Yellow crookneck squash?

[snewman]

In addition to zucchini, this year I also planted yellow summer squash, both the straight and crooknecked. I was cutting up a bunch yesterday for freezing, and some of the crookneck ones are VERY hard, more like an unripe butternut or other winter squash. Do I have something weird here, or are they maybe just older than they should have been? If that is the case, is there a way to still make them edible?

 

[Greenthumb18]

In addition to zucchini, this year I also planted yellow summer squash, both the straight and crooknecked. I was cutting up a bunch yesterday for freezing, and some of the crookneck ones are VERY hard, more like an unripe butternut or other winter squash. Do I have something weird here, or are they maybe just older than they should have been? If that is the case, is there a way to still make them edible?

You probably let them sit on the vine too long, they should of been harvested when young.

 

[obsessed]

Summer squash should be harvest as young as possible for best flavor. If I wait to long on the crooked neck then they dont taste so good .

 

[Ridgerunner]

If the seeds are anywhere near developed, you waited too long. I find I need to get them within two days of the squash first developing.

If I'm going to freeze squash, I gather what is ready, store it in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator for a couple of days, gather what has grown in new and freeze it all, both zucchini and the yellow squash. In the winter I find frozen squash to be pretty good, but let's face it. The texture of frozen squash is not great so I find that refrigerating some for a couple of days before I process it really doesn't hurt it that badly.

I keep the yellow squash and zucchini cleaned off the vines so they will keep producing. If I can't use it I split it and feed it to the chickens. They eat it all, seeds and pulp, leaving only the rind even if it is too old for me to use.

 

[lesa]

It is hard to keep up with them. If I don't feel like sharing with the chickens- I just scoop out the seed portion and cook the rest.