Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: gavinjconway on September 13, 2012, 11:05
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I have added this diary page so I can direct people to the information on gemsquash that I give away because I cant direct people to my personal web-blog site.. Hope it is accepted by the mods..
Gem Squash “Rolet” or "Little Gem"
This is a summer-fruiting squash variety, like a courgette but with the creaminess and superb flavour of a winter storing squash. It means you can harvest regularly for many weeks from July / August and yet it stores right on through the winter. Each plant can produce fifteen or more cricket ball size individual fruits grown on trailing vines.
Propagation: You can propagate the seeds as you would do for other cucurbits and grow on in pots.They will start to trail so don’t worry. Keep them in a warm spot or your in your greenhouse and protect from very cold spells. Plant out when ALL signs of frost is over. BEWARE frost will kill them stone dead!!
Where to plant: Require direct sunlight growing position.
When to plant: Early spring directly into the ground – see below. Or you can propagate as above. Approximately 70 days (2-3 months) to harvest.
How to plant: Same as Pumpkin or Butternut.
Propagate as above or prepare basins of well matured soil 3–5 foot apart. Plant 6–8 seeds in each basin,
1 to 2 inches deep. Germination takes approximately 7–14 days
Spacing: When plants are established, thin out leaving 3 or 4 of the moist vigorous plants.
Common Problems: Powdery mildew causes a white, powdery mold growth on the upper surfaces of the leaves. The growth can kill the leaves prematurely and interfere with proper ripening. Cucumber beetles and squash bugs attack seedlings, vines and both immature and mature fruits. Be alert for an infestation of cucumber beetles and squash bugs, as populations build in late summer, because these insects can damage the mature fruits, marring their appearance and making them less likely to keep properly. Combat both powdery mildew and beetle by spraying plants with a mild organic soap solution. Check with your local garden center for a natural, organic pesticide.
Remarks: A rich well draining soil is required. Rolet gem squash is a very prolific bearer. Fruit can get large (cricket ball size) very quickly. The rind starts off light green turning to a very dark green in colour and retains this color well after the fruit is fully ripe. Eventually they can turn yellow with a hard skin. Juvenile (small) fruit can be picked and cooked whole or preferably cut in half.
Cooking: When tennis ball size and skins are still soft is best time to pick. They can be light green to a dark green. Cut in half and simmer for about 7-10 minutes.. remove and drain. mix in some butter or margarine and eat - skins included!!.... delicious. When they get old they turn a bit yellow inside and are stronger in taste. Cook a wee bit longer and scrape the flesh from the skins, mix with butter, salt and pepper.
If they are a little on the hard side one normally doesn’t eat the seeds...
PM me or add a thread in "swap shop" if you would like to swap me something for some..
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Comments and discussion removed at Gavin's request. This is an information page, so it is locked to retain its integrity.