My first time with this new squash and so far it is exceeding my hopes...Does anyone else grow this squash ..haven't eaten any yet but soon...Let me know of your experiences with it...
Rambicante trombocino(trombone zuchinni)
Another pic
I did grow it last year. I love the idea of using it over a trellis! Very cute!
The vines grew huge for me and I got several zuc's out of the deal. I used it to make lots of zuc bread. I liked it but haven't planted again as it was so cold this spring. Will probably try again sometime. The vines grew so long they worked their way into the cow pasture. It was one of the only things from my garden the cows refused to eat (feral hogs wouldn't touch it either).
PS, You might check on the veg forums. I know several folks grow it and post there.
Grits, your garden is lovely, Congratulations.
It is beautiful. I cannot seem to get much out of any squash, they don't last long for me.
C
I meant to ask, do these squash do better in the heat?
Mine didn't seem to be bothered by heat. Grits, how are your's doing in the heat?
Mine was planted in with the zucchini and got what the zuc got and pretty much did what the zuc did.
My squash never does well in TX, any tips? I have tried to grow both zucchini and yellow squash and they are so bug eaten and really seem to fail when the heat comes.
Cheryl
I have had luck with Patty Pan Squash in San Marcos.
So far we haven't had any excessive heat this year but of course it is coming ..I too had much trouble with squash in the heat of mid summer..then help arrived in the person of Texas Tam who penned an article on dave's Garden extolling the virtues of the Zephyr squash (Johnies selected seeds) and it is just great for the squash growers that inhabit the hot lands....I have my doubts about the trombones doing very good when it does get really hot cause I notice they begin to wilt in the 90s which we haven't had many days of that yet...
I feel as if I have been invaded by some kind of alien lifeform this trombone is taking my whole garden but it is fun ..Now if I can figure out how to open my gate LOL
cheryl you make me feel better--i cannot grow squash here either--same problem-bugs--and it always makes me feel like i am the only one since everyone seems to grow zuchinni with no problems at all
LOL we should start a new forum...The why won't my squash grow community!
Honestly for me its very disapointing. I love zuchinni and can only get one or two before vine borer or what ever else is out there destroys my plants. The plants start off great then die quickly, usually falling apart at the base. So can anyone tell us what we can do to get a decent harvest???
Cheryl
well i think it is going to involve pestisides and i don't like to bother with them
for one thing i have a very small dog (5 pounds) and so feel that he is more likely to be hurt by it than a larger dog would
then i have turtles that live in my yard and of course they eat the plants to survive
and i also have the bunnies, squirrels, birds etc and i just don't want to upset the balance
and then of course there are the butterflies!
i know--there are non toxic means to try so maybe i am just not willing to do what it takes!
Linda this trombone may be the answer for you it climbs so it is off the ground(turtle) and bunnies the number 1 pest for me are birds eating young seedlings so for that I fashioned some row covers made of 1/4" mesh hardware cloth and some are square to put over my square raised beds and they are more to protect my plants from my own dogs (they like to dig) and sure will eat the seeds of sunflowers and ruin other seedlings searching for sunflower seeds
Lisa, I use a lot of lures. Japanese Beettle lure, Cucumber Beetle lure, etc. from Gardens Alive. I looked up squash vine borers and they suggest injecting beneficial nematodes into the vine. http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2877&ss=nema-ject
I've never done this, but I have seen a couple of different TV/Gardening personalities demonstrate various applications for the beni nematodes and have actually seen them drink the nematode/water suspention (or whatever it is) to demonstrate how safe the beni nematodes are.
Might be worth looking into. =~)
thanks! i will do that!
sounds like it might be cheaper just to buy some squash...but I might check out some of those to see.
Thanks for the information.
Cheryl
i know--like the 20 dollar tomatos that folks grow!
that would be me--spending tons of time, money and work to get one squash!
LOL! I did see the price and thought the same thing.
It would be worth it, though, if you wanted to grow something unusual or you had to drive (like I do) for quite a way to get to the farmer's market of the grocery. I'm wondering if this is for many vines or just one? Also, does this take care of the problem for the entire year? Perhaps the price is for the injector thing and you could use it again and just buy refills? It seems that if there is a pest discussed on this forum, then it shows up on my doorstep the next day (like the Orkin commercials). I may just call them to find out more. Might be something handy to have on the shelf.
All those questions having been asked, I still think it would be totally worth it for pumpkins. The price for just the average sized pumpkin this past fall was outrageous in our area! $5-10 per pumpkin.
Oh, and I think my tomatoes will me more than $20 when all is said and done. But I've been having sooooo much fun with them.
LOL my tomatoes are pretty pricey too! Trying to think of ways to cut down for next year. Still like you its about the process, fun and interesting to me. Some people spend money on bingo or cameras or booze but I spend most of mine on plants and plant accessories...though I do like a frosty margarita now and then.
C
terri- if a feral hogs won't eat it that would make me wonder. But then my pet pigs (don't dare call them hogs) won't eat oranges.
Lisa
y'all are so funny!
i do love homegrown tomatos and do have one plant that just maybe will give me some??
and i do pretty good with a few herbs--and i have even tried potatos this year--haven't checked on those yet
Okay I had some of the trombones for supper and it was quite good but ranks behind the zephyr and the Magda in taste of course to me the Magda is tops with the Zephyr a close second ..Now this is just one opinion so I need to start giving some away so as to get another viewpoint===Stay Tuned
Injecting beneficial nematodes into the stems does not work very well. We tried that last year. I've heard that if you grow a lot, then you'll have success and won't miss the ones the SVBs destroy. Personally, I'd use row covers or even tulle or bird netting over the entire plant.
Or just grow those things that will grow! I will try to spray early and often next year and see if it helps at all. Not sure why some have good results and others not. Maybe my yard is just a bug haven.
C
ok--i finally see your name--newtons third law--i kept seeing -new to--
i will have to check the internet and see what his third law was
I had veggie garden in the late 60's that was absolutely wonderful,,,,everything produced. I have tried now for five years in a raised garden, yet, and the bugs have eaten everything as fast they produced. I'm soooo disappointed. Like most of you, don't want to apply poison to anything much less what we intend to eat. The squash germinate every single seed and the borers get into every single stem killing the plant almost overnight. aaagggghhhh! Only thing that seems impervious to bugs is the okra and two or three plants will feed the multitudes, as Christ fed the 5,000.
So we have more confessions, I do feel better knowing I am not alone in difficulty with veggies in TX. Still I know people have great edible gardens but for now I am with you, too many bugs and no real solution.
C
I think here in TX we could grow things in partial shade that most people grow in the sun. Anything in the sun is one tough plant. As for the bugs, plant more so you end up with a few for yourself I guess.
LouC....I would deinately put in a raised bed like yours if I gave it a whirl. So much easier to tend.
I don't have any shade. We've got some trees planted around the veg garden area, but they won't be tall enough to cast any shade for some time. I've got every flying, creeping, crawling, and trotting pest you can imagine--most I've never imagined. And yet I won't give up. I planted out sixty tomato plants this year. All brought on from seed. I just figured I would get something from those sixty plants. Some have leaves that are green but curling up. Others got attached by tomato horn worms. We've got well water so they get water via soaker hoses every other day. Still the leaves curl but I also have green tomatoes on a lot of those plants. One of those darned plants is going to give me a nice ripe tomato! I'll figure out about the curling leaves as I go along.
And I've got little baby zucchini right now! Tonight, when I get home, something may have eaten them. But for this one day I have met with success! Now one of the guys who works for us have three raised beds. Doesn't weed and hoses it all down with Miracle Grow (not the kind you are supposed to put on veggies) and he has lots of tomatoes and peppers! Go figure. He says I'm nuts for sticking to organic. But I'm going to keep on trying. I think that once I get more of the beni predator insects going on I will have better luck. Now if I can just get that sweet corn up and going! Something just keep eating huge chunks out of that.
Then I think I will have that margarita. Frosty cold beer would do......
Grits, congrats on the trombones. I'm thinking about some sort of support for next year. I still have some seeds.
And good idea about the row cover, stephanietx. I keep forgetting about that and I used to use it in my northern garden. Actually, I used the old sheer curtains that were left hanging in the old house we bought (Remember those? My mom and grandma have them on all windows.). They worked great! Wish I had packed them.
but 20 years ago when we moved here i was so happy that there were so few bugs! i guess all my planting is very inviting!
Right Linda...if you plant it they will come!
Dallas paper had an article that says the bugs are in record numbers.....all of them. This past winters weather instead of killing them, encouraged more. Beginning to feel like the days of the Egyptian plagues. If were not for the butterflies and dragonflies I would give up the organic idea and have the professional exterminator spray everything within an inch of it's life.
E'llo come on by and say Hello at my Front Porch and meet some New Folks !
Here's the Link
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1108038/
The Sarge
louC i am glad you posted that about the dallas morning news - i always think i am doing something wrong to have all these bugs!
i have been working outdoors all morning-just come in and rest a few min and back out again and it is not too bad out! rained last night so i like to pull a few weeds while ground is a little wet--i feel a little giddy to have this nice in the shade day!
We have quite a few tree swallows. They have been working overtime on keeping the flying bugs down during the day, but when I go out at night to check on things I am almost carried away! Much worse this year than others IMO.
It is a lovely day today, isn't it?
I'm glad you posted about that article too. I couldn't figure out what was going on. My neighbor almost lost 25' of squash plants do to bugs. He finally broke down and sprayed them. It only took 1 time. I don't like to spray but I still think homegrown veggies that are sprayed are better for you the store bought.
People who don't live here have no idea how difficult it can be.
This message was edited Jun 15, 2010 6:07 PM
I have seen record numbers and varieties of butterflies this year and lots of lady bugs as well. Guess you take the good with the very bad. One thing of interest is the spiders, seen ones here that haven't been here before. Big spiders and scary too and little spiders that are brightly colored. As for squash well I will plant more next spring and spray with some less harmful things and see what happens. The yard is looking better in some parts so all is not lost. Plants are suffering though and not just the squash!
C
If we could just get some much-needed rain and some more normal temps, things would improve.