Winter squash: Which would you grow again

darius, did you try eating the trompcino as a summer squash? I know that one can let them go to maturity and eat them as a winter squash, but I've usually seen grown for use as a summer squash.

I agree with parahitomt on the Galeux d'Eysine for taste. I bought a few at the FM since my plants were stolen. Very tasty. We also like Buttercup, the vine type Acorn, the Tonda di Padano, Marina di Chiogga and now also the Jarradale.

I've never grown Tromboncino, but I have grown Longue de Nice, which is similar. As they matured, they always began to develop blossom end rot, so I picked one and prepared it like summer squash. It was great. After that, I've always grown this as a summer squash because it is much tastier than than the zucchinis or patty pans.

My Fairy and Butternut squashes got it into their heads that October was spring again and started to set a bunch of new fruits. I picked them when the freeze came and cooked some of the youngest Fairy the other night, as if they were summer squash. But they didn't taste like summer squash. They were noticably sweet.

g_m, no I never tried the tromboncino as a summer squash although I heard that's a frequent use. I CAN tell you that if you slice across the neck and cook like fried green tomatoes, they taste like it.

We try to pick the trombocinos before they more than a foot long and cook them like zucchini. All the seeds are in the bulbed end, so the slices from the neck end tend stay a little firmer when cooking. They taste like a mix of zukes and artichokes.
We know many folks that live in areas with squash vine borer that grow this variety to ensure a supply of summer squash. The trombocino has a solid stem, so the borers don't bother them like they do the hollow stemmed varieties of summer squash.
I would not intentionally grow this variety as a winter squash, other than as a conversation piece.

Jim, if you are getting a lot of blossom end rot, you may want to check the levels of available calcium in your soil.

Hey, g_m, thanks for the idea. I only have this problem with the Longue de Nice. We are on the slopes of the Jura here (the original Jurassic Park), so the soil is limestone based and I would not expect lack of calcium to be an issue, but much stranger things have happened. No County Extension services here, but I'll figure out a way to check this out!

Just curious: if you don't have a similar problem, why WOULDN'T you "intentionally grow this variety as a winter squash, other than as a conversation piece"? Because it tastes so good as a summer squash or because it's not too good (in what way[s]?) as a winter squash? And, if you were cooking it as a winter squash, how would it become a subject of conversation?

Thanks again! Something I never thought of. Do you know/can you tell me WHY a lack of calcium would cause blossom end rot? Just trying to imagine the biology.

It is a highly debated issue. At one time additional calcium was thought to help slow Blossom End Rot, especially on tomatoes. Later studies indicate that it is not so. About all anyone agrees on is that BER is stress related.

OK! And what, exactly, do squash (or tomatoes, for that matter) have to be stressed about?
The coming harvest and getting eaten?

There are many soils that test high for calcium with a strong acid type of soil test, but the calcium in not in a form that is readily available to the plant or the soil may not have enough biological carbons to make the calcium available. Do you have a soil testing lab that uses the low-acid type of extract that simulates plant root exudates? You may just need to build up the soil biology to help make the minerals available.

This article may help. There a few threads on the Soil & Composting forum on this if you want to discuss the soil more.
http://www.soilfirst.com/tnm_12_1997.htm

I wouldn't grow the trompocino as a winter squash because I find them rather mediocre in taste compared to other winter squash varieties, even though tasty as a summer squash. It could just have been the way that I grew them, but I get better flavour with a variety that is traditionally grown as a winter squash, like the ones I mentioned in my earlier post. Technically you could let a zucchini mature and use as a winter squash, but I doubt you would like a mature zuke as much.

Weather stress, water stress, nutrient stress (from excess or lack of a nutrient), there are many things that can stress a plant.

Thanks, g_m. Lots of good info here. I'll also check out the S&C Forum.

This squash is Fairy, C moschata. This one is a bit larger than an acorn, a runt in the litter - most of the squash from this variety were at least twice as large. I baked it like an acorn.

The flesh was extremely smooth, totally unstringy. Someone called it "creamy". A pronounced flavor, quite a bit like sweet potato.

Cut side of Fairy:

Are there lots of seeds in the pulp?

No, not many.

I have an area that was used as a pigpen this past summer(occupant left in August!) that is 40' X 50'. I'm thinking about using that area as my winter squash garden so that the vines don't take over my usual garden area.
When is the best time for soil testing?

I have always been told that fall is the best time to test your soil, but I don't think it really matters very much. You should be able to grow a lot of good squash in a pen that was formerly home to a pig! Perfect.

I just received my soil test results a week ago. Gives me time to make adjustments before spring planting.

Ok, I'm going to run out and get my soil sample.
I've been looking through this past years seed catalogues, making my list and checking it twice!!
Did anyone check out the article on Cushaws?

Yep, it suggests some interesting stuff.

I am late jumping in on this thread, but I will definitely grow: Rouge Vif D'Temps, Jumbo pink banana and Jarrahdale. All did great for me.