Winter Squash

We have had a very light freeze and the squash probably won't grow any more. I know that with the mature ones, I should let them sit for a couple of weeks to cure before eating them. I also know that some of the very small ones can be eaten as summer squash.
But what do I do with the almost ripe ones -- by that I mean a Sucrine du Berry that is large and heavy (5 lb. or more) but has no orange yet. Will it ripen? Small Sucrine du Berry ( 3 inches or so). Would they be good as summer squash? A Galeux d'Eysines that has only halfway turned orange. a Marina de Chioggia that hasn't got warts yet.
Do we wait for the large ones to mature? Do we eat the small ones?
Last year I had some butternuts that weren't quite ready. I assume they will be after I leave them out to cure on my porch. Are there any stages of the above that aren't good eatin. Are they like pears that sit on the windowsill to ripen?

Sorry that no one seems to have an answer. About all I can suggest is experimentation...trying some of the small ones cooked, ripening the larger ones, etc. The texture and taste may differ slightly from the finished fruits you're accustomed to, but might be pleasant variations. I wonder if the smaller fruits could be grated raw into salads. Please let us know the results you encounter. Yuska

Thanks for your answer. You are right. I will just have to experiment. I can leave them out a little longer, though I doubt if they will get much out of their vines now. Then I will try them and see how they taste. Not all of my winter squash has come out the way it was supposed to, one even looks like a different variety than what I thought I was planting. Oh well. I guess someone has to be the first to get the experience and that person seems to be me! I will post results.

Have you noticed any changes to the squash stems? Are the stems starting to dry even if the squash is not growing any larger? The stem on our youngest and smallest butternut started to dry up with the cooler nights. I will harvest it as is and see how it tastes.

Look what I just found at a German Web Site! It looks just like mine. Not buff colored as in American seed catalogs:
http://www.kcb-samen.ch/shop/product.php?products_id=133580
Or on a french web site:
www.aujardindedgar.fr/v2/produit-1944-COURGE-SUCRINE-DU-BERRY.html

Unfortunately at a French web site they look like this:
http://www.fermedesaintemarthe.com/produits/jardin/01/1234A.htm

And at Bakers Rare Seeds they look just like a butternut squash also at the Missouri Botanical Garden, also rather like a butternut.
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Squash.asp

I will report what happens with mine.

GM,
Are you growing some of these? Betty

Betty, the Swiss Kuerbis site is a terrific find! Thanks for posting it. My aunt brought some seeds over for the "standard" garden pumpkin that is grown in Thueringen. It was a green skinned winter squash. Ironically, I have not found that variety on the KCB site! It's probably so ordinary for them that they didn't think to include it. LOL!

Perhaps you should contact SSE or Amy Goldman who wrote the Complete Squash. Do you have any extras of those seeds? Is it yummy? If so, I would love to arrange a trade or something. If you are interested, please
Dmail me.

The squash was delicious, but sadly we know longer have any seeds. My aunt is coming over again in a week. I'll ask her to mail some before she comes. I don't want her to pack anything that may cause problems at customs. They gave her a difficult time at customs about her very legitimate visa last time. I don't want her be frightened again.

I have one zucchini that's about the size of an eyeball and the cool weather isn't encouraging it to grow anymore. Should I harvest it? Or is it a lost cause?

I'd harvest it before it freezes. Baby zukes used to be a gourmet item.

It'll be about one large bite. But then, it'll match my marble-sized potatoes! Maybe I can get a brocolli floret about the size of a daisy.

I really didn't plan to grow miniature food!

WH

Ah, but baby veggies are all the rage. You can have one tiny gourmet meal. You will do better as you enrich your soil. Not to worry.

GM,
No need to complicate your aunt's trip when the mail works so well. How nice that you all are able to see each other so often.

Now, I leave for Denver -- will be off for 3 days of fun with DGers in Denver.

My tiny zucchini stopped growing, and now it's turning yellow. All of the zucchinis look rather sad, although they're not dead yet. After I fussed and hand-wrung over them, I think it's probably a lost cause now. :-(

The potato plants are flopping over, too. Oddly enough, though, the broccoli's still in there kicking.

Probably it is time to give up on squash and dig up what potatoes you have. More compost will probably make them better next time. Each year, as you add more compost, you will have better results. But whereas, zukes want it hot, broccoli loves it cold. It will keep keep going right up to really heavy freezing. Early spring and late fall are its best growth time. You might get something this time. But with continued ammendments, next year will be better.

Galeux d'Eysiene. Can't wait to eat these.

This message was edited Oct 8, 2006 6:49 AM