I suppose this is some kind of squash hybrid. It is growing from a compost pile where we've thrown pumpkins, gourds, old produce like zucchini and squash. My chickens aren't interested in the plant at all, and the vine is taking over a big part of my small yard. I'm new to gardening and composting.
I'd like to know 1: what this technically is 2: Can I eat it and 3: how do I know when to harvest something like this? Thanks so much for your help!
by GroundbreakingCow484
26 Comments
Might be gross taste/texture, but either way that’s a cool ornamental gourd
Squatermellon
Technically a mongrel 🙂 Edible if it doesn’t taste bitter (cucurbitacins, toxic substances in gourds/squashes, are all very bitter).
1, Its a hybrid.
2, Since you said you have thrown gourds out, I would be very cautious. Ornamental gourds are not edible. This fruit is growing with the same two tone pattern that a lot of gourds show… So its likely one of its parents was a gourd.
3, Its well past the point that a summer squash would be harvested, so might as well let it get ripe like you would a pumpkin. The green area is going to keep getting smaller, so if you want it for ornamental, id get it now while you can still see it.
yes
Update us OP if you cut into please….just curious what it may look like
I always taste the weird hybrids that pop up, for science. I also know that everything that went into that section is edible.
If this is a winter squash, let it mature until it’s hard to mark the skin with a fingernail before harvesting. If it’s a summer squash it has probably gone all woody at this size and should be used only for collecting next year’s seeds. I would be so curious to find out how it tastes!
Give it a taste if its not bitter it should be fine
🤮🤢do not consume!! Ornamental squash are not edible, even if they are crossed with a zucchini!!
It looks like a zephyr squash that got larger than typical harvest time. I grow these and they are delicious. The smaller the tastier. If I let mine grow too long they look like this. They get seeds if you let them get too big. A zypher is a hybrid by the way. You might have made your own.
Hybrid! Wonder what it’s going to taste like? Please update!
It’s ornamental gourd season, mother fuckers!
My mom had a surprise harvest of squash from her mulch pit too. It required power tools to cut into them, seriously they were that hard, but they were Delicious.
Beware [toxic squash syndrome.](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-extension/featured/are-volunteer-squash-toxic). It’s a real thing and can lead to a bad session of upset stomach that lasts for a few days.
the yellow portion looks like a crook neck squash and the green looks like zucchini, they appear to have cross pollinated by bugs, birds, bees. etc.
Oh my gourd
Vegetable marrow . Edible
The question is: why would you want to?
If it were me I’d just keep it around for looks because that coloring / pattern is so cool. But I totally respect those who would have to at least attempt to eat it.
if it’s not bitter, go for it. you’ll know if it’s toxic due to cucurbitacin — it’ll taste incredibly bad.
Cut her up and sautee her
You can eat anything, once. I believe in you.
You don’t want to eat that. Not only does it look like a cross with a gourd (inedible), it’s well past the point of soft-harvest summer squash, and hardening into winter squash territory.
The color profile looks like [Zephyr squash](https://www.superseeds.com/products/zephyr-summer-squash-54-days-f1-hybrid?currency=USD&variant=27055279432&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=86d4da097907&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17180949802&gbraid=0AAAAADoF4okqagXEjrDX1VLbwSQPNLZ3F&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-4XFBhCBARIsAAdNOkt_OsjMCFaXzCnn4LC76dgPE5JAVn9Wrkxlut4r9WqfMHwNocgPiLEaArUVEALw_wcB); it’s edible but I wouldn’t eat the peel.
It looks like it has at least some ornamental gourd ancestry, so I’m guessing it won’t be tasty. It looks cool. Let it keep growing and use it as a decoration.