I recently rented a home. There was a garden already planted when I moved in. There is some type of squash growing but no ID tag to tell me what it was. It was flowering when I moved in. If I remember right the flowers were white. Now I am trying to ID it so I know when it is ripe for picking. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
BTW, I'm in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Here is the fruit up close...
And another...
And the leaf structure...
One more...
Any help would be much appreciated.
Also, can I upload multiple images to a single post? Sorry, Ima newb. :)
Can't help you with the ID but it sure looks interesting. You did it right, can only use one photo at a time.
I just noticed theres a forum for IDing plants and trees. If a moderator thinks it is better suited over there and wants to move it I'm fine with that. Thanks again..
They are a whiz at ID'ing plants over there but have not seen many veggie questions asked. Here they can probably tell you what variety of whatever squash it is. Wait a bit, I am sure someone will come and answer your question soon, or put it in plant ID and then if you want to know the variety and how to tell iwhen it is ripe come back here. One of the experts at the ID site stated the forum is for identifying the plant, once ID'd other information should be obtained from the appropriate forum.
Isn't there something called a hookneck squash? Could that be it? They're yellow, though...so I don't know. Wish I could be better help!
TJ
First; If it had white blossoms, it is a gourd. Many of these are used in much the same manner as zucchini and are sometimes sold as Italian zucchini. http://onaleeseeds.bizhosting.com/cucuzzi_lagenaria_siceraria_seeds_italian_edible_gourd_squash.html http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV070 http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Crops/Cucuzzi.html Harvesting rules are the same as for zucchini, pick before the skin begins to harden.
Have seen similar things advertised as Mediterranean veggies or Near Eastern. I think Pinetree Garden Seeds had a wide selection. As did Seeds of Change
It looks like what my MIL calls (and I'm going to type this phonetically, she's Sicilian) "Gahgootza" She grows it every year in her tiny little backyard in Brooklyn, NY. They are basically some kind of squash and they get huge as in 3 or 4 feet big! We use them like you would use zucchini or other squash, really good cubed and made into a soup or just steamed till soft and if I'm not mistaken she uses the blossoms too, fried or something I think. Enjoy them!
I grew these Cucuzzi in Austin and some fruit reached baseball bat size. The vines ran 30 plus feet and i had to drag them back and forth to mow the grass. Quite edible.
Trombocino maybe. Ernie
