Squash question
 

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me what kind of squash this is please?

http://photos.wanadoo.co.uk/album/al...photo=33097927


We were given 2 plants which were supposed to be butternut squashes, but
aren't showing any tendency to look like butternuts. They are however
showing a tendency to attempt taking over the entire allotment.

I accidentally broke this one off the plant, so I cut it open so you can see
the inside, although I'm assuming it's not fully finished yet. So if you
know-- what is it? What's it good for? How will I know when they're ripe?

TIA

Steve

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/steveandmaggiesplot

In article ,
"shazzbat" wrote:

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me what kind of squash this is please?

http://photos.wanadoo.co.uk/album/al...photo=33097927


We were given 2 plants which were supposed to be butternut squashes, but
aren't showing any tendency to look like butternuts. They are however
showing a tendency to attempt taking over the entire allotment.

I accidentally broke this one off the plant, so I cut it open so you can see
the inside, although I'm assuming it's not fully finished yet. So if you
know-- what is it? What's it good for? How will I know when they're ripe?

TIA

Steve

Hard to tell really, but my best guess would be maybe Hubbard???

Check google for that one and see what it says? :-)

Just found this site and it has a BUNCH of pics of different winter
squashes:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm

If you want Butternut squash seeds, I've got a million of them.
I save them when I purchase them from the store and they grow well for
me! You might try that too... Cut a fresh, mature butternut sqaush in
half and remove the seeds prior to cooking it. Rinse the seeds and dry
on some papertowels, then store in a regular paper envelope with the
variety and collection date written on it.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article ,
"shazzbat" wrote:

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me what kind of squash this is please?

http://photos.wanadoo.co.uk/album/al...photo=33097927


We were given 2 plants which were supposed to be butternut squashes, but
aren't showing any tendency to look like butternuts. They are however
showing a tendency to attempt taking over the entire allotment.

I accidentally broke this one off the plant, so I cut it open so you can see
the inside, although I'm assuming it's not fully finished yet. So if you
know-- what is it? What's it good for? How will I know when they're ripe?

TIA

Steve

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/steveandmaggiesplot

After perusing that site I just posted, a better guess might be the
Kabocha. It says it's a "squash of the buttercup type" so someone might
have easily made the mistake and called it butternut?
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

shazzbat said:

Can anyone tell me what kind of squash this is please?

http://photos.wanadoo.co.uk/album/al...photo=33097927

We were given 2 plants which were supposed to be butternut squashes, but
aren't showing any tendency to look like butternuts. They are however
showing a tendency to attempt taking over the entire allotment.

I accidentally broke this one off the plant, so I cut it open so you can see
the inside, although I'm assuming it's not fully finished yet. So if you
know-- what is it? What's it good for? How will I know when they're ripe?

Ripe squash will have hard rinds (can't pierce them with a fingernail) and
very hard stems. In some types of squash the stem will be as hard (or
harder) than wood. Many show some type of color change. It can
be dramatic and total, or it could be limited to a slight change in sheen
over most of the squash (with a less noticeable change in color in the
spot where it sat on the ground, from white to gold or orange).

A close look at the stem end might have helped to identify your squash.

If the stem has a very well defined angular shape, it will be one of several
species of squash. A stem is quite rounded and a bit 'corky' looking would
make it Cucurbita maxima (buttercup, Hubbard, Japanese kobocha).

It is *possible* that you have something in the butternut line. Along with
the best known shape, the long-necked squash with the bulge at the
blossom end, butternuts (C. moschata) come in a 'wheel of cheese' shape
and a blocky 'pumpkin' shape like your squash. Butternuts will generally
ripen to a tan color.

Or you could have some sort of pepper squash (C. pepo). It could be
a jack o'lantern pumpkin or a spaghetti squash.

My butternuts (I have the neck type as well as cheese types) are still
quite green. I expect it will be another month before they are all
ripe.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

My best guess after looking at your picture would be some type of
Kabocha (C. maxima). These cross readily so it could be a mixed breed.
Definitely not a butternut (C. moschata). Buttercups are in the same
group as the kabocha, but usually have a pronounced blossom scar.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/57112/index.html
While winter squash can be picked, when the skin becomes quite hard and
the stem dry and woody, I prefer to leave them on the vine untile the
plant begins to die back.

wrote in message
oups.com...
My best guess after looking at your picture would be some type of
Kabocha (C. maxima). These cross readily so it could be a mixed breed.
Definitely not a butternut (C. moschata). Buttercups are in the same
group as the kabocha, but usually have a pronounced blossom scar.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/57112/index.html
While winter squash can be picked, when the skin becomes quite hard and
the stem dry and woody, I prefer to leave them on the vine untile the
plant begins to die back.

Thanks everybody, I'm happy to call it a buttercup/Kabocha type. I still
don't know where it came from, according to the seeds we had, it should have
been either a butternut or a spaghetti squash Hasta la pasta. Clearly it
isn't either. Ho Hum.

Steve

In article ,
"shazzbat" wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...
My best guess after looking at your picture would be some type of
Kabocha (C. maxima). These cross readily so it could be a mixed breed.
Definitely not a butternut (C. moschata). Buttercups are in the same
group as the kabocha, but usually have a pronounced blossom scar.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/57112/index.html
While winter squash can be picked, when the skin becomes quite hard and
the stem dry and woody, I prefer to leave them on the vine untile the
plant begins to die back.

Thanks everybody, I'm happy to call it a buttercup/Kabocha type. I still
don't know where it came from, according to the seeds we had, it should have
been either a butternut or a spaghetti squash Hasta la pasta. Clearly it
isn't either. Ho Hum.

Steve




shrugs
Does it matter? :-)
You win anyway.
I'm sure it'll still be delicious!

You can even make pie.......

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson