Can someone please help me? I believe I have a crooked neck squash in garden. The leaves are about 18x16 and the runners are getting to be right at 26 feet. Can this really be a squash? Do you think the manure and fertilizer made it grow? I am confused. It's taking over garden. Please help..How big do squash grow? Thanks, Liz
crook neck squash
This isn't a Summer Crookneck. They are much more docile than 26'. Most form a mound that is about 3' around. This might be some kind of pumpkin, possibly a cushaw(a crook neck pumpkin that gets quite big) You don't have any fruits on this vine? That would be a major help in identifying it. Summer Yellow Crooknecks look just like smaller versions of themselves when you see the female blooms. There is a tiny little yellow squash at the base of the bloom. They produce quite quickly also. You should have male blooms (no squash attached) when they are a couple feet tall.
Do you have the ability to post a picture? That would help big time.
Yep...sounds more like a pumpkin to me...that's some mighty long vines!
Can't wait to see s picture. I have a winter squash that I started early, called Sweet Keeper, and the vines easily exceed 25-20 feet. They will be as big as pumpkins, but grey on the outside and reddish orange inside. I wonder if that is what you have, they do need a lot of room! Mine had spread out quite a bit before they bloomed, and the leaves are like small umbrellas!!!
Here's a picture of a Tricolor Cushaw. It does have very long vines and I've seen it called a Crookneck Squash. cushaw comes in a variety of "colors".
