Thanks! A lot of grocery store veg is F1 (probably almost everything), but might still be worth it. I have positive experiences with peppers and pumpkin/squash, more negative with tomatoes (poor productivity and taste).
On (that) topic, an F3 from Crown Prince, grows massively, haven’t tasted yet but really liked the taste of the parent fruits:
Wow that is very yellow! I think this explanation has me more excited about all the seeds I save and grow from grocery store produce since there is a wildcard element…the white acorn squash is just the first big surprise.
Anyone else having a hard squash borer year? They always used to be a beginning of July thing. Find them and you’re done. I have been finding a whole new round of them the last week. They are driving me insane! They nearly killed a spaghetti squash vine that I somehow brought back from the dead and got producing again over the last month only to just find 3 more today destroying the vine! And I’ve seen the &$@! Squash borer moth flying around and I can’t seem to capture or kill it. I’m SO over this. Only c moschata next year.
Trombone squash for the win. High SVB pressure here. Trombone is crazy productive and versatile. Could not recommend it more.
I already bought the seeds for next year!!
the big guy, I’ll let this one that was earliest go fully ripe for winter squash and save the seeds for next year.
that first candy roaster is ripe. small but ripe really early.
edit; I’ve only gotten two summer squash at all. i love crookneck and have none to eat. the plants are still starting to flower
I overseeded a 4x8 bed with random old squash seeds, all named cultivars. So I could justify buying new seeds next year! I also added in a few packets of newly bought Naked Seeded types. So most of the bed will be those. But I do see a few spots of other winter types germinated. So it’s like Christmas, I wonder what will develop. I’m not super interested in saving seeds this year from anything so everything is a surprise and no worries about crosses next year.
Anyone know what this is? I’m pretty sure this is what one volunteer came from. ours are all white (very boring), but crazy prolific. There are at least 20 of them and still producing. Any hope it’s decently edible?
These are what it has made, super boring unless you’re into that all white fall decorations look…
The volunteer hooked gourds are really pretty. Crazy prolific as well. A rodent moved into the pumpkin patch, as the tunnels through the grass appeared again, but the cages seem to be working because the tunnels go to each cage but not inside/no bite marks…yet. Fingers crossed. Last year, something took up residence in September and took 10 bites out of every single pumpkin and broke my heart.
Thai kang kob is finally producing more fruit with 5 on each vine. Still stingy compared with other squash, but happy to have more growing. High hopes for these, no picture.
Where did you get the seeds for the mini butternuts?
Row 7 seeds
that bigger one, like with any squash- when it’s ready cut a slice and taste it raw. if it’s not bitter it’s edible.
“this year I’ll be organized and label and keep the squashes tidy” 
I didn’t know that trick, thanks!
AMAZING tromboncino.
Looks like my Boston Marrow winter squash has made one giant squash and a few smaller ones. I got the seeds planted quite late, so I am surprised it has grown so much. I have never grown it before, but thought I would try it. Photos of a big one and a little one below. Kinda pretty color.
My Hopi Pale Gray squash has put on some squashes, and they are starting to size up. I have never tried it before, but it is supposed to be an excellent keeper, lasting a year or so. I love things that keep forever with no processing like winter squash and sweet potatoes. Photo below:
I am picking so many yellow summer squash and zucchini now that I don’t know what to do with it all. As the old country saying goes, to paraphrase, the neighbors better lock their car doors or they may come out to bags of zucchini in their cars! I have given bags to neighbors, and eaten a lot sautéed with onions. Last year I made squash, cheese and onion casseroles and froze them, and they turned out good, but my freezer is getting full. I may just cut them up with onions and olive oil and roast them in the oven in a huge batch and put in meal-size portions in freezer bags and freeze them. Got to go through the big deep freeze today and bring some stuff up for meals this week. This was today’s haul:
I got them seeded quite late and have not had any evidence of squash vine borers or bugs. Maybe planting them later helps with that. I don’t know for sure.
Sandra
We primarily use zucchini for zoodles…very easy and a good way to use up a lot at once.
@Eme Glad you mentioned that! I bought one of those zoodle maker gizmos several years ago when I was on a low carb kick and have never used it. I will have to dig it out from my canning and preserving supplies. Thanks for the reminder.
Sandra
Looking for opinions: I went on vacation for 10 days and came back to my pumpkin patch just drowning in disease. It all used to look like the healthy growth in the bottom right of the picture. First picture is from a few days ago, second picture is Friday after I went through and cut out 25% or more of the most diseased leaves. But, it’s spreading and much worse today. Definitely too far gone to treat. The majority and where it began is on decorative gourd vines. There’s about 5-6 acorn squash and same number Thai Kang Kob in there with vines withstanding the worst of the mildew. Point being- most (50 or so squash) is not for eating.
Would you A) say who cares and let it go until it’s all dead and then rip out/harvest or B) rip it all out now or C) continue to cut out the worst until it’s likely at point A?
Just like my melons, it’s my first year struggling with winter squash disease. Quite the year.
When does your growing season end?
Like my tomatoes, my squash get more affected by disease/pests as their vigor runs down late in the season. If there isn’t alot of time left in the growing season, ill try to guide the plant more towards ripening its existing fruit rather than new growth. In addition, i try to manage its affliction as opposed to eradication.
Ill spray a light mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide,Dawn, and water over my squashes to manage mildew. My understanding is HP kills mildew, baking soda upsets the Ph preventing imeadiate return, and Dawn helps it wett across the surfaces.
Thank you! I’ll definitely try that mixture next year. My season could run through November, but normally I’m harvesting a first round of winter squash in mid/end August. Things getting pollinated now, do technically have enough time to mature, although the deer become a big problem in mid September to October generally ruining the late harvest. But, my chicken wire cages seem to be keeping them from eating. The existing edibles are almost mature with a few not there yet. (Although, I don’t know how to judge acorn squash as it’s my first year and it’s white, so no color to go off of.) Not sure how relevant maturity is for the decorative gourds.
