Which Summer squashes?

16 years ago

I'm having a tough time making up my mind this year! I'd like to plant one scalloped squash and one summer squash. Out of these which ones would you pick? For the summer squash, I'm leaning towards Cocozelle because they looks pretty and I haven't grown them before. I have grown black beauty and early yellow straightnecks before. If you have grown any of these, I'd appreciate any advice as well.

Scallop:

Early White Bush Scallop

Bennings Green Tint Scallop

Summer Squash:

Amberpic

Black Beauty

Cocozelle

Eight Ball

Golden Zucchini

Early Yellow Straightneck

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Comments (16)

grandad_2003
16 years ago
I grew Cocozelle squash for the first time in 2006. The plant was the most prolific of any squash plant that I had ever grown. However, it produced NOTHING - just plant. Needless to say, I've decided to nix this from my selections. Not sure what my problem was, so am looking forward to the other responses on this.

Of the others that you've mentioned, I am trying Gold Rush Zucchini and Eight Ball for the first time this year. Black Beauty and Early Yellow Straightneck I've grown before and generally does well for me. The hybrid Zucchini types do exceptionally well also in my garden.

You may also want to check out the Cornell vegetable varieties site for feedback. I find it to be very helpful in selecting which varieties to trial run.
carolync1
16 years ago
I would go by flavor: Do you generally prefer the flavor of zucchini or a straightneck, for example? If you have trouble with powdery mildew on squash plants, look for resistant varieties.

To me, the fun of growing scallop squashes is having two or more colors and picking them tiny. The scallops in zucchini colors, including light green "Peter Pan" persist for a longer time in my less-than-ideal soil. The scallops in zucchini colors taste like zucchinis to me, pretty much. White scallops are second in vigor for me, and have milder flavor. If you don't have problems with soil disease, go ahead and try a pale yellow scallop.

I really like Zephyr summer squash (both yellow and green), though it is a little less productive than some squashes. I love crooknecks and straightnecks, but haven't picked a "best" variety. I am less enthusiastic about yellow zucchinis, maybe because I am disappointed that they taste so much like the green zucchinis, instead of like a straightneck.

My most productive summer squash has been Magda Lebanese-style zucchini. It is more sweet than "zucchini-ish". Johnny's catalog compares the flavor to its "Zephyr". If you want strong zucchini flavor, go with a dark green zucchini. This year, I'm planting (in my second squash planting - volunteers are fruiting now) Magda and Burpee's darker green Sweet Zuke, which about matches Magda's shape. You have to be careful picking Sweet Zuke, as it tends to break if not cut at the stem. I'm also planting a few scallops in various colors, and also Zephyr and a couple of straightnecks or crooknecks, but I won't expect them to last as long as the zucchinis in my garden.

Eightball has done OK for me, but for some reason, I seem to have trouble picking it small enough.

Here is a link that might be useful: Magda zucchini
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farmerdilla
16 years ago
They are all summer squashes; The Bennings Green Tint is a pale green version of the White scallop. They are both open pollinated, The hybrids Patty Green Tint and Peter Pan are similar but more productive. Scallops come in many colors, including yellow, dark green and multicolored.
You have a lot of zucchinis. You might want to go with one dark green and one yellow. Among the round zucchini, Cue Ball ( Medium green) out performs Eight Ball by a wide margin. It and One Ball (yellow) are sisters of Eight Ball.

The old Early Prolific Straightneck (open pollinated) is a good straightneck type. Better flavor than any of the hybrids that I have tried. Here tho, most folks prefer crooknecks, so straight necks are a hard sell. Straight necks and crooknecks have a different flavor than zucchini.
slashy
16 years ago
The only one on your list that I've grown is '8-ball' and I really liked it, although it was my first year veggie growing and I made the mistake of putting it in a pot (I think it needed much more growing room). Got a reasonable amount of fruit off it, and I loved the shape & flavour, but it succumbed to powdery mildew by mid-summer.
ole_dawg
16 years ago
SLASHY,
I grew 8 ball this past year in containers, 3 gal. ones and they did fine. You have got to feed them and of course keep them watered. Great little squash.

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mscratch
16 years ago
8 ball is a terrific zucchini and I plant a couple in my flower beds each year just for it's lovely growth, actually I prefer it over other zukes now.. I am hooked on the scallops now and last season I grew the white ones and if a veggie can be adorable, they are.. very mild flavor but I mix them with the yellow summer squash when cooking..it's not summer until I pick the first squash! I have not found a squash that I haven't liked..lol.. I prefer the 8 ball zuke varieties as I think they are much more manageable than the regular long ones at least for me as they are easier for me to get to.
booberry85
Original Author
16 years ago
Hmmmm! Maybe I'll grow 2 Eight Balls, 2 Cocozelle and 2 of the Bennings Green Tint scallop.

I've had continuing problems with aphids on my tomato and pepper plants. I gave them a good blast of water this morning. However, I'm not comfortable having the tomato & pepper plants outside yet. There is still a good chance we'll get a frost.

I threatened my husband, who doesn't like most squash, that if the tomatoes and peppers don't make it, I was going to plant ALL squash and beans for the garden!
booberry85
Original Author
15 years ago
A "seed fairy" blessed me with more squash seeds. I was delighted! Where I was just planning on planting three, I'll think I'll have to make room for four. So the final list is: Eight Ball (thanks to your recommendations), Bennings Green Tint Scallop, Magda (gift from the seed fairy) and Zephyr (gift from the seed fairy). I think this will be a nice variety (and have friends & neighbors running from in July!)
kayhh
15 years ago
I pretty much stick with the old fashioned black beauty zuke. Reason it is so common is becuase it is tasty and reliable. Both of which have their benifits over "interesting." Kay.
jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
15 years ago
Booberry-

From your list I have grown the 8-Ball and Early Straightneck and a Golden zucchini similar variety called Butterstick.

I liked the 8-Ball, you just have to pick them everyday. One day too small, next day too big! I did an experiment one day and measured a zucchini (not an 8-Ball) in the a.m. By the p.m. it grew an inch in 10-12 hours. I was amazed!

This year in my market garden I am growing the following varieties. I have 42 hills of squash.

Green Zucchini- Cashflow (6), Burpee Hybrid (3)
Yellow Zucchini- Butterstick (6)
Round Zucchini- 8 Ball (2), One Ball(2), Cue Ball (2)
Early Straightneck (1) and Crookneck (1)
Costata Romanesco- AKA Gadzukes (6)
Lebenese Type- AKA Sweet Gourmet (4)
Papaya Pear or Lemon Squash (3)
Patty Pan- Sunburst (3) and Zephyr (3)

Yea, its alot. I am selling at 3 different markets 4 different days and squash is so easy to grow and sell. I especially like that if it doesn't sell, I can feed it to my chickens! They love it!
booberry85
Original Author
15 years ago
Wow Jay! I'm glad you're selling them. Otherwise everyone in your family would hate one come July!
jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
15 years ago
Yea, it is a little over the top. My family really likes squash and we will eat it with every meal in the summer. Anytime anyone comes over, we also have squash and we always try many varieties.

Jay
tomakers
15 years ago
Over the years I have grown a lot of different types of summer squash. The only one I HAVE to grow is a crookneck. I usually only grow 2 hills maximum and have more than my wife and I can eat and give away. I don't have a favorite variety, but I grew one, which must have been a hybrid, that had a yellow stem. I recall this as being about the most disease resistant and productive I have grown, but don't remember were I got it or the name. One hill of zuccini is more than enough.
Patty pans I don't care for, although they grow well and look nice.
I didn't like the round ones either.
I tried tromboncini last year but got a lot of vine and no squash. Gourds planted nearby did fine. I plan on trying it again this year, as well as Coosa and Striata D Italia.
I wish I could plant them tomorrow. I am tired of waiting.
Happy Gardening,
Tom
mscratch
15 years ago
Just a note on the way to use up the 8 ball variety if they become too prolific: relish, they make excellent relish.
tomncath
15 years ago
The most prolific one I've grown is the Butterstick zuke. Initially got it from Seedway but I think Burpee is one of the few that sells it in small packets now. I've only got a 5' x 50' box so my garden is small but with just SIX plants I gave away bushels of the stuff...way more than we could eat!
raisemybeds
15 years ago
Booberry - I must concur on the cocozelle, or italian marrow as it is also called. Good choice. I leave these on the vine until they get to whatever size I want to stuff and bake, which they easily do. They get nice and fat, not just super long, so they are an excellent candidate for stuffing. If you haven't tried them stuffed you are in for a treat.

Which Summer squashes?

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