What's your favorite yellow summer squash?

[NewWestGardener]

Chayote squash!Better than any other summer squash I've tried. It is such an odd duck you may not have thought of trying, but they are super productive and tasty and they keep well. They like heat but grow well in our region if you start them early inside.

Do not try to cut the fruit open to extract the seeds (I've done that), plant the whole thing.

I heard that the leaves and vines are all tasty treats as well.

[Tropicalgrower]

^


That is a very interesting suggestion NewWestGardener.


I had never heard of those before I went to the PI.It is used there in many dishes.The planting process seems interesting,and I wonder if would be too late now to attempt a sprouting?I'd have to ask the wife.Nice thing is,that there is no shortage of these in the market,at least for us locally.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

Chayote squash!Better than any other summer squash I've tried. It is such an odd duck you may not have thought of trying, but they are super productive and tasty and they keep well. They like heat but grow well in our region if you start them early inside.

Do not try to cut the fruit open to extract the seeds (I've done that), plant the whole thing.

I heard that the leaves and vines are all tasty treats as well.

I once tried store bought Chayote. Notice how I said once? It was the blandest squash I've ever tried.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Tropicalgrower

I really like Gold Rush for my summer squash.


Tormato:if you happen by,I'd really enjoy your take on the Rugosa Friulana that you like so well.


I could use a suggestion for a winter squash if no one would mind.I've been trying to decide on a good winter type for this upcoming season.I read a post from Fred Hempel who mentioned Blue Kuri being a good winter squash.I may have to think about that one,but as with most things,I am open to suggestions.


Thanks.



Choosing a single variety winter squash depends on how you're going to use it.



If you're going to add flavor, like butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, etc... then many of the butternut (moschata) types will do. The added bonus is that the butternut squashes are vine borer resistant, they store well, the skin is thin for easy peeling, and the neck is thick solid flesh, for very easy processing.



If adding nothing, or next to nothing, the maxima types generally have better flavor, and are generally firmer and dryer, so can be used in cooking where the moschatas might get mushy.



Size can be a factor, too. Some grow huge, and if you're not using it all at once, or freezing it, most of your work will have been growing compost.



So, I first recommend that you decide how you're going to use winter squash before you decide on which variety or varieties.







Trop

[Tropicalgrower]

Originally Posted by Tormato

I once tried store bought Chayote. Notice how I said once? It was the blandest squash I've ever tried.

On their own they don't have much flavor,that is true.They do however pick up flavor of the dish they are being used in.They have a great texture as well.Something about them that I like,but cannot put my finger on.


Thanks for the help with the winter squash Tormato.There are just the 2 of us,so we don't really need (or want for that matter) a large squash.I would use in soup and bake in the oven or fry on the stove-top with just minimum ingredients.Having something left from the garden for use during the winter would be nice.


What is it about the Rugosa Friulana that you like so much?Always interested in what might be a better option for summer squash too.

[bjbebs]

For yellow squash, Butter Stick and Butter Dish, both from Burpee. I also plant a Lebanese squash. I got this seed from an old country immigrant. She had a small grape orchard and close to a 1/2 acre garden. Put up everything she grew and gave away the rest. She called the squash, Cousa, which is the prepared dish rather than variety name. The squash is cored, filled with a rice or bulgur and meat mixture, similar to a stuffed cabbage roll. It has a different flavor than typical squash. I have no idea what the retail Lebanese squash tastes like but this pale green squash is special.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Tropicalgrower

On their own they don't have much flavor,that is true.They do however pick up flavor of the dish they are being used in.They have a great texture as well.Something about them that I like,but cannot put my finger on.


Thanks for the help with the winter squash Tormato.There are just the 2 of us,so we don't really need (or want for that matter) a large squash.I would use in soup and bake in the oven or fry on the stove-top with just minimum ingredients.Having something left from the garden for use during the winter would be nice.


What is it about the Rugosa Friulana that you like so much?Always interested in what might be a better option for summer squash too.

Summer squash generally are not strong on flavor. So, RF, in my garden, is the strongest of the weak.



For soup, baking, and frying, a maxima type is the way to go. Blue Kuri sounds ideal, as long as you have room for the vines. An alternative if short on space, would be something like Gold Nugget, a bush type.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by bjbebs

For yellow squash, Butter Stick and Butter Dish, both from Burpee. I also plant a Lebanese squash. I got this seed from an old country immigrant. She had a small grape orchard and close to a 1/2 acre garden. Put up everything she grew and gave away the rest. She called the squash, Cousa, which is the prepared dish rather than variety name. The squash is cored, filled with a rice or bulgur and meat mixture, similar to a stuffed cabbage roll. It has a different flavor than typical squash. I have no idea what the retail Lebanese squash tastes like but this pale green squash is special.

I've tried a variety called "Cousa" that may be the same pale green one that you described. I prepared it much like the above. Taste, to me, is like a mild zucchini. The best thing about it is that because it is cored in the preparation, it can be picked a bit later without the worry of hard maturing seeds.

[gardenmermaid]

I grew Rugosa Friulana last year and really enjoyed it. Like Tormato, I had some pale green ones, but mostly they were yellow. All were good but there was a flavor difference between the two. The pale green ones had a sweet flavor that reminded me of fresh baby corn.

A couple of years ago, a friend grew a squash plant he had purchased at a store and didn't save the tags from. HE didn't know what it was but that it was a winter squash and he picked some when they were yellow and as big around as a smaller spaghetti squash but about twice as long. He thought they were ripe but when he gave one to me I could see they were still "green" even though they were yellow and pointed out to him how you could tell they weren't mature because the skin was so soft. We didn't want to waste the immature squash and I had heard that some winter squash made good summer squash, and had nothing to lose.
I decided to slice it up and saute it like zucchini.
BEST "summer squash" I've EVER had. Great texture, not mushy, sweet and nutty flavor. I even ate some of the slices raw and they were delicious!
My friend tried to let some of the squash finish hardening on the vine but it froze before they were all the way mature. Some of the biggest ones started turning pale orange and they looked to me like something in the banana squash family. Not sure if it was THE banana squash or one of the similar types, but the shape was long with tapered ends like banana.
I am planning on growing banana squash this year just to see if it is as good of a summer squash as that one.

[imp]

It's between the old fashioned lumpy very warty yellow crook neck squash and Rugosa Friulana; both have had excellent taste and productivity for me, decent resistance to diseases and easily grown here in north Texas.

[upcountrygirl]

Lots of "winter" squash are good cooked and served as summer squash and it also helps for ppl that don't have a lot of room to store winter squash. I honestly can't think of a squash I've tried that I thought not eating that again...too many good ones!

[Tormato]

Winter squash cooked as summer squash, would likely produce a better tasting squash. The problem is that there's usually only a few winter squash per plant.
If only I had the time and room to trellis zuchetta rampicante tromboncino.

[b54red]

I have narrowed my squash varieties down to only one and it is Butta. It is a pale yellow zucchini that is super tasty, large and very productive.

Bill

[GoDawgs]

Summer squash (including the "necks", patty pan and zukes) pretty much all taste the same to me, i.e. a generic "mild" squash flavor. This year I'm growing a hill each of Early Crookneck, Green Vegetable Marrow (new to me) and Patty Pan Blend (a freebie). The crookneck is from the local feed & seed.

[roper2008]

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

Chayote squash!Better than any other summer squash I've tried. It is such an odd duck you may not have thought of trying, but they are super productive and tasty and they keep well. They like heat but grow well in our region if you start them early inside.

Do not try to cut the fruit open to extract the seeds (I've done that), plant the whole thing.

I heard that the leaves and vines are all tasty treats as well.

I like Chayote squash. My mom use to cook it. I’m going buy 2 at the store and plant them. Thanks for reminding me.