2014 Winter Squash Recommendations.

[Fleurisa]

I'm growing Red Kuri as a climber, and growing like crazy, loads of fruit. I can't comment on flavour or keeping as this is the first time I've grown it

[chris]

Potimarron is nice, but seriously if you want sweet, nowt is compariable to CP

Red Kuri to me, is quite bland.

Jarrahdale are quite nice too, but they are huge plants.. I have two growing and both are probably twice the size of the next nearest squash (CPs, incidentally). I have Black Futsu which has a good flavour, but the seed cavity is huge inside it - so you only really get "wedges".

Zaz introduced me to "white serpent" - they are amazing. Large plants, but you can use them as courgetts, marrows, or grow them on as winter squash. They keep an incredibly long time too - they're a heritage squash.. so if you want to try them make sure you get the correct seeds as they are a lot that look similar. I might have 1 or two spare, I'm not sure... as for whatever reason I having grown them this year. If I do get the blue banana to fruit successfully (they're grown in large pots so will be moved undercover after they're growing well) I'll be saving the seed so will have enough to send you some to try.

[Tiberius]

I'm growing Spaghetti, 3 plants and about 5/6 friuts so far on each - very prolific. Turks Turban, of which one has produced a squash and it's funny looking, although it's supposed to look like that! Sweet Winter Dumpling, again only one of which has produced a squash. I know it's technically not a winter squash and more of a courgette but I have grown Patty Pan's for the past few years and they always do well and have a good flavour. I've been very sad this morning and produced a chart to help me decide on next years squashes, so far I have decided on Hasta La Pasta, Autumn Crown, Honey Bear, Butterbush, Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato, Burgess Vine Buttercup and Harlequin....I'm now just worried about the amount of space these will take up!

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Charts are good Tiberius. You'll be glad to hear that you are unlikely to remain alone on that one. :/

[PyreneesPlot]

Another vote for CP down here. Also like Golden Hubbard and it has stored well so far. Marina di Chioggia is good too.

Thumbs up for chart construction. In fact we need one on here and then we could maybe each give the squash we grow points for different criteria and then find the Ultimate Squash. (Sorry, mods.)

[realfood]

Bon Bon is very good, but does not store as long as Crown Prince, which should store till May.

[Vince G]

I'm growing Spaghetti, 3 plants and about 5/6 friuts so far on each - very prolific.

Just the one very large one on mine, annoyingly. First time I've grown it, so I found this useful vid on You Tube, showing you how to prepare it.....in a microwave.

Spaghetti Squash 101 - YouTube

[Tiberius]

Thanks for that Vince, I had been worrying for the past week about getting a pan big enough to boil the much larger ones in to cook them!

[vikkib]

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Closet spreadsheet fan

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Just realised that I don't need Turks Turban or Spaghetti - I already have them in the seed vat!

[SarzWix]

I've got quite a few varieties on the go this year too. Last year's favourite was Potimarron which cropped really well in my tunnel, so I've grown that again along with a couple of varieties of butternut. Outside I have Blue Banana, Boston golden hubbard type, Sunshine, Shark Fin Melon, Festival and a mystery one from the Seed Circle.

The Blue Banana has only set one fruit, but it's humungous, like a big blue zeppelin.
Boston has also only set one fruit, but it's pretty big.
Festival has yet to set any fruit, but it was the last one in.
Shark Fin Melon is the biggest thug I've ever grown, it managed to take over 2 9m x 2m beds before deigning to set fruit. Doesn't matter how good it turns out to be, I won't be growing it again!
Sunshine has set 2 small fruits, not enough to justify its space, unless they are ambrosial.
Mystery has managed 4 reasonable sized fruits that resemble small pumpkins at the moment. Time will tell on that!

[chris]

My blue bananas were ALL eaten by slugs. I cannot believe it, crafty things munched their way inside them

My best performer this year is one from franchi - tonda padana - loads of fruit on each plant and they're getting rather large. Next up is Thelma, which look lovely - definately growing those again

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Sarzwix will have to report back on the taste of the Blue Banana. Sounds like one fruit will be enough for a small army. Potimarron look very tempting.

Thelma do look ace and having looked up 'tonda padana' I might have to grow them just to look at! How are your Crown Prince Chris? Will try and bag you some seeds if I see any early on Friday.

[chris]

Is that when the sale is on? I'll pop out of work as I literally, work around the corner.

I can't remember if I'm growing any this year... haven't been very organised this year!

[veggiechicken]

Hey, Chris, if you're on the spot - pop in each day and let us know when the sale starts - there's a good man