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Post by steev on Aug 8, 2011 0:21:23 GMT -5
I planted out a bunch of transplants of what I thought were Guatemalan Blue squash. First hint that things were amiss was when ~1/3 of the vines started making Hubbard-shaped fruit, rather than Banana-shaped. Both were quite tasty as young, tender squash. Now that they're maturing, they sure aren't going to be blue; more stripey, blotched green on pink-orange. If they turn out to be of decent taste and keeping quality, I may have my own landrace Winter squash on the way. I'm also selecting for resistance to gophers and voles; the ones that don't survive weren't resistant.
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Post by raymondo on Aug 8, 2011 5:20:32 GMT -5
...I'm also selecting for resistance to gophers and voles; the ones that don't survive weren't resistant. Great selection criterion. Hope the resistance is transferable from one generation to the next!
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Post by steev on Aug 10, 2011 0:33:46 GMT -5
Since the vines produce tendrils for clinging, I'm hoping to encourage them to twine very fast and recognize rodents as a threat. If I can get these squash to throttle the gophers, it will be a great leap forward in squashly self-defense. Pest control and self-procured nitrogenous fertilizer, too.
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Post by 12540dumont on Aug 10, 2011 11:30:09 GMT -5
Oh Steev, Make me laugh till I pee my pants. I have really really bad squash bugs this year. After I finish picking for the CSA I'm going to start pulling vines. I'm thinking about taking the wet vac out and vacuuming squash bugs. The Orange Banana does fabulous here. Once I planted the Sibley, the squash bugs came. I can't find seed for the Blue Banana Next year I'm moving all pepos to a different plot and not growing any maximas. Once you train those squash to throttle the gophers, maybe you can teach them to roll and squash those bugs? The photo is a Naples Long. A wonderful squash. 90% meat and makes a fab ravioli. Attachments:
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Post by grunt on Aug 10, 2011 14:38:10 GMT -5
Holly: I'll swap you some Guatemalan Blue for some Naples long. I'll stick them in with the other seeds when they come.
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Post by 12540dumont on Aug 10, 2011 14:50:06 GMT -5
Dan, Boy do I have seeds for you! Holly
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Post by castanea on Aug 10, 2011 19:12:14 GMT -5
Oh Steev, Make me laugh till I pee my pants. I have really really bad squash bugs this year. After I finish picking for the CSA I'm going to start pulling vines. I'm thinking about taking the wet vac out and vacuuming squash bugs. The Orange Banana does fabulous here. Once I planted the Sibley, the squash bugs came. I can't find seed for the Blue Banana Next year I'm moving all pepos to a different plot and not growing any maximas. Once you train those squash to throttle the gophers, maybe you can teach them to roll and squash those bugs? The photo is a Naples Long. A wonderful squash. 90% meat and makes a fab ravioli. Great photo!
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Post by Darth Slater on Aug 10, 2011 20:20:04 GMT -5
I mentioned this on another forum but, i have defeated the SVB..simple, i use aluminum duct tape around the base where they lay there eggs, i also have bags that wrap around the base of the plant with velcro at both ends to adjust for growth..I can now grow any Maximas i like!! Also, it should be know that if you squash the eggs from the squash bugs on the leaf it still tranfers the disease to the plant, better to tear that section of the leaf the eggs are on and dispose of it.it doesnt hurt the plat, also the young squash bugs tend to stick together in clusters on leaves I just tear the whole leaf off bugs and all and dispoe of it! Never hurts the plant.
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Post by steev on Aug 10, 2011 20:26:28 GMT -5
That's a big damn squash! How does it keep?
I was originally attracted to Guatemalan Blue precisely because it doesn't get as big as Orange Banana. I'm not as intimidated now, since I figure I can just can squash for jar-bread and such.
Although I'm interested in squash/gopher defense, my real interest is in developing cherries that will eject their seeds at marauding birds, thereby protecting the fruit while pitting it for drying. The biggest hurdle seems to be preventing the whole tree from "ejecting" at once, leaving the harvest unprotected. It can also be somewhat disconcerting to the unsuspecting when they inadvertantly bump a branch.
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Post by 12540dumont on Aug 11, 2011 14:37:29 GMT -5
Steev, I haven't tried to keep one past March. By then we are usually squashed out. The Pink Banana gets about 22 pounds here. The problem with them is their very size. I have to cut them for the CSA. For some this is an issue, because once they are cut, you have to eat them. That's why I tried the Sibley's. This is the 2nd year in a row they were completely devastated by squash bugs. They go on my list with delicatas for fussy squash.
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Post by steev on Aug 11, 2011 15:07:18 GMT -5
Sounds like a good keeper to me; hope you can trade me some Naples Long for the PEPH that I'll be sending in the Fall.
I wonder what the results would be of thin-slicing and dehydrating some of these big squash types. I really like dehydrated melon, but have to be careful to keep it sealed in small batches because it has so much sugar, it sucks water from the air very easily. Another project to investigate, just what I need.
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Post by 12540dumont on Aug 11, 2011 18:52:52 GMT -5
Steve, I've been dehydrating this and all squash. I'm doing some with cinnamon sugar, and a few with salt and curry. I'm putting them in quart jars. I take out just what I need and put them back.
One of my books said just cut them and dehydrate them. The other said they should be blanched first. So, I blanched.
This week I started with tomatoes. I'm drying all the ugly ones. Last week I did onions. MMMM was just like a carnival...I kept drawing the feral men in the neighborhood. Like jays, always hungry.
I'll set aside some seed for you.
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Post by steev on Aug 11, 2011 20:23:06 GMT -5
Thanks so much.
Unless there's a discoloration issue, I don't know why I'd blanch squash; since I'd slice it ~1/4", I think my dehydrator would dry it pretty fast. How does squash reconstitute? Not that it would matter much, since I'd only use it in soups and stews, I think. On second thought, I wonder how little cubes of dried squash would do as "raisins" in a quick bread. If I ever get around to doing half the things I think up, I'm doing well. Course, it's probably better that I don't do half the things I think up....
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Aug 11, 2011 22:10:46 GMT -5
I've dehydrated squash both blanched and raw. I prefer it blanched because it re-hydrates quicker, and it tastes better to me if I'm just sucking on a piece out of the bag.
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Post by steev on Aug 12, 2011 0:17:24 GMT -5
Makes sense.
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