The Sweet Dumpling squash I am just worried about it having flower buds even though the plant is so small still... For the cucumbers, I have two pots with 4 that germinated in one (which is the one in the photo) and 3 that germinated in the other. I was always planning in thinning it to two in each pot. I think I will let it grow a little more and thin to the healthiest ones. Bejay, both zucchinis are the same variety...just in different sized pots. At lay I hope they are the same! Be11me, the zucchini plant in the 30 gallon pot is the same pot that had my zucchini that was decimated by the aphids. That was a Costata Romanesco variety. For some reason it wouldn't grow past the first couple true leaves... the aphids got to it by the second week. The Tondo Scuro di Piacenza zucchini that are growing in those photos were fertilized with a pelleted fertilizer for tomatoes, bat guano, and a seaweed fertilizer... These grew to the size in those photos in about 15 days from germination. I was shocked at how fast they grew. I only had the pelleted tomato fertilizer for the CR zucchini plants that ended up not growing much after it got its first two true leaves ...then dying (one of them from the aphids.) So I guess they needed to be fertilized more and that is why they got stressed. I am growing new CR in different pots now..but they just germinated the other day.

I have not grown Romanesco from Renee's, but I have grown Romanesco. It's the only zucchini I grow and it takes up a lot of space. I somewhat follow square foot gardening spacing and I give Romanesco about 4 square feet, or about .5 square meter. I've never had it vine, it's just a really large bush.

Jay, I know how disappointed you are feeling from the mix up. I would too. I feel bad today too. This was the first year for me growing squash and each and every plant died this week from SVB before I cold realize what was happening. But I am still really excited about trying to grow many different varieties of squash. I have ordered seeds again to start over. C. romanesco from Johnny's and Italiano largo and Gadzukes from Cooksgarden. (I don't like the latter company but had to get replacement from them). But it might to be too late to get any fruit finally in this cool summer. Anyway, from your memory can you comment on the taste and any other particulars between C. romanesco and the other two hybrid romensco type squash? It would be interesting for me to know. Maybe replace some of the hills? Are you growing to sell? In the more people are like me and you wold probably sell everything yo grow. (Sorry if I misunderstood why yo are growing these types of squash!) Thanks so much. Katyajini

We like the big ones sliced into thick rounds and grilled with a little oil and Italian seasonings. I haven't grown anything but a few different varieties of green/black and haven't really noticed any difference in taste. Using up the last of my Raven seeds this year, noted last year they weren't as prolific as the "standard" (Fordhook?) green mottled one I bought as a start from greenhouse. I think my dad seeded Fordhook this year, I'll have to compare again and report back. Farmer up the road from me swears by Golden Rod.