[1jim]

Hi Tills/anyone
We are growing spaghetti squash for the first time this although all my squashes got a little mixed up (spaghetti squash, butternut squash, pumpkin), I have identified the pumpkins and think I probably have worked out the butternuts although can only see 2 fruits resembling butternut squash shape. Most of the squashes are green and stripey...are these very far behind/will they catch up? and when will I know they are ready? silly questions I know.

[MoreWhisky]

My advice is to leave the squash on the vine until the vines shrivel and die in the Autumn, when they will be properly mature and have as much sweetness and flavour as possible.

I will be having sleepless nights with this method as i can see all these lovely different coloured squashes standing out like a sore thumb next to the site fence (

[8doubles]

My advice is to leave the squash on the vine until the vines shrivel and die in the Autumn, when they will be properly mature and have as much sweetness and flavour as possible.

I will be having sleepless nights with this method as i can see all these lovely different coloured squashes standing out like a sore thumb next to the site fence (

Pick a few when they are ripe, best not to have all your eggs in one basket.

[Tills]

1 Jim

The spaghetti squashes which were inadvertantly picked were also pale green and slightly stripey.  They also have particularly jaggy stems if that helps you identify them.  The largest of them are currently the size of rugby balls.   I have never actually seem one of these things in real life before so I dont know what size they are supposed to get to but, according to my internet research, they should be picked in September or October when they have gone yellow or orange.  There you have the sum total of my knowledge on the subject.

[1jim]

Thanks Tills, the sum of your knowledge far exceeds my own
I shall leave them will alone and see what happens....must get better at labelling next year though

[barbarella]

No-one has mentioned Potimarron squashes yet, but I have grown them for the last two years.  Last year I picked them when they were a warm orange and the size of a honeydew melon and left them on the top shelf in the greenhouse for a few weeks - they were beautiful and sweet. 

This year I spotted a yellow squash amongst the different types I gew, and wasn't sure what it was but I picked it anyway and left it to ripen in the greenhouse where it turned orange and identified itself as a Potimarron .  Again it was sweet and delicious.    By now, the others on the plant had also turned orange so I picked one and cooked it the same day - bad idea!  It was utterly tasteless so now I know always to store them for a little while first. 

Another tip is to make sure you pick your allotment crop well before Halloween or you may find someone has got there before you!

[1jim]

Ive not come across that squash before (how do you eat/prepare them?)
I think next year I will be devoting a lot of spash to lots of different types of squash, this year have pumpkin (for children/pumkin competition/chutney and soup), spaghetti (supposed to be nice and used instead of spaghetti although never tried one before), butternut (because we eat loads of these a home) as well as the normal red/yellow courgettes (?sp)

[mumofstig]

No-one has mentioned Potimarron squashes

Do they really taste like chestnuts, as their name says they do?
I've often looked at them in the catalogues and wondered........cos I do like chestnuts

[8doubles]

No-one has mentioned Potimarron squashes

Do they really taste like chestnuts, as their name says they do?
I've often looked at them in the catalogues and wondered........cos I do like chestnuts

Don`t know about Potimarron squashes but the Sweet Mama squashes i grow are chestnutty. I grow more of these than butternuts because of the better flavour, if you like chestnuts.

[mumofstig]

ooh ta muchly 

[barbarella]

No-one has mentioned Potimarron squashes

Do they really taste like chestnuts, as their name says they do?
I've often looked at them in the catalogues and wondered........cos I do like chestnuts

Now you come to mention it, yes they do.  They are really sweet and nutty and they are my favourite squashes.  A French heirloom variety I believe - I got mine from Seeds of Distinction from T&M do them as well.

[barbarella]

Ive not come across that squash before (how do you eat/prepare them?)
I think next year I will be devoting a lot of spash to lots of different types of squash, this year have pumpkin (for children/pumkin competition/chutney and soup), spaghetti (supposed to be nice and used instead of spaghetti although never tried one before), butternut (because we eat loads of these a home) as well as the normal red/yellow courgettes (?sp)

1jim - hi, after storing them at least a week in a light airy place, I cut them into segments like an orange and roast them in the oven for about 30-40 minutes in a little olive oil.  Don't bother to peel them (I got that from Jamie Oliver).  We eat the lot, like jacket potatoes, but more fastidious folk (like our kids ) just eat the flesh. 

[Chuffy]

Another fan of Potimarron here. Absolutely delicious. Grew them last year, had a bumper haul, gave away quite a few and stored the rest in our outhouse. Unfortunately our outhouse turned out to not be frost free. They got frost damaged, rotted and were slung on the compost heap. 

Happily they self-seeded on the heap and have produced another haul this year, all by themselves. 

@Barbarella - no peel? Ta for the tip, I'll try that. I usually leave butternuts unpeeled but not Potis. Hopefully I'll be putting this to the test in the next few weeks...

[MoreWhisky]

Just googled Potimarron they look very much like my Uchi Kuchi

[barbarella]

Yes they do, but do you mean Uchi Kuri?  I googled Uchi Kuchi and got a video of a hamster