Who grows winter squash?

[Hal]

I'd like to know which winter squash you folks like to grow and why?

 

[Ridgerunner]

That’s an easy one, butternut. Great flavor and all that, but the seed ball is tiny. Most of the inside if usable pulp, not fiber and seeds. It’s also fairly small. There are only two of us so we don’t need a huge hubbard. Butternut also fits nicely in the oven.


I’ve grown acorn and liked that. I grew Arikiri this past year and it was OK, good flavor but too big and really hollow. Butternut all the way.

 

[Hal]

That’s an easy one, butternut. Great flavor and all that, but the seed ball is tiny. Most of the inside if usable pulp, not fiber and seeds. It’s also fairly small. There are only two of us so we don’t need a huge hubbard. Butternut also fits nicely in the oven.


I’ve grown acorn and liked that. I grew Arikiri this past year and it was OK, good flavor but too big and really hollow. Butternut all the way.

Thank you, this is the sort of response I was hoping for. Mind if I ask how long do your squash keep for? Are you concerned about keeping quality?

 

[digitS']

You have already heard from me, Hal!

About growing Burgess Buttercup for 20+ years, loving it but never having good success with anything else.

Going over the limits in 2014!!

Steve
edited: keeping quality? just finished the last buttercup this week from an October harvest, not more than 3 months.

 

[Hal]

You have already heard from me, Hal!

About growing Burgess Buttercup for 20+ years, loving it but never having good success with anything else.

Going over the limits in 2014!!

Steve
edited: keeping quality? just finished the last buttercup this week from an October harvest, not more than 3 months.

I don't mind hearing from you again and I don't mind Burgess Buttercup after all I grow it myself.
I've thought about how it might be worth using Burgess Buttercup in a cross with something long keeping and of good flesh quality to produce a nice squash to suit your conditions and provide something tasty and long keeping.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I still have several Butternut and Arikiri in my garage on a wire shelf. We had one for supper last night, mashed with some butter and maple syrup. I fed a butternut to the chickens a few days ago because it started to go bad, just a small spot that looked more like dry rot than the normal wilting and going soft I usually see.


It’s an attached garage so it does not freeze. The humidity is pretty low and it does stay a bit cool in the winter. Storage conditions are going to make a difference. How mature they get makes a big difference too. If mine are not mature they just shrivel up and rot.


I cured mine by leaving them on a wire mesh trailer in a well-ventilated shed out of the sun for a month or more. I think curing with good ventilation makes a difference too. At least the cut vine needs to quit leaking that stick goo before you move them to permanent storage.

 

[Hal]

I still have several Butternut and Arikiri in my garage on a wire shelf. We had one for supper last night, mashed with some butter and maple syrup. I fed a butternut to the chickens a few days ago because it started to go bad, just a small spot that looked more like dry rot than the normal wilting and going soft I usually see.


It’s an attached garage so it does not freeze. The humidity is pretty low and it does stay a bit cool in the winter. Storage conditions are going to make a difference. How mature they get makes a big difference too. If mine are not mature they just shrivel up and rot.


I cured mine by leaving them on a wire mesh trailer in a well-ventilated shed out of the sun for a month or more. I think curing with good ventilation makes a difference too. At least the cut vine needs to quit leaking that stick goo before you move them to permanent storage.

Maturity is important and also you will find if they were grown during drier conditions the flesh will be drier, more dense and usually tastier which just so happens to to make them keep better as they are less bloated with water making them less rot prone. Curing is quite important as well and can provide quite an increase in storage time.
Sounds like you have a system in place that works for you.
Would you happen to have a photo of the Arikiri by any chance?

 

[NwMtGardener]

I love acorn squash, grow them every year. We usually don't have too many, so not sure about storage time, we eat them pretty quickly.

I had a delicata squash from the store that I really liked a while back, and saved some seed. Grew it last year, and was very disappointed. That learned me not to save squash seed from storebought squash, the flavor was in the range of very bland to yuck. Might be something in my growing conditions but I'm going to try it with boughten (bought? boughted??) seed this year.

 

[thistlebloom]

You mean "buyed" I think. Yeah, buyed seed Heather.

My problem with growing winter squash is eating it. But I have to confess I haven't eaten it (eated, ate, aten??) since I lived with my folks and mom made it.

Ridge made butternut sound good, maybe I should try a few vines of that this year. I know Kid#1 loves it, and he never had it growing up.

My storage is not ideal though, Our garage does freeze, and I don't know if there's anywhere in the house that would work.

 

[Hal]

You mean "buyed" I think. Yeah, buyed seed Heather.

My problem with growing winter squash is eating it. But I have to confess I haven't eaten it (eated, ate, aten??) since I lived with my folks and mom made it.

Ridge made butternut sound good, maybe I should try a few vines of that this year. I know Kid#1 loves it, and he never had it growing up.

My storage is not ideal though, Our garage does freeze, and I don't know if there's anywhere in the house that would work.

So many tastes, textures and levels or sweetness your really missing out!
If you don't mind looking at squash in your house you have a lot of storage options.