Squash Vines

[digitS']

So, I grew up in Oregon ... didn't know this "Oregon Homestead" squash by anything other than catalog pictures until this year.


Growing in my '16 garden.

Here's Territorial: Sweet Meat is still virtually unknown in the rest of the US.

Here is Harris: This distinctive squash has a loyal following throughout the country.

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

I'll trust you over either Territorial or Harris. The magic question. How's it taste?

 

[digitS']

I will let you know, @Smart Red !

The first magic is will it mature. Of course, it doesn't need to mature to taste ... but, I have real problems even imagining harvesting a winter squash in August !

However, it wouldn't need to last 3 or 6 months of storage for me to taste it in October.

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

Gosh no! Don't be too hasty to pick it. Just don't be overly patient either. It looks good just the way it is. I don't care for too big squash and years of leftovers.

 

[digitS']

Okay, @Smart Red .

It was delicious!

Something important to me was, will it keep? Excellent until now - then, we ate it. The smaller ones we began on in September. Rambunctious vines, not many squash, but delicious.

Steve

 

[Zeedman]

Rambunctious vines, not many squash, but delicious.

There is a phenomenon I've noticed about winter squash, especially Maximas. If I don't fertilize them, the squash will set few per vine, but cucumber beetle numbers are usually bearable. If I bury a shovel full of composted manure near the hill, fruit set will be higher - but cucumber beetles will usually swarm on the vines, sometimes becoming so numerous that they damage the squash. I can get the best of both worlds if I bury fertilizer, then cover the vines with Agribon until they begin blooming. That usually prevents squash bugs & SVB as well. Should have taken my own advice this year, the CB came early & destroyed my kabocha while they were still seedlings.

The buttercup/kabocha squashes are by far my favorites for flavor. I've actually been meaning to grow Sweet Meat for quite some time, but I've been side-tracked by several hubbard-type trials... which IMO was a waste of time, none of them was noteworthy. I'll be sticking to the buttercups in the future.

 

[aftermidnight]

Geez I haven't grown squash for donkey's years, I guess since I got the bean bug. I've never been fond of the meat from the bigger squashes, I've pretty much stuck to butternuts and acorns, sometimes I stuff them or just go the butter and brown sugar route. Buttercup/kabocha squashes sound interesting maybe I should look for some seed and see if I can squeeze in a plant of two .
Annette

 

[Zeedman]

I'll second that vote for acorn squash, @aftermidnight; I love their flavor. Early & productive too; but also highly vulnerable to SVB. If you don't know what that is (and you might not on the West Coast) then you are, as they say, a lucky camper. SVB will kill most/all of my acorns if I plant them early. The bush acorns grow so fast, though, that I can plant them late (after the SVB hatch is over) and usually get some ripe squash before frost.

 

[digitS']

The problem this year was stink bugs. I'll quietly mention that the svb has not found my garden. Winter squash is important to us so I imagine that I'd try some fabric protection if/when they show up. I found row covers a hassle years ago when I hoped they would protect from cold nights.

The stink bugs were mostly on the zucchini and I hit them with spinosad. There was not a great many and it was before I replaced a sprinkler, which was failing to reach those plants.

The stink bugs were not done in by one spraying but weren't back in sufficient numbers to cause much trouble.

Cucumber beetles seem to travel in bigger gangs. I have sprayed with spinosad and pyrethrum about a week apart and that was especially effective.

Steve

 

[chefsdreams]

i'm gonna jump in here just cuz. this being my first post, i'll keep it kinda short. just thought i'd share that i recently roasted acorn squash and made cream squash soup and now i've got to keep cooking it for the whole street! i definitely need to add some squash to my garden.