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Growing Kabochas - When to pick them?
I grow kabocha squash, the so-called Japanese pumpkins. The plants look
for all the world to me just like pumpkins, zuchini and probably several other squash type plants, and I can only tell what I'm growing for sure when the "fruits" start growing. In fact, I have a couple of plants right now that have me scratching my head and don't know what they are, really. Kabochas are rather like acorn squash, is my feeling. The meat is redder than pumpkin, somewhat denser, and definitely sweeter. I can use them in anything requiring pumpkin and also use them like acorn squash. They are very tasty plain, or with butter. They seem to thrive in conditions that work for pumpkins but tolerate somewhat cooler temperatures. I plant many seeds and I don't thin at all. Given the choice between quantity and size, I go for quantity. I'd rather have more plants growing smaller fruit then less plants growing large fruits. Each plant seems content to grow one "pumpkin" and then won't set further fruit, or if it does, the extra fruit are practically nothing, never getting bigger than a tennis ball. I figure I can grow more if I harvest the first setting fruits before the season nears an end and let another fruit set for each plant. That might double my crop, I figure. Well, here's my question: these kabochas keep very well and in fact I still have one or two from last season in the house. If I pick them way before the season is over, say even before they turn completely grey like they eventually do, will they keep as well as if I let them "cure completely" on the vine? At what point can I "safely" remove them from the vines? Dan |
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