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Vegetable Gardening

Delicata squash holding up (storing) great

8 years ago

I tried delicate squash for the first time this year, and I like them very much. It is said that you should eat them as soon as possible, as they are supposed to be thin skinned, and the first winter-type squash to go bad. I picked mine starting around Labor Day, and they're all still pristine. They even last pretty well after you cut them, as long as you cover the cut surface tightly. Since I live alone, I can only eat about three slices at a time, and I'll end up composting at least half my harvest from this season.

All in all, a great crop if you're not really a ;fan of winter squash, but you want to try something that will store for a while, if not all winter.

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Comments (6)

tcstoehr
8 years ago
Delicata squash is a *must* *grow* for me each year. They are delicious and anyone I give them to always comes back and asks for more. They ripen to perfection by Oct 1st in the PNW and can be eaten immediately, filling the void while waiting for the Maximas to reach their peak. Vines are highly productive, 25 fruits per plant this year. I can cube them into dishes without worrying about the skin. They can be sliced and eaten raw if you're into that. They last much longer in storage than they get credit for. I can eat them into March when stored on a shelf in my unheated garage that never freezes. About mid-March they suddenly go dry, corky and flavorless, practically all at once. By that time I have plenty of well seasoned Maximas that are calling out to be eaten.
If you have room to grow squashes, you have no excuse to not be growing these. Seriously, you gotta do it.
jonfrum
Original Author
8 years ago
When I ate them fresh, I had no problem with the skins. Now that they've dried out somewhat, I find them for than I want to chew through. It's easy enough to cut off the skin of each piece. I gave some away and got rave reviews - my library lady baked me a cranberry bread in exchange afterwards.

25 fruits per vine? I get 2-3. You must be doing something amazing with your plants.
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tcstoehr
8 years ago
2-3 per vine... or per plant? 2-3 per plant isn't too good. Johhny's seeds advertises 5-7 per plant. I always thought that was low. Maybe that's what you get when your grow 3 plants on each "hill".
Some people put several seeds per station. But I plant them individually, 6 feet apart, in their own 4 foot wide row. Climate here is I believe excellent for C Pepo. Marginal for C Maxima. Not so good for C Moschata.
jonfrum
Original Author
8 years ago
I got more fruit on some plants, but they started late and never grew to eating size. Given that I live alone and can only eat squash so often, I'm happy with the production I got.
wertach zone 7-B SC
8 years ago
I'm wondering a few things about this squash now!

What do they taste like? Similar to butternut or something else?

Diseases?
tcstoehr
8 years ago
I would say they taste similar to Acorn. It's different from the true winter squashes like Butternut or Hubbards. Smoother, sweeter and moister. Of course add butter to taste.
I don't have any disease issues with them, except that powdery mildew hits them hard in September. But they still reliably deliver a solid crop.
Here's this year's Delicata Squash patch on October 8th. It looks like a mess but there's gold in there. If I had only one crop to grow, this would be it.

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