Still have a stored winter squash...

[habitat_gardener]

I still have several Shark Fin melons (C. ficifolia) from last fall. I cut open the first one this week.

Someone gave me a seedling last year and it was the most vigorous squash vine in my garden. She told me later that the best way to open them is to drop them on the ground. I put the squash in a plastic bag, went outside, and dropped it on the concrete patio. The first time, it bounced. I dropped it a few more times, and finally it cracked open. Once it was halfway cracked, I was able to use a knife to cut it the rest of the way. The rind came off relatively easily, too.

It's sort of like a spaghetti squash inside, but white with black seeds. I like to try foods on their own before creating recipes. Raw, it tasted like the white juicy part of watermelon (just under the pink part), which I like. Cooked, it tastes like a cross between watermelon rind and winter squash -- refreshing. It's used in the "famous" French angel-hair marmalade, according to one website, and is often used in desserts and beverages.

I've read that the vines can be 15-45 ft. and the tips are an edible green. If I have space, I'll grow it again. It's a different species from other cucurbits, so it doesn't need to be isolated from them if you want to save seeds.

[lakelady]

Originally Posted by tjg911

i store mine in the basement about 70 degrees initially in late september. this is in staples paper boxes leaving room so none touch. when the basement drops to 58 or 60 i take them upstairs and put them into a north bedroom walk in closet. it remains 58-62 all winter. this is a good temperature for storage, leaving them in the basement at 45 or 50 reduced their storage.

tom

Yep, I learned my lesson. When I found mice in the basement I moved my squash to the fridge, where it promptly softened . ugh.

Shark Fin melons? So is it a dessert type melon you can eat raw? I'm not sure I undersand but it sounds interesting

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by lakelady

Shark Fin melons? So is it a dessert type melon you can eat raw? I'm not sure I undersand but it sounds interesting

I think it's been used to make desserts because it starts out with an interesting texture and can be used in so many ways. I, personally, don't like adding sugar to food, so I wouldn't be inclined to make a "dessert." I made marmalade twice (blood oranges and pineapple guavas), though, when I had tons of fruit to do something with.

So far I've eaten more of it cooked, but I like it raw because I like watermelon rind, sort of. I don't go out of my way to eat it when I have a big watermelon, but I'm not fanatical about cutting off every bit of white rind. But the texture and mild flavor make the Shark Fin melon (aka Malabar Squash) interesting to work with and versatile. It takes on the flavors of, say, spicy lentils, but keeps its texture.

One of the most important "gardening" skills, I've learned, is knowing how to prepare, store, preserve, or distribute the bounty.

I planted some saved seed a week ago and they haven't germinated yet. If I get germination, I'll share the seeds.

[Jeannine Anne]

I have a few Triamble and a couple of Blue Magic still just fine, they overwintered in my garage .

XX

[meadowyck]

HG that melon just sounds incredible. I love the white part of watermellon, when I was a child my mom would get after me for eating almost all of it on the mellons...LOL

Looking forward to your seed germination results. Do you have a source for purchasing the seeds that you mind sharing?

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by meadowyck

HG that melon just sounds incredible. I love the white part of watermellon, when I was a child my mom would get after me for eating almost all of it on the mellons...LOL

Looking forward to your seed germination results. Do you have a source for purchasing the seeds that you mind sharing?

I got my plant last year from one of the people who visits my garden (and to whom I've given lots of plants and seeds). She got the seeds from a friend, and when they visited my garden together, it was the friend who said the way to cut it open was to drop it on the ground.

[meadowyck]

I thought it might have come to you that way, well heres to praying the seeds are good.

[Neohippie]

Originally Posted by lakelady

Yep, I learned my lesson. When I found mice in the basement I moved my squash to the fridge, where it promptly softened . ugh.

Interesting. I live in Texas and don't have a basement, so I stored my winter squash in the garage during the winter, but once it started getting warm in there I put what was left of them in the fridge... and then they started getting soft spots, so I cut them up, roasted them, and froze the meat.

I figured I had just reached their storage time limit, but you think I might have done better storing them in the air conditioned house? That would have them in the mid-70's. Didn't know squash could be too cold (as long as it was above freezing).

[tjg911]

[QUOTE=Neohippie;289317
I figured I had just reached their storage time limit, but you think I might have done better storing them in the air conditioned house? That would have them in the mid-70's. Didn't know squash could be too cold (as long as it was above freezing).[/QUOTE]

absolutely, read my comments in this thread post #14.

tom

[Neohippie]

Ok, good to know. Next time I get a bumper crop that outlasts the cold weather, I'll try putting them in the house instead of the fridge and see if I can squeeze more time out of them.

That was also the year a squirrel got into the garage. At first we kept leaving the door open whenever we were home, to let him out, but he wouldn't leave. At first we thought he was just dumb, but then when I was fetching one of my squashes, it was all gnawed into! He was eating the squash meat AND the seeds, yum yum! No wonder he didn't want to leave! He found my big pile of squashes and thought "Yes! I've got it made in here!"

We ended up ordering a Haveaheart trap online, after he had been there about two weeks, and sure enough, the day BEFORE the trap arrived, he finally left. He must have overheard us or something.