Grow Your Own Magazine

I've got three different winter Squash going. The Crown prince are the biggest and produce the largest fruit. Tons of male flower buds but no females yet on them. The Harlequin is just starting to flower and the Gem has 3 flowers one of which is female.
I think the heatwave nearly did for them so they've got off to a late start but doing fine now.
They're known for being greedy feeders and like lots of water.
One very successful Squash grower I know usually has hers in half full Sun / half dappled light. Maybe that helps to stop them getting too hot?

Does anyone know by any chance which two Squash the Harlequin is cross bred from?
As I saved lots of different Squash seed last year I'm agog to find out what I'm going to get. I think they may have stayed true by the three sizes but it's a guess at the moment. I can't find any images online of differing leaf types though. Not got the patience to wait for the fruit to find out!

There are definately 4 different leaf types though so I'm looking for any online site which will clearly identify them. Then I can make sure I'm giving them the right treatment. My garden loses sun totally from October so I have to garden intensively to get any crops.

I am growing crown prince too and so far only have one fruit growing, although it is growing very well. Another too have fallen off, maybe not pollinated?
And I also have tons of flowers, but they are all female. I'm hoping I will get some male ones soon.

Looks like my Crown Prince and yours should get togther then. Can't find a single female on any of mine!

Oups, that should have been they are all male. Oups. I have two new females forming now though, but all the male flowers are now dying. Typical.

I've pollinated gem squash plants with courgette flowers and cobnut with gem squash and it seems to have worked. (We've eaten both and they were great) so give it a go, you couldn't save the seed hough as you might get anything or nothing at all.

Never mind. If you've got any other squash about like Courgettes or cucumbers it'll be fine cos they'll pollinate.

It's the great mystery which makes squash so much fun when you follow on with the seed I think.
You'll always get something but no idea what!

I've a Farmer friend who grows them for a living and his fields are a joy. He just lets them be and sells whatever comes up in his shop. I've seen virtually all varieties I've ever heard of there and we spend hours trying to work out what it is.