Winter squash: Which would you grow again

They have to be harvested before freeze time, as the plant is tender. But they can be stored in the cellar through the winter.

It was slow coming up for some reason, so here's a link to squash page.
http://www.jordanseeds.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=browse&id=42502&pageid=79

Squash seed keeps good or share with your neighbors.

I buy the powdery mildew resistant one.
Bernie

I grew up in Zone 3. When I was a kid, my folks only planted Hubbard squash. My dad always claimed it was fir to eat until after a frost killed the vines.

Well, I am using left over (yes, 2007 harvest) 'One Too Many's to make jack-o-lanterns tonite. But it's basically worthless as an eating squash: too watery and tasteless.

Thanks Bernie; that link, altho slow, works fine. I think I still need to find a Europena source or someone who will swap me a few seeds for something I have.

Ornamental squash, including Halloween pumpkins and Swan gourds are very popular here for Halloween Decorations. Few of them are worth eating, but tons of them are sold during October. Do you grow and sell ornamentals, Bernie? You really can't see the size in this photo, but this local church, covers about a half acre in its Pumpkin Patch during the month of October. There are lots of other pumpkin patches, ranging from a couple dozen pumpkins to boxcar loads of of many different kinds. Those lots are pretty much empty today.

Ah, they've got white ones!

Can't afford the space for pumpkins & gourds.

Is there such a thing as a bush pumpkin?

Yes, there are "bush" pumpkins. More semi- bush as in short stubby vines. Not as compact as bush summer squash. Spirit comes to mind http://henryfields.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_12373 Others include Jack-B-Quik, Wee-B-Little, Pic-A-Pie, Touch of Autumn, Cheyenne Bush...

Have you grown any of them and if so, do they taste like the regular ones. I don't have much room to garden but I'd love a hill or 2 if they tasted good.

Most of the orange Pumpkins are better for decoration than eating. Have not tried any of them, but I would expect most of them to be of fair to poor quality for eating. If you want something that tastes good, I would suggest that you stick with cultivars labeled as winter squash. Pic- A- Pie is probably as good good as the small pie pumpkins like New England Pie or Sugar pie.

Anybody want to trade squash seeds?

The only squash seeds I have are summer squash. Some yellow crook neck and some yellow patty pan. No winter squash.

There used to be a canning plant near here. They canned Festal pumpkin pie filling. Do you know what it is made of ? Golden Delicious squash. Yields better & is not as stringy as pumpkin. We have raised it & it's the best winter squash you can find. It looks like an orange Hubbard.

I have always preferred sweet potato pies to pumkin. It seems like they have more taste. I always thought the pumkin pie had to have too much spice to have taste so it was too strong for my liking.

Don't know the Festal label. Libby's uses the Dickenson (C. moschata) and brags about it. Most use C. moschata ( cheese pumpkins) but a few still use Cushaws ( C. mixta)

Cajunin ky, Here is my pie recipe. I also dont't like the excessive spices of the commercial version. I use winter squash, have used every thing form Chicago Green Hubbards, to Pink Banana, to cheese pumpkins, to Cushaws. Prefer the Cushaw, altho the C. moschatas are smoother textured and sweeter.
½ cups baked/ steamed winter squash
2½ cup of sugar , spice, egg and milk into the pureed squash gradually until all is blended.
½ teaspoon of ginger, nutmeg or lemon extract
1 egg lightly beaten
3/4 cup of milk

Split squash open, remove seeds and place open side down on baking tin. (Use PAM). Squash may be cut into smaller pieces if desired. Bake in 400 degree F oven until flesh is soft ( 45 - 60 minutes) Remove baked squash from shell with a spoon. Puree in blender. Mix sugar, spice, egg and milk into the pureed squash gradually until it is completely blended.
Pour mix into chilled 9 inch pie crust and bake at 400 degrees F for 30- 40 minutes. (Until a fork can be stuck into the pie without adhering to the mix) . I like mine served with a dollop of whipped cream.

This message was edited Oct 31, 2008 4:34 PM

What kind of oven do you have, ours only goes to 500º.














LOL!

Farmerdills been smoking those squash stems again! The recipe is a bit jumbled besides the overheated oven!

Blame it on an old man getting in a hurry. Mind is not what it used to be. Copied and pasted form a Wordperfect document, had trouble with the copy function which jumbled it, made a few corrections and sent before good proofreading. Suppose to be 400 degrees, Bernie but I am sure you figured that out. That was not a jumble, just forgot that the degree symbol does not translate to this forum.

I have a few green striped cushaw seeds to trade...

I have Honey Boat and Sugar Loaf seeds to trade if anyone wants to. The Honey Boat come true but I'm not sure yet about the Sugar Loaf. It might be fun to try some others!

Thanks so much for the recipe. Could you send a pic of the squash you use so I will know what to look for?

My all time favorite winter squash is Galeux d'Eysines. It tastes like a butternut only better. Came from a French town by the name of Eysines as I understand it.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/91927/

This is the first variety of winter squash I would plant if my space were limited, which it is. Not well known but beloved by those of us who have tasted it.

Too many pics , cajun but here is one collection of C. moschatas that I have used, Cheese pumpkins, Beung Carn, Fagtong Sri Muang, and the pear shaped Musquee du Moroc.

I prefer the Cushaws ( C. mixta) and grow at varoius times Jonathon, Green Striped, and Gold Striped. Gold Striped is the prettiest.

Not to worry, Farmerdill. I know all too well about that "old man muddle" syndrome!

I could trade the following Winter Squash: One Too Many (mixta), Muscade de Provence (moschata), Bleu de Hongrie (maxima), Crown Prince (maxima), Butternut (maxima), Mandan (pepo)m Siam (ficifolia).

I am particularly interested in getting seeds of: Golden Delicious and Galeaux d'Eysines (both mentioned above), Lakota, Uchiki Kuri, ANY Cushaw and ANY "Cheese".

This message was edited Nov 1, 2008 2:54 PM

Jim, are you aware of any restrictions to sending seeds in the mail to France? I see you are not listed in the Address Exchange...

I'd love to try the Galeux d'Eysines also.

That striped squash is the prettiest thing I have seen in a squash. Do they grow on a regular bush like a summer squash? Are they rare?

I've never had a problem receiving seeds here. I have received them from all over the world, even from some of the handful of US seed companies that will still send seed here. Oftentimes the packets are even clearly marked as seeds, and I have always received everything I have been sent. On the other hand, on a few occasions, my seeds sent to the US have not gone through.

I am in the address exchange, right between posyblossom and PotEmUp!

Sorry, I must have either skipped over your name, or mis-spelled it. I'll send you some cushaw seeds next week.

Darius, That's really kind of you! Anything on my list above that interests you?

No, Cajun, they are not rare, grow on a medium vine just like the green striped. I get mine from Twilley http://www.twilleyseed.com/

I bought winter squash Marina di Chioggia at the farmers market. It is very good. It has heavy substantial squash and is very sweet. It takes longer to cook than other winter squashes but that is because its flesh is so heavy. Quite delicious and not stringy like some of them.
But Eysiennes is still my all time favorite, but will no doubt grow and cook Marina's as well.

No, Jim... but Thanks. I may want something new to try in another year, though.

Farmerdill
It grows on a vine like a cuke instead of a plant like a straightneck squash or a zuchini?

Yep, I would compare to butternut, hubbard, Halloween pumpkins and other vining winter squash. This one like most of the Cushaws only runs 8-10 feet. Some of the vining squash will run 25-30 feet.

I know so little about the vegetable world. Or any world outside the horse barn. LOL I did not know there were squash that grew on a vine rather than a plant.

CajuninKy,
You hang out in the horse barn? That means you can grow the most beautiful squash of any of us, that is assuming there are horses in the horse barn. Horse poop is one of my favorite things to feed my squash -- after letting it sit in a pile and heat up then cool down, then get turned into another pile.
I would have to buy fertilizer if it weren't for my friends' horses. Of course, I share the veggies with the horse owners as well -- and some times with the horses as in the case of carrots and apples.
You are sitting on a goldmine, Cajun.

I use all I need and I can't even give the extra away. Go figure. Maybe I should try to sell it. Might have a bidding war on my hands before long. LOL