Tatuma (Calabacita) Squash

ChrisK · December 19, 2011

Trying to grow summer squash is an effort in futility for me due to the squash vine borer. I stumbled upon Tatuma squash from Botanical Interests which claims "practical immunity" to SVB.

Any experience with these as far as SVB goes? I've read they are resistant and are similar to zucchini but quite vigorous growers. Opinions on taste?

Chris

Edit: looks like this one: http://www.victoryseeds.com/squash_tatume.html

Worth1 · December 19, 2011

What do they look like

Worth1 · December 19, 2011

Nevr mind I looked and if you are talking about the light colored striped squash like ibbuy at the store I love them. I have never grown them though. Great raw or cooked one of the best.

habitat_gardener · December 19, 2011

I grew Tatume squash this summer. No bug problems.

I haven't had problems with SVB but did get tons of squash bugs the year I grew Eight Ball and Ronde de Nice (and planted too early), so I'd been looking for a roundish summer squash I could grow.

I got only a few because I crowded my squash plantings too much, and the Shark Melon elbowed everybody else aside, but the few Tatumes I had were pretty good. I ate the last one in the garden a couple weeks ago as I was taking out the vines that froze the first week of December. That last 2-inch squash escaped freezing because it was sheltered by all the remaining squash foliage.

I used seeds from Sandhill Preservation, which were slow to germinate (no bottom heat). I also used seeds from a local seed bank that iirc were from Seeds of Change or Seed Savers. I planted them all in the same area, so I'm not sure which ones I ate, probably both. Sandhill says 65 days; BI says 50 days.

Tracydr · December 19, 2011

Are they heat and drought resistant? I get squash bugs but not SVBs but heat/drought are my biggest problem after June.
I did have pretty good results using DE and diligent searching for adult squash bugs last year. Apparently, DE does kill the juveniles because I saw few adults and the one time I saw some juvies I dusted immediately with DE and never saw another bug.
Same with the cuke bugs.

Neohippie · December 22, 2011

I have some seeds for Tatume that I haven't grown yet. Maybe next year.

All I know is that they're a Mexican variety. You can get them at the stores here in TX under the name "calabacitas", which I think is the Spanish term for summer squash.

They're kind of shorter and fatter than a zucchini and a very light green.

I'm really hoping that being Mexican they're heat and drought AND SVB tolerant. I have terrible problems with all three of those things. Wiped out my squash crop in 2011, and in 2010 the only squash I had to harvest were cushaws.

Worth1 · December 23, 2011

The ita on the end makes it mean little squash.
I have bought them as calabaza which means squash.

Worth/Vale la pena

Tormato · December 28, 2011

I've heard Zuccheta Rampicante is very resistant to SVB. It is a moschata type (solid stems). It can be used as a summer or winter squash.

Tormato

December 19, 2011	#1
ChrisK Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,448	Tatuma (Calabacita) Squash Trying to grow summer squash is an effort in futility for me due to the squash vine borer. I stumbled upon Tatuma squash from Botanical Interests which claims "practical immunity" to SVB. Any experience with these as far as SVB goes? I've read they are resistant and are similar to zucchini but quite vigorous growers. Opinions on taste? Chris Edit: looks like this one: http://www.victoryseeds.com/squash_tatume.html Last edited by ChrisK; December 19, 2011 at 10:03 PM.

December 19, 2011	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	What do they look like

December 19, 2011	#4
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I grew Tatume squash this summer. No bug problems. I haven't had problems with SVB but did get tons of squash bugs the year I grew Eight Ball and Ronde de Nice (and planted too early), so I'd been looking for a roundish summer squash I could grow. I got only a few because I crowded my squash plantings too much, and the Shark Melon elbowed everybody else aside, but the few Tatumes I had were pretty good. I ate the last one in the garden a couple weeks ago as I was taking out the vines that froze the first week of December. That last 2-inch squash escaped freezing because it was sheltered by all the remaining squash foliage. I used seeds from Sandhill Preservation, which were slow to germinate (no bottom heat). I also used seeds from a local seed bank that iirc were from Seeds of Change or Seed Savers. I planted them all in the same area, so I'm not sure which ones I ate, probably both. Sandhill says 65 days; BI says 50 days.

December 19, 2011	#5
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Are they heat and drought resistant? I get squash bugs but not SVBs but heat/drought are my biggest problem after June. I did have pretty good results using DE and diligent searching for adult squash bugs last year. Apparently, DE does kill the juveniles because I saw few adults and the one time I saw some juvies I dusted immediately with DE and never saw another bug. Same with the cuke bugs.

December 22, 2011	#6
Neohippie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: San Marcos, Texas Posts: 77	I have some seeds for Tatume that I haven't grown yet. Maybe next year. All I know is that they're a Mexican variety. You can get them at the stores here in TX under the name "calabacitas", which I think is the Spanish term for summer squash. They're kind of shorter and fatter than a zucchini and a very light green. I'm really hoping that being Mexican they're heat and drought AND SVB tolerant. I have terrible problems with all three of those things. Wiped out my squash crop in 2011, and in 2010 the only squash I had to harvest were cushaws.

December 23, 2011	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The ita on the end makes it mean little squash. I have bought them as calabaza which means squash. Worth/Vale la pena

December 28, 2011	#8
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	I've heard Zuccheta Rampicante is very resistant to SVB. It is a moschata type (solid stems). It can be used as a summer or winter squash. Tormato