After a grasshopper plague that destroyed my beans, carrots, and lettuce, I let the squash go wild. 3 planted (two Potmarron and one Long Island Cheese) and 5-8 volunteer squash. I had squash growing out every side of the garden and up the fence.
Last week on harvesting, I ended up with over 100 edible winter squash! It was like an Easter egg hunt that never ended.
Best tasting: Sweet Dumpling hybrid. (I think it was initially a Carnival variety, but it's been through a few rounds now, so who knows.) Firm and sweet. Tough rind, so it will hopefully keep well.
Best yielding: Long Island Cheese. One plant produced 12 large squash. Slightly stringy/watery, as larger squash tend, but pleasant enough taste.
Best all around: Delicata. Perennial favorite! Thin edible rind, sweet, firm. (I slice and roast, and they are divine!)
Other varieties: Acorn (firm and long keeping, but starchy and rather bland), Potmarron (gorgeous orange rind and prolific, but otherwise not remarkable taste or texture), light green Kabocha/WhoKnowsWhat hybrid (a little watery, but very prolific, and good for soup).
I have been giving out squash to everyone in the neighborhood, and still have a truckload. If anyone has good squash recipes, please send them my way!
by Gladiatorra
2 Comments
Let the Long Island pumpkins mature for ~2 months before you try the next one and make a final verdict. Like butternut, it’s a C. moschata variety that benefits from time on the shelf to develop a richer, nuttier flavor with better texture. Your delicata and sweet dumplings will store for the least amount of time, so eat those while you wait!
Wow that’s quite the haul!! Yeah I think my mini butternut squash was my best tasting last year and I’ll probably replant next year but good to see the rating on the harvest.