looks disgusting. I am seriously thinking about ripping out the plants because I can’t stand the idea of eating the fruits they’re making. It’s two plants in the same raised bed. They’re getting enough water, fertility is good, and since they’re growing fruit, I assume pollination is good.
Has anyone else experienced this before? Were you able to find a solution?
Edit to add that the variety is supposed to be Early Golden Crookneck, I ordered from Victory Seed Company, and the picture on their website shows totally smooth skin, like the squash of my childhood.
Pretty sure this is just a case of you growing a different variety than you wanted. Maybe seed mix up? Crooknecks tend to be bumpy. Maybe pull tjem sooner. You can eat sqaush at any size
The pictures on the website showed smooth squash. They’re this way from the very start; there is no earlier to when they’re smooth. Maybe the seeds did get mixed up.
sigh I know this is “my year of learning,” but this is the second plant I was super excited about that’s been severely disappointing.
Looks a bit more bumpy than the ones I grow- but it is perfectly fine to eat. That texture is awesome- better for butter and seasoning to stick when grilled.
I know it’s technically safe to eat, but…for 20 years I had panic attacks about various health fears (they were baseless fears, but real panics), and this bumpiness triggers my vomit reflex. I can’t stand looking at bumpy gourds, either. I’ve been working on it, making myself look at and touch them during Autumn when they’re in stores, but I am not ready to eat it yet.
That is golden crookneck after it gets a bit too large. Pick them when 6 inches long and they should be tender and edible. There are smooth skin squash that look basically the same. You might like to know the history. Crookneck squash is an heirloom variety that is unchanged since it was grown in the region around New York state by the Iroquois. It is interesting that even now today we still cook them fried in corn meal the same way they did.
Lol, just noticed Glenn copied his snap bean web page and inserted the squash listings.
It reminds me of some of the errors that can occur. There was a time about 15 years ago when he listed Russian Bogatyr tomato in his catalog. Error checking corrected it to “Russian Bigotry” and that is the way it was published in his catalog.
They are 6” long. I went to the garden and took pictures of younger squash. They range from about 3” to about 5”. You can see the 5” one has already developed its bumpiness, and the 3” one is getting smaller ones, though it’s a manageable look/feel. Do I really have to pick them at 3” to avoid the bumpiness?
Those look about the size of mine or a little larger. Yours I could eat. Thank you for the picture. I know I’m doing SOMETHING wrong, but can’t figure out what. Could they need more nitrogen? The leaves look fine and are still growing.
On a side note for next year, does anyone have a yellow squash recommendation that isn’t as bumpy that has a more tender skin? I tried an early straightneck a few years ago, and I got more from my in-laws last year, but the skin just doesn’t get as soft as I remember the crooknecks from my childhood. They were amazingly tender, iirc.
You think so? The soil tested good on P and K, so do you think I should add more nitrogen? I have fish emulsion, blood meal, and 4-4-4 organic crumbles (I cannot for the life of me remember what it’s actually called, but it’s the consistency of chicken crumbles).
I don’t grow okra, and I can’t fry potatoes well to save my life, but onions always make fried things better. I wonder how it would go with zucchini or tomboncino squash. I just picked our first of those, too . I’ve never tried frying zucchini or squash; it’ll be an interesting experience.
. I’ve never tried frying zucchini or squash; it’ll be an interesting experience.