left me alone, the squash bugs had been attracted by my earlier crop and they were all over the new one!
Glad to hear there's no frost on your pumpkins yet!
How did this whole process get so complicated?
Lisa
If you're trying to garden organically it does seem a bit difficult, doesn't it? Probably even if you're not, but if you're not, you can just douse the danged things with chemicals and be done with it!
But the results are so rewarding when you succeed! I have a freezer full of lovely veggies for the winter.
Leslie
Kabocha is a maxima, so its vines will be vulnerable to SVB. Not a deal breaker, but it would have been nice if it was a moschata!
It looks like a smaller, greener version of a Sweet Meat, of which I managed to grow a few this season. Beautiful fruit, and it they make it to maturity & curing despite SVB, they develop rock hard rinds and excellent flavor. Very dense & dry. But you definitely need a cleaver or machete to crack them open! Tough squash!
I've got a little trick for opening up a squash. Just put it in the microwave for as many minutes as it takes to soften up the rind and then you can cut it open with a big knife. Then I scoop out the seeds and put open side down on a plate and keep microwaving; taking cooked flesh out about every 2 minutes until I've gotten down to the rind. I don't see any reason why the same couldn't be done in an oven. I heard once that microwaving destroys vitamins in vegetables. Has anyone heard the same thing?
Interesting tip, thanks! That would especially work well for the times you plan on microwaving anyway. I prefer to chunk & roast, but I'll nuke when pressed for time. ;)
Overall it's not hugely different than other forms of cooking. You run the risk of losing vitamin B12 when you micro. Heat trashes nutrients, whether it's micro or otherwise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven
Helenvt,
I like doing the acorns. Single meals! Cut them in half, and freeze one half for next time!
I micro wave them in a glass with lid and put butter and brown sugar on them.
