Early season squash results - Delicata, Butternut, Trombetta

14 years ago

I've had some squash starts outside and in the ground for several weeks now. I started the seed indoors in coir pots, hardened them, and planted them. I planted the coir pots in the ground to avoid disturbing the seedling roots. I sliced the bottom of each pot before starting the seed so the roots would have an easier time passing through.

Under a cloche I have vining Butternut and Delicata, elsewhere (uncovered) I have a Trombetta. Our weather has not been particularly warm, or cold.

After several weeks the Delicata seem to be taking off. There are multiple leaves, and the vining seems about to take off. The Butternut is not doing as well. It hasn't grown as much and the leaves shown some signs of damage. The Trombetta hasn't grown even less, with it's leaves a bit yellowed.

I'm thinking that the Butternut and Trombetta will get going once we get warmer, sunnier weather. The Delicata seems to be anything but, in comparison to the other two.

Comments (8)

tcstoehr
14 years ago
"Early season results". For this part of the world, you ain't kidding. I moved my squashes from the cold frame to the garden around May 1st. We had a light frost on May 8th. Most of my little squashes look pretty unhappy, but not bad, all things considered. The extras that were left in the cold frame look much better. I'm sure the increasing temperatures will help them all out.
markmein
Original Author
14 years ago
The delicata are still out-growing the butternut, but one of the butternut has perked up and started growing well. The other butternut is in a SE corner of a vegetable bed and might not be getting as much sun. The trombetta is perking up too after I harvested some adjacent greens that might have been casting shade. I'm thinking that once the trombetta and the pokey butternut get onto the trellis or out of the bed and onto the path, respectively, they'll do fine.

My Lesson: Squash need sunshine, I think.
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Glad to see this discussion as I've been wondering as well. I did have a thread going about my 'volunteer' butternut squash plants. They have produced about 10 all together over the summer. I already picked 3 of the first fruits and I think they were not ready so I've left the rest. I read somewhere that the stem should have turned brown, which mine were still green, but ALL the squash still have green stems. They had already truned tan color, but I did a fingernail test on those I've picked and it did penetrate the skin and a little sap leaked out. So I've left them on the DR table for a couple of weeks. Maybe I should just cook them up. I'm afraid all the squash are not going to ripen because I heard we may get a frost next week. But I thought they could go through a frost and be sweeter? Is it just a freeze that you have to pick them before you get one? My property is situated in such a way that in the Fall the angle of the sun reduces the amount of sun over a day on my bed which normally is full sun. I don't know if that had anything to do with the fact they are not ripe yet.
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Quote: * Posted by aspen0 z5 MI (My Page) on Sun, Oct 5, 08 at 17:24 No no... We had a FREAK frost, we will not have another one for 3 weeks or so, and many leaves have been killed, but not all. So the vines are still alive, just without most of their leaves, meanwhile the squash are large, but unripe. I can leave the squash outside for another 3 weeks without risk of frost, so worrying about future frost isn't the issue. ---------------- If you can leave them on the frost damaged vine, the squash will ripen similarly to a squash on a healthy vine. Leave them on until the section of vine nearest the squash changes color from green to tan, and dries out. The vine end may not get "corky" as it would on a healthy plant, and it will appear smaller in diameter and slightly shriveled (a tell tale sign that the vine was frosted.) However, many garden pests become more aggressive after a frost and go in search of any surviving plant life they can attack. So keep a lookout for pest damage, and consider harvesting the squash if they are getting damaged.
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I'm down here in Salem. I dumped broc this year for the same reason. I have to try the lacinato! I haven't ever grown kale, but I was just told that it has lots of calcium. I've given up on everything that creates heads. I cannot make it happen. I did have wonderful luck out here with cut and come again lettuces which are still coming in.
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Linda, I try to save as many seeds as I can from my garden vegetables, but with so many hybrids, it's not possible. According to Cornell University, Delicata is not a hybrid, it's open pollinated, so you very well may be successful at growing your own Delicata from those seeds. I buy any of the rest of my seeds from my local feed mill, they have big glass jars and sell by "the scoop". Most seeds are about 40 cents a scoop, but sweet corn is sold by the half pound, as are beans. Between the feed mill and my own seeds, I mostly avoid any of the commercial seed selling companies so I can't offer any suggestions there. I also like to start my own plants when I can, nursery plants for things like tomatoes are outrageously expensive and here in Michigan, there's no growing tomatoes, peppers, etc., from seed without starting them inside. Since Delicata is a 100 day squash, you might want to start some inside there in Minnesota, although if you plant early enough there shouldn't be a problem with bringing them to maturity. Annie
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booberry85
14 years ago
"Early season results?" Mine are all doing fine in their seed packets! ROFL! We just had our last frost warning (I hope) Monday night. I won't plant out until this coming weekend or next weekend.
albionwood
14 years ago
pdxmark, have you checked soil temperatures? I've noticed that has a profound effect on growth rates of summer vegetables.
cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
"Early season results"?
Hi Y'all,

I have been enjoying my squash (striped zuchinnies) for a week now. My first scallopini squash will be ready in a day or two.(they are both bush type and nicely compact)
So will be cucumbers, any day. My gourds (Luffa, swan, birdhouse...) have vines over 12 ft long and have just started flowering.

All of this is happening where considered zone 7.5(not quite 8), while Portland Oregan is zone 8 and you guys are still babying those little Squakies (Grin). I do not understand this zoning thing.

By the way, I have direct sowed all of my cucurbitas, no greenhouse, no cold frame, no indoors, no peat pots.
Our last frost scare was on/around April 10th. I had to cover them then otherwize they could've been zapped.
markmein
Original Author
14 years ago
With this latest warm weather the delicata and butternut both have 6-12 nice, full-sized leaves and are heading toward vining. One butternut is behind the delicata & the other butternut, but the slow one is in a bit of a shadow at the edge of the raised bed and is now getting up above the lip.) Likewise, the trombetta is getting up above the edge of its raised bed and adjacent greens.

Now to get the english cucumber I put in the ground a couple weeks ago up above its neighboring cilantro. (Actually, I'll be harvesting the cilantro this weekend since it is starting to bolt.) I'm looking forward to another batch of cilantro pesto.
markmein
Original Author
14 years ago
We've eaten the trombetta a couple ways now -- grilled and sauteed. They taste great, with hints of traditional zucchini, but have a denser, drier, pulpier texture (in a good way) than regular zukes. Trombetta are a keeper so far.
plainolebill
13 years ago
Googled Trombetta and got this thread - when I searched Garden Web earlier this didn't show up. Oh well. I'm happy to hear that the Trombetta grows in Portland, I live in Corvallis and have the seed sitting right in front of me.

I understand that this squash when mature is a winter squash like butternut, can anyone confirm that? If so we may plant several and let one go without harvesting until fall.

We're munching on kale, using upland cress and chervil to supplement our salads and have a dozen or so heads of garlic left from last summer's crop.

Have a great garden season!

Early season squash results - Delicata, Butternut, Trombetta

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tcstoehr

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Early season squash results - Delicata, Butternut, Trombetta

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tcstoehr

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