Growing Patty Pan up through tomato cage?

14 years ago

Hi all,

I posted this question also on the Square Foot Gardening forum because I do a lot of intensive spacing... but I hope it's OK to post here, too. I'd like to hear from multiple perspectives on gardening...

Can patty pan squash be grown up through a tomato cage? I'm trying to find room for "just one more" thing... and had this idea today. I

Thanks,

kmama

Featured Answer

soonergrandmom

14 years ago

armymomma - Tromboncino is indeed a climbing squash, it does have great flavor, it is resistant to insect infestation, but it is H-U-G-E. Mine was grown in a large container so maybe it didn't reach it's full potential, and it only went up a 6 foot CRW cage, down the cage, over the pot and maybe 12-15 feet in more than one direction. LOL

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Comments (9)

digdirt2
14 years ago
The size and weight of the leaves tends to make the hollow stems drape and break over the wires of the tomato cage. Makes them more susceptible to pests and diseases.

Dave
armymomma
14 years ago
I have a friend who trellised sugar pumpkins. They are vines, meant to grow over whatever they encounter so logic (to me) would say it should be fine. Patty pan squash are way smaller than sugar pumpkins :)
I just did a quick google search and founds lots of pics of trellised vining veggies, like acorn squash, tromboncino squash etc...
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anney
14 years ago
armymomma

Patty pan squashes are not vines. If you haven't grown common summer squash like patty pans, zucchini, or yellow squash, you might think they could be trellised, but they cannot. They don't climb. They don't have tendrils. They don't have corkscrewing stems or vines.

They are huge plants with dinner-plate size leaves on long hollow stems that all arise from a crown in the middle of the plant. The link below shows two zucchini plants which have a growth form the same as patty pan squash. The squash develop in the middle of the plant where those flowers are. As you can see, the stems are large and they're hollow. That's why they can be injected with BT if squash vine borers burrow into the vine stems.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:46652}}
alabamanicole
14 years ago
If you are short of horizontal space you could get a summer squash with a vining habit. They are not very common. I haven't grown it, but I hear "Tatume" truly vines. It's not a patty pan shape, though.
armymomma
14 years ago
Well that goes to show you what I know about patty pan squash. It's a good thing I read that too as I planted some in my front flower beds hoping to fill in the middle space :)
Kristi, tromboncino is a vining/climbing summer squash (or so says the package :) I am growing it for the first time this year. I've heard/read it has a wonderful flavor and is also resistant to SVB.
armymomma
14 years ago
Good to know Soonergrandmom, maybe I should swap those plants out for the patty pan :) I have them near my cukes and now I'm afraid they will take over the cuke trellis!!!
shebear
14 years ago
armymomma........they will take over your cukes. I did that last year and the cukes kept retreating from the ever growing monster. That's an amazing plant...I can't imagine how big it might get if I really "tried" to grow it instead of pretty much ignoring it except for harvesting it.
t-bird
14 years ago
"armymomma........they will take over your cukes. I did that last year and the cukes kept retreating from the ever growing monster. That's an amazing plant...I can't imagine how big it might get if I really "tried" to grow it instead of pretty much ignoring it except for harvesting it."

that sounds like my kind of edible....how was the flavor?

putting it on the list...

Growing Patty Pan up through tomato cage?

soonergrandmom

Comments (9)

digdirt2

armymomma

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