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Post by benboo on Sept 15, 2012 20:09:34 GMT -5
I need a recommendation for a winter squash. This year I tried to grow blue hubbard squash seeds from a store-bought seed packet. The plants were bushy, small and did not produce at all. I had no problems with pumpkins, as I have a couple nice sized ones that are already orange. I am guessing that I need a vigorously running squash, because bush things are so small and weak (besides zukes). I would really like to grow some nice squash next year. What seems to do well for you?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Sept 15, 2012 20:48:38 GMT -5
I need a recommendation for a winter squash. ...What seems to do well for you? Maximas like Hubbard, Banana, etc, tend to be disease and pest magnets. Moschatas like butternuts, and necked squash tend to be more resistant to pests and diseases, but can require a long season. Pepo winter squash are often short season, but are so nasty tasting that there is no point growing them. I haven't successfully grown a mixta squash.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Sept 15, 2012 22:15:21 GMT -5
Hey Benboo, I am in NY myself, down in Chemung County. I can tell you what works well for me so far. Most pepos do really well, Delicata, Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato, Spaghetti squash are all very reliable. I had an amazing Delicata yield this year.
It is hard to go wrong with Butternuts or any medium to small moschata variety like Kikuza or Futtsu. Long Island Cheese is also very good if you have a long enough season. The only issue I have with moschata squash is they seem to be much more susceptible to bacterial fruit rots like black rot and gummy stem blight.
For maximas I have my own maxima landrace that I'm continuing to work on, but I also grow hybrid kabocha squash like Sunshine F1 and Cha Cha. Maximas did terribly for me this year as well. One new to me maxima that did pretty well was Crown Pumpkin from High Mowing seed. It is an Australian Blue type.
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Post by littleminnie on Sept 15, 2012 22:17:58 GMT -5
Oh come on Joseph, do you think Delicata and Dumpling are nasty?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Sept 16, 2012 0:27:01 GMT -5
Oh come on Joseph, do you think Delicata and Dumpling are nasty? I don't remember tasting either, I only remember buying them. I haven't yet tasted a winter pepo that I enjoyed eating. What's the saying, you tasted one pepo, you've tasted them all. But I taste beer every 5 years or so just to make sure that I still hate it, so I'll walk down to the farm stand tomorrow and get a Delicata; a Dumpling too if they are available. Perhaps my tastes have changed, more likely I'll make my beer grimace for a squash.
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 16, 2012 1:20:25 GMT -5
No No, Let me mail you one from my farm. I don't think a store bought anything can compare with home raised with lots of love in it.
I raise all the squashes.
Delicatas are some of my favorites. I also love butternuts.
The big surprise for a beautiful squash in my garden this year is Whangaparoa Crown from one of the wonderful farmers down in NZ. And yes it's a Maxima.
I have always loved the Maxima's for great storage.
This is the first year I have really had problems with Squash Bugs. To that end, I'm going to skip a year of growing squash. It will be very hard because I love squash. Love to eat it. Love to grow it.
I'll post some photos later.
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Post by oxbowfarm on Sept 16, 2012 5:29:51 GMT -5
I have to say that you must never have eaten a properly grown Delicata, Joseph. When they are prime, they are just about the sweetest squash there are.
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Post by benboo on Sept 16, 2012 8:08:42 GMT -5
Thanks everybody!
I will probably try some of the smaller moschatas next year. I don't know why I have not grown them before. The whang crown pumpkin looks interesting, how large did they grow?
Oxbow, did any of your other maximas seem to do well? Was it horribly dry for you this year too?
Joseph, I don't quite understand beer either.
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 16, 2012 13:00:06 GMT -5
The grey in front is Whangaparoa Crown. Winter Luxury is orange, Butternuts are tan, Buttercup is Green. Leo will go weigh them. They look like a decent size to manage. Attachments:
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 16, 2012 13:02:31 GMT -5
Back of the pile, Long Striped are delicatas, short striped dumplings, everything else is an ornamental edible. Except there's a spaghetti squash on the right (tall and skinny looking yellow/Green. Attachments:
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 16, 2012 13:04:25 GMT -5
Green Chioggia in the Right Rear, tray of Spaghetti's behind that. Attachments:
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 16, 2012 13:07:42 GMT -5
Green Nutmeg from Richard in NZ. A couple are ready to pull out, but there's still babies on the vine. Attachments:
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Post by castanea on Sept 16, 2012 13:27:53 GMT -5
I have to say that you must never have eaten a properly grown Delicata, Joseph. When they are prime, they are just about the sweetest squash there are. I think Delicata is the one where the gene pool was contaminated by something bitter. If you grow Delicatas from that gene pool, which is apparently a very high percentage of the Delicata seed grown in the US, they are not tasty. I have had really bad Delicata and really good Delicata.
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Post by castanea on Sept 16, 2012 13:28:37 GMT -5
The grey in front is Whangaparoa Crown. Winter Luxury is orange, Butternuts are tan, Buttercup is Green. Leo will go weigh them. They look like a decent size to manage. That Whangaparoa is nice
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Post by castanea on Sept 16, 2012 13:33:21 GMT -5
I need a recommendation for a winter squash. This year I tried to grow blue hubbard squash seeds from a store-bought seed packet. The plants were bushy, small and did not produce at all. I had no problems with pumpkins, as I have a couple nice sized ones that are already orange. I am guessing that I need a vigorously running squash, because bush things are so small and weak (besides zukes). I would really like to grow some nice squash next year. What seems to do well for you? Kabocha squash -vigorous plants that produce squash with sweet dry flesh. Kabochas are usually C. maxima but some are moschatas.
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