A "different" Squash for Me & You

[digitS']

I hope they are going to be okay. I may be relying on 1 for Thanksgiving pie!



I tried a couple Marina De Chioggia squash in the garden this year. They were in with the pumpkins, which did very well! That wasn't very fair for the Marina De Chioggia, however.

There were also some Autumn Crown squash in there - another new-to-me variety. At first, I'm thinking the Marina De Chioggia were supposed to be tan, like the Autumn Crown. No. They may be fully mature and will stay green. I think the mottling is just a result of the pumpkin leaves darn near smothering them!

It was a very difficult year for the Burgess Buttercup! The worst year that I can remember. June wasn't kind to them but the real problem was the rabbit! I had them in outside beds and either the rabbit, or a marmot, just chewed all the tiny plants down to the ground. The only 2 Buttercups that survived "came back from near-death" to do it and . . . lived with the zucchini plants that I put in those beds in July . The rabbit was busy eating other things by then but I wasn't very kind to either the Buttercup nor the other winter squash fighting it out with pumpkins. The pumpkins and zucchini won. . .

Do you have experience with the Marina De Chioggia? Anything new in your 2013 winter squash patch? Any squash you've grown before but missed in 2013? Any squash you'd like to try in 2014?

It isn't always easy for me to have mature winter squash at the end of the season but maybe I lucked out with the Marina De Chioggia. ( I'll never remember how to spell that!) I'll be back to report on this thread after we've tried one. I don't know which to start with - the big 12.5 pounder or the little 5 pounder. Hope they are ripe!

Steve

 

[seedcorn]

Let us know what you think of them.

 

[lesa]

They certainly look interesting! Can't wait to hear your "taste" report...

 

[bj taylor]

they're sure beautiful. let us know how they taste

 

[897tgigvib]

I grew Marina di Chioggia a few years ago, '09 or '10. They did not look like they were supposed to, mostly round, smooth, dark green ripe. Good though. I saved seeds. Your look good Digit.

 

[ninnymary]

I think those look beautiful and would make great fall decorations.

Mary

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

could the color be green when harvested, then as they sit in storage they slowly turn orange?

 

[digitS']

Jung Seed claims they are "warty" but their picture looks okay. The ones in my garden look like they will be easy to peel. Wait until you see how decorative my pumpkin pie is, Mary!

Jung also says "Flavor improves with storage." So . . . I guess my technique may just be to wait for softening or mold. Shoot! I usually have several boxes of Buttercup to play around with!

There are other winter squash I can grow. Blue Hubbard has done okay. Early Butternut has fruit that is more likely to be fully matured than Waltham but they are both "okay" choices. Despite looking a lot like Buttercups, Kabocha squash are a little questionable - very tasty, tho'!

I used to grow quite a few acorn squash. Strangely, they had a different, not-very-good flavor in my current garden location :/. The neighbor even told me that!

Steve

edit: turning orange in storage? I'd panic!

 

[digitS']

Oh!

I can say that Pink Banana squash, used for pies in my Oregon childhood , would be . .

. out-of-the-question, here.

S'

 

[journey11]

Those pink banana squash surely were productive for me the year I grew them and a bit earlier than most of the others I've grown. And so sweet! I just wish they weren't 25-40 lbs each... That's a LOT of squash. Pies for a crowd!

I didn't get around to planting any squash/pumpkins or even summer squash this year (I know, right.) I almost always plant Waltham Butternut squash and end up with a big pile.

Steve those are cute lil' squash. I like the deep lobes on them, a little like the Cinderella's but not as deep. The one on the left looks much paler than the other two. What color are they supposed to end up?