This is a volunteer.
I haven't grown squash for several years, but I did purchase a butternut squash from the supermarket last year. At first I thought this was what was growing, but now I'm not so sure. There are three healthy ??? growing on a huge plant. It must have grown from the compost spread on the garden.
Any guesses as to what this is? Do you think it's edible?
I've accidentally grown some warty winter squash like that, from traded seeds that were apparently cross-pollinated in the garden of whomever sent them to me. They were edible. I've seen warty summer squash like that also but haven't tried to eat one. (I have plenty of summer squash that look just fine, so why eat the warty ones?)
Thanks, darius.
I'f this is a winter squash of some kind (which I suspect it is) - how will I know when it's ready to harvest?
I'm glad to see you have updated your blog. I have an older computer, too (it's a 2006) - but I can read your blog perfectly (so far) ^_^
I leave my winter squash on the vines until the leaves start to die. By then, the stem close to the squash is pretty hard and a fingernail doesn't leave a mark on the squash.
Be sure to leave an inch or more of stem when you harvest them so they keep longer and don't dry out through the area where the stem was attached.
darius, thanks for those tips. I've not grown winter squash before so appreciate your help.
My winter squash have different leaves from the summer squash. Here's a photo of winter squash taken about 2 weeks ago...
The "thing" growing in my garden is a huge bush - it is not trailing like a pumpkin would.
Hmmmmm. All the winter squash I've ever grown trail all over the garden, whereas all my summer squash types are bush...
Maybe they are "Triffids" LOL
LOL!
This is a variety of the summer crookneck squash. Prepare it the same as you would the smooth crookneck. I grow a couple of these every year.
I agree it appears to be over sized crookneck squash. Many are warty when large. The big ones will last for a month without refrigeration but will not store like winter squash. The rinds will be hard and not edible if they get too large and cure. They will be good for stuffing though. Look for recipes for squash boats.
I'm not sure how this could be an overgrown crookneck/yellow squash when I haven't grown them for several years.
Could the seeds from a store bought butternut squash produce something that looks like this?
Not likely. Most likely you have a summer crookneck crossed with a round C.pepo. Butternuts are C. moschata and don't cross with summer squash. With few exceptions they also run all over the place.
I have the same volunteer growing in my garden also. Don't know where the seed came from, possibly the composter, but don't remember ever having anything like it that would have gone in there.
samthehavanese - this is the same thing that happened here. I tapped one this morning and it sounds hollow.
