Has anyone ever grown Black Futsu or Musquee de Provence winter squash? I am growing both this year for the first time and I’m having good success with one variety (although I don’t know which one it is). Can you give me any good tips or tricks for telling which is which? The immature squash don’t really look like I expected either variety to, also do you have any tips on identifying the vine of the non successful (so far) variety? If I can’t find any evidence of the other vine I might try to plant in another area while I maybe have time. Thanks!
You may have to wait for the warty rind of the Futsu to appear–otherwise it is the Provence. Planting winter squash out in the open now would be too late for most gardeners.
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I’ve planted acorn squash this late and been able to pick it before frost hits here in TN in late October, so maybe there is hope- though I’m unfamiliar with the varieties Emily mentions.
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I’m leaning towards it being black futsu just because of the yield, in the last week two vines have set about 8 fruit and I can see a female flower at every leaf. On the other hand some of these fruit look like they are already exceeding the 3 lb mark 1 week in which doesn’t seem right if that’s roughly their max size. I guess I’ll just have to be more patient and wait:grimacing: Just like I am with my butternut that has yet to set a single fruit 
. I could probably get away with planting black futsu this late with crossed fingers and weather cooperation, but Musquee de Provence is probably out of the question with a dtm of 120 days. Next year I’ll have to plant these two varieties farther apart so I can monitor and tell them apart much more easily.
I usually plant my winter squash in early July for October harvest - I don’t want it before then
Musquee de Provence flowers 2-3 weeks latter, the plant is bigger and the fruits at pollination time resemble the mature ones - they are pleated.
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Thank you, Hristo. I did notice that I have a number of vines with underdeveloped flowers so I wondered if I just hadn’t had any blooms or female flowers yet.