[Russell Atterbury]

I will hopefully be getting some tromboncino seed sent to me, and as it will be another 1st timer, I would like a bit of how to go about it advice.
1. Is it advisable for me to start indoors, and if so, when, and when to plant out?
2. Being a climber, is it ok for them to go up for like 6/7 foot, then be trained sort of sideways?
3. As i will need to keep for seed, is it better to leave one of the first to grow, and leave this to mature. How do you know when a fruit would be a good one for seed. Are there normally quite a few seeds in one fruit?
Advance thanks for any replies.

[Yorkie]

I've not grown these, so can't offer an answer to Qs 2 & 3, but as for Q1, I imagine that they are frost tender like all other squashes. So it will partly depend on when your last frost date is likely to be (and count backwards from that), and also whether you have a greenhouse to shelter them at all.

So, my last frost date is about the end of May, so I aim to plant out early June, which means I don't sow indoors (under warmth or heat) until mid-April, and then aim to start hardening off during the day during the last couple of weeks of May.

[mumofstig]

I grow Tromba d'Albenga (a variety of Tromboncino) every year, up one end of my bean frame from where it can grow along the fence, as it fancies 
Also see this old post, of how much they can grow if they're happy and the size they grow to.
https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=116766.msg1353131#msg1353131
The ones that get more bulbous ends will have 'better' seeds inside, and leave them to ripen on the plant. Note, they will cross-pollinate if you grow other squash in the same group (C. moschata: Butternut, Crookneck, Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Tromboncino)

Use them smaller, when green as courgettes or when bigger as squash. Italians even make a jam-style preserve out of them
Good luck!

[Russell Atterbury]

Thanks mumofstig and Yorkie, for the answers. I think my timings should coincide with starting indoors mid April. And maybe mum foresaw my plan to grow up and along the strong garden fence. From her point on cross pollination, i should say that it was my plan to use the fence this year to also grow the courgette against, and quite close to the tromboncino.
So I now have to ask if this will be bad for me regarding 'crossing' of plants?

[wolveryeti]

Thanks mumofstig and Yorkie, for the answers. I think my timings should coincide with starting indoors mid April. And maybe mum foresaw my plan to grow up and along the strong garden fence. From her point on cross pollination, i should say that it was my plan to use the fence this year to also grow the courgette against, and quite close to the tromboncino.
So I now have to ask if this will be bad for me regarding 'crossing' of plants?

Crossing only matters if you want to save seeds- regardless of the pollen it is fertilised with a true tromba will have the same fruit.

Great cultivar IMO - almost too good. They are more resistant to the white mould that gets all squashes eventually so they just keep cropping. Got a ridiculous amount last year - still eating them. I didn't train them up anything - they grew very happily on the ground, where they curve. This is convenient as you can drape them around your neck coming back from the plot (freeing your hands).

Better picked small IMO - the mature squashes are not as nice as a proper winter squash...

[Russell Atterbury]

Yes wolveryeti, i do need to save seed for the next year. Would nearby courgette ruin my hopes for doing this?

[mumofstig]

From her point on cross pollination, i should say that it was my plan to use the fence this year to also grow the courgette against, and quite close to the tromboncino.
So I now have to ask if this will be bad for me regarding 'crossing' of plants?

Courgettes in a different group

C. pepo: Pattypan, Acorn, Straightneck, Zucchini, Gourds

so won't cross with the Trombas - explained here
 
https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/5-tips-for-avoiding-squash-cross-pollination

[Russell Atterbury]

https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/5-tips-for-avoiding-squash-cross-pollination
Knowledge is power mumofstig, and you are a powerful lady. Thanks again.

[Subversive_plot]

I grew tromboncino once. I liked them, they have a firmer texture than courgettes, but I used them the same way. Harvest when very young, "neck" the diameter of your thumb or smaller.

They are fantastic, if you can provide a sturdy fence or trellis. They can easily spread 5 meters in any direction unless "trained". On an allotment, I wouldn't grow on a fence with a neighboring plot, unless by agreement with your neighbor (I suggest letting a neighbor keep squash that develop on their side).

I read somewhere that they are considered a gourd (but an edible gourd). I think any squash that develops a good seed cavity (bulbous end close to the flower) will yield plenty of seed. I would make that one of the earlier fruits. You will need to prevent pollination with other squash etc. that are not tromboncino.

[Mr Dog]

As mum says, ripe ones are big. These 2 were ca44" (1.1m) long

[Russell Atterbury]

I think what i read about tromboncino makes it a very interesting one to grow. I would like to ask y'all, on the basis of a decent summer how many i should think to put in the ground for an extended family of 6 adults and a few kids. I will grow 3 courgette also, as everyone likes them. I'm just hoping for a bit more success after last years battle with quite cold nights/spells.

[Potterer]

Well, I grew one plant and had large 3-5 large fruits 2-3 times a usual courgette size) twice a week for ages. I had to give loads away as there’s two of us. I would suggest two plants at most!

[mumofstig]

For that many people I'd suggest 3 or 4 plants, in case of low pollination rates. (I always grow 2 plants - just for me  )
Better to have too many than not enough 

[Russell Atterbury]

The anticipation of what might happen is building up. A new tomato for me this year, and now tromboncino that i just want to witness in the flesh, so to speak....on top of that i have to hope i can germinate indoors, some of last years packet of parsnip ( I have plenty Left, but need at least 2 for continuation of seed only plants). Then shift growing them to the rear of the house little plot, to start a 1 year cycle of rotation. Roll on spring.

[welshdigger]

I have grown Tromboncino for the last seven or eight years. They do need a frame to climb  at least 6 feet high  as the fruit grow very long. Too low and you get some very interesting  shapes. I do eat them as courgette as well as summer squash but also find they store really well. The flesh is very dense and I have found I can store them right through winter.
I usually grow them in a polytunnel but last year grew them on the veg patch. The results were nowhere near as good.
I have grown from saved seed and never had any cross pollination issues even when grown in the vicinity of other squashes.