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Post by Hristo on Dec 14, 2010 21:21:27 GMT -5
Undoubtedly one of the reasons for the lack of really good tasting large "winter squash" type pepo varieties is the lack of purposive breeding for such type of pepo varieties. The obvious reason for that is the existence of maxima and moschata species which fill that niche. Pepo's fill the ornamental, edible seed and summer squash niches. But when I look at the bigger "winter squash" pepo's, even popular for their taste varieties like New England Sugar Pie, Winter Luxury Pie and Melonette Jaspee de Vendee are listed as "good" in my book, which is not enough (at least for me). While all "excellent" tasting varieties as Honeyboat, Sugarloaf, Gill's Golden Pippin are too small. So I'm still very curious what happen with the Large Sugarloaf project. P.S. Quote: "We all have had super big Potimarrons, and I have had Rouge Vif D'Estampes that were about 3-4 times the usual size." - I think it's time for you to start growing and AG's. Maybe you will be the one who will bring the record back in Canada. Think about this .
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Post by canadamike on Dec 14, 2010 22:13:14 GMT -5
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Post by Hristo on Dec 14, 2010 22:44:28 GMT -5
;D The mice here definitely prefer the kabocha type squashes and past years they were big pest to my kabochas and melons. Luckily this summer we had VERY low mice population, so low that our cats starved to death ;D (in case someone didn't get it, that was a joke). Some people suggest that the reason for this were the rains we had, drowning 1-2 of mice litters . So this year I had no damaged squashes .
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Post by galina on Dec 16, 2010 10:47:27 GMT -5
;D The mice here definitely prefer the kabocha type squashes and past years they were big pest to my kabochas and melons. Luckily this summer we had VERY low mice population, so low that our cats starved to death ;D (in case someone didn't get it, that was a joke). Some people suggest that the reason for this were the rains we had, drowning 1-2 of mice litters . So this year I had no damaged squashes . Sorry, I digress. Our mice like yellow squashes. Last year they caused havoc with the butternuts and this year we had teethmarks in the Thelma Sanders squashes. They leave other colours alone.
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Post by lmonty on Jan 19, 2011 18:40:06 GMT -5
AFAIK prostrate means to lay flat, usually face down-if one has a face!- and my best guess is in description of it as vine it would tend to make me think its a flat ground and/or shorter vine and not suitable for climbing....am i on track with that??
great pics, and a naked seeded squash pumpkin is on my "to buy" seed list now. i was tentatively thinking Kakai but the info you gave really changed my mind. sounds like triple treat or godiva would be a better choice. thanks for saving me a year or more figuring that out!
are either of those a moschata, might you know? i have a hard time due to squash bugs/ beetles. so the more insect resistant the better.
i haven't had much luck keeping pepos alive long enough to get a winter squash matured and would really prefer to work with a variety i dont have to spray or cover, because sustainability with low inputs is a real important criteria for me.
any other ideas??
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jan 19, 2011 19:08:33 GMT -5
As far as I know, all naked seed squashes are Pepos... Regarding bugs... My strategy is to plant 50 varieties and save seed from those plants that survive best. Cause it's not just the bugs. It's how the bugs/plants interact with my soil, my climate, my weeds, my microbes, and my habits. What is bug proof in other people's gardens might croak a horrible bug infested death in my garden. Last year 1 pepo variety was susceptible to bugs out of the 15 that I planted. I say that so blithely. It wasn't just susceptible, it was devastated.
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Post by DarJones on Jan 19, 2011 20:40:53 GMT -5
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Post by 12540dumont on Apr 27, 2011 15:31:47 GMT -5
Canadamike, I saw another small oil press in the Bountiful Gardens 2011 catalog. We grow Kakai, & Lady Godiva. Although the flesh is only good for chicken feed, I bake every week for my CSA with the pumpkin seeds. Below is one of the favorites.
Pumpkin Bars • 4 eggs • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar • 1 cup vegetable oil • 15-ounce of cooked pumpkin (I use Naples Long, Chioggia, or Winter Luxury) • 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup of pumpkin seeds • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
I received some of the Little Green Seed from the Long Island Seed Project. We hope to find a pumpkin just a little smaller than Kakai and with as many lovely green seeds! So far to get just the oil, I put them in the frying pan till they jump and then whir them in the food processor. It's not pretty, but works for a couple of T. of salad dressing.
Let me know when you breed a Winter Luxury pie pumpkin with Naked Seeds. I'll be the first in line for that one.
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Post by lieven on May 30, 2011 15:57:39 GMT -5
Little Greenseed did well here for a few years - I didn't sow them properly this spring so the seeds rotted; better next year. Doing well for me: quite stable & good yields. Flesh smells & tastes yucky: too bad! I'm going to try some dual purpose varieties in 2012; thanks for suggesting a few!
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