Winter Squash & Pumpkins

[digitS']

I will put these on a scale in a few minutes but here is something of the differences in size of what came out of the garden. And, came out genetically in that "land race" specimen, or whatever I should call it, on the left.

The Cinnamon Girl pie pumpkin is in front. That is about my biggest Burgess Buttercup on the upper right. Back in the carport, there are Cha Cha Kabocha that are the same size and color as the Buttercup. I really like the Kabocha and should have pushed one into the basket just because ...

(The cherry tomatoes and garlic are just there for "perspective," of course .)

Steve

 

[digitS']

Okay,

The pie pumpkin is 3 1/2#

The Buttercup is 5 1/2#

The whatever-it-is, is 11#

I think the hybrid La Madera crossed with the Sweet Meat (Oregon Homestead) the 1st season. That may account for the grey color of some of the mature squash. However, those that are grey looked very much like the Buttercups only a few weeks ago and, while they were growing. They had the shape but didn't have the "cup" at the blossom end. Maybe, the Kabocha pollen was also involved. Of course, I didn't save just a single seed from the 3 years these were in my garden. There were several plants each year. So, several blossoms, several squash and lots of seeds.

Honestly, I don't see much reason for me to continue growing the homegrown hybrid. I don't plan to discontinue the Buttercup or Kabocha. The Oregon Homestead was a real, nice winter squash and I may have it back. There may be Others!!. Saving seeds each year will mean that the original La Madera genes will just dilute away ....

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

well if you want to keep growing something and saving seeds you'll have to do some isolated pollinations or plant a lot more of them or something or get new seeds. if the squash is edible and does well in your location i'd not worry about what the name of it might be. Digits Special if you can keep it stable.

it will be time soon to cook up some more squash here now that we've eaten all the small ones i cooked up last week.

 

[ducks4you]

SOOO Jelly!! I didn't plant ANY pumpkins this year!!
I broke down and bought 4 pumpkins at Rural King, 2 regular orange (on sale), one white, and one Porcelain Doll, which I gave to DD's, bc they like pink. I will try to cook them all down after the 31st, but even if I don't, I am harvesting their seeds.
I still have a quartish sized jar of Blue Doll seeds, which I harvested from 2018.
A neighbor grew some right outside their front porch this year. Don't know if they got much fruit, but the vining was pretty,

 

[baymule]

We made pumpkin pie! What fun!

Giant Pink Banana Squash PIE!

We had our 3 granddaughters for the weekend. The 13 year old spent one night, then left to go stay at friends houses. So the 4 and 5 year old helped me pick out a Giant Pink Banana Squash to make a pumpkin pie. @digitS' I told you if I made a pie, it would get its own thread and here it is! LOL...

www.theeasygarden.com

 

[ducks4you]

Did you use the Porcelain Doll pumpkin? I understand that the colored pumpkins, like the Blue Doll that I grew a few years ago are hybrids.

 

[ducks4you]

Porcelain Doll - Pink Pumpkin Seeds | Johnny's Selected Seeds

The perfect pink partner to Jarrahdale. Add diversity to fall ornamental displays with the unique color of Porcelain Doll. The sweet flesh can be used for ...

www.johnnyseeds.com

I gave this to DD's, Youngest DD wants to carve it up and cook the seeds. I told her that she can Have the seeds to cook from the orange pumpkins, but that I wanted to save THESE seeds for 2021. Eldest DD suggested using a Sharpie?!?!?

 

[digitS']

This is another example of a C. maxima squash masquerading as a pumpkin. (Notice in the quick facts on the webpage)

That might be okay with the flavor and usefulness in cooking. I suspect it's true and we have Johnny's vouching for it .

I wish that the C. maxima didn't so often require so many days-to-maturity. I know, I'm a broken record ...

Steve

 

[Zeedman]

The freeze is coming this week, so it was finally time to harvest the rest of the mature Tromboncino. They each weigh 5-6 pounds. I'll let them cure indoors for another week or two, then cut off the bulb (where all the seeds are). The bulbs will be allowed to cure further until next month, at which time the seeds will be harvested. The necks will be peeled, sliced, and dehydrated.

Tromboncino

The chalky coating on the skins was caused by the soap spray I used to kill the squash bugs. The white stain won't wash off, but doesn't appear to cause any damage beyond the appearance.

I'm glad to have the mature Tromboncino, since the seeds within will last another 8-10 years. But I really miss the winter squash this year, which were fatally stunted by the weed pressure. I'd hoped to plant some bush acorn squash instead, since I've planted those as late as July 4th & still got a few mature squash... but nobody locally had the seed this year. Guess that's one more thing I'll have to start saving seed for.

 

[flowerbug]

sometime i should see if i can make a video just to see if i can do it. seed saving, squash, the dry method for the larger squash with the shiny seed coats...

i was watching a video from a place that is kind of local and he was rinsing off the seeds in a collander and to me that makes it harder and involves more steps as you have to then dry off the seeds with a cloth or towel first or you can layer them on newspaper to dry, but then you have yet another waste product to deal with.

nope, i like to keep it simple, just squish the seeds out with your fingers and remove the flesh from them as much as you care to do (the more the better, but to a point you don't have to get every last bit) and then dry them.

if you use a plastic tray then make sure to stir the seeds while they're drying so that they don't get fungi going on them. once they're dried you can rub them between your hands/fingers and most of what is left will come right off. you really don't have to do this (it just looks bad) for your own uses as once they are dried they're ok for storage. if you plan on giving seeds away they probably do look bad.

yesterday i cleaned up a small batch of the green kabocha seeds (after they had dried completely), they look nicer than they did.