Climbing Squash

[kchd..]

Two years ago (in 2014), I grew Tromboncino squash for the first time. I was so impressed that it has earned a permanent place in my garden. It was generally ignored by the squash bugs. I had 2 plants that I trellised up some cattle panel arches. The vines were at least 25 ft long. It was quite productive. I prefer to pick them "small" at less than 18" in length and use them like a summer squash. I let the final fruit mature into a huge thing, which I stored for a few months and also saved seeds from it. If you would like to try some, just let me know. I was introduced to this variety by a sweet lady in PA, and we have remained friends ever since. And because I am so grateful that she shared the seeds with me, I like to pay it forward whenever I can.

How's everyone's Gialle Nostrale been this season? Mine (from Robert's saved seed) seems to be decidedly bushy, not vining at all. I got them in late, so still waiting on the first fruits to get bigger before I harvest.

[AlittleSalt]

I have been wondering how they are growing for everyone too. Ours were planted out in the garden that had to be solarized, so I won't have any more seeds to give away for the next year. I hope to have some next year at least.

[PhilaGardener]

Nice looking cattle-panel trellis!

[kchd..]

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

Nice looking cattle-panel trellis!

Thanks! That was from a couple years ago at the old house. Moved in 2015 and this year was the first year in the new garden. I went with the cattle panel trellis again because I love how well it works. This year I grew tromboncino, tatume, and mongogo du Guatemala squash; and Armenian cucumber up the trellis'.

Here's a pic of my largest Gialle Nostrale. Does it look right, Salt? When do I harvest it? (This is the first year I have ever grown squash!)

[AlittleSalt]

Braybright, I don't know why it looks that way? Here is picture of what they looked like for me. It was the only squash I saved seeds from because the others I planted drowned way before producing.

Very odd! It was definitely from the packet of seeds I got from you. Likely cross-pollination? Anybody else growing it want to chime in?

[gorbelly]

I grew Tromba d'Albenga (Franchi) and Black Futsu this year, both moschatas with long vines. The tromboncino had VERY long vines, 25+ feet and is a production machine.

The Black Futsu had shorter vines, 10-15 feet, but it wasn't vigorous, and I'm pretty sure I got crossed seed (Baker Creek) as it did not produce true to type and was generally puny and sickly.

I had one of each on a leaning trellis in a garden bed, and they very quickly overgrew that. Those were also much more susceptible to powdery mildew, probably from more crowding of foliage. I grew an additional one of each up a "trellis" (repurposed cast iron shelf frame) against my garage wall and up onto the garage roof and onto the railing up there (I have easy roof access). That turned out to be the perfect solution for me, as I have limited square footage in my garden beds and lost a lot to the vines I planted in the beds. Those vines were very happy.

A long cattle panel or a long fence would be ideal for vining squash. I wouldn't plan to grow directly up out of a bed near anything else, as the vines end up shading out plants for a rather large radius around the trellis. If planting squash vertically in one's main garden, I'd put the squash in the westernmost bed and have the trellis outside the bed, not in it, and oriented in a way that wouldn't block sun for anything else. That would make the best use of space and sun, IMO.

I recommend letting the vines double back down to the ground and root some additional nodes as they grow. The one I did that with was much more vigorous and productive. Also, my understanding is that the SVB resistance of moschatas comes not only from how hard the vines get at the base but also because of their aggressive rooting at nodes, and you lose that if you grow up a trellis and don't allow the vines to come back down once in a while and root.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by braybright

Very odd! It was definitely from the packet of seeds I got from you. Likely cross-pollination? Anybody else growing it want to chime in?

I was thinking a cross too. The closest garden to ours is a quarter mile away, so I guess it is possible. I have no idea what they grew last year.

[Doug_S]

Would anyone have a few gialla nostrale seeds to share? I am tired of the SVB destroying my crops. I grow tatume (calabacitas) and would like one more variety to plant.