Bset to wait until the vines start to die, but when in a hurry as soon as the skin is too hard to cut with a fingernail. All winter squash are better if cured for a couple of weeks so they lose some water content.

My spaghetti squash plants have a few flowers. I hope to get a few photos of the flowers this evening.

I am not sure the butternut squash have won the battle for space among the spaghetti squash. I did not see different plants when I was weeding yesterday. Hopefully, I was just not looking closely because it was so hot out, and I was a bit tired of being poked by weeds and scratched up by the squash plants.

OK, will do.

All!

>> I am a bit unsure what this squash/pumpkin is. It germinated from my mulch.

Some squashes will cross-pollinate with some other squashes (or pumpkins) in a similar group, or so I read.
Walter Reeves says that Butternut squash is Curcurbita moschata, and it will cross with these pumpkins:

Cheese
Dickinson Field
Golden Cushaw
Kentucky Field

http://www.walterreeves.com/fo...

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm...

I think that maybe Japanese squash are Cucurbita maxima. if so they might cross with Hubbard squash and several different pumpkins.

The proof will be in the eating.

Is it possible to leave winter squash on the vine too long? Maybe it just gets bigger? My spaghetti squash appears to be ready to pick after 90 days from sowing seeds.

Im not growing spaghetti squash right now but winter squash in general is redy when the skin toughens and you can't scratch the rind with your fingernail. Also I think spaghetti squash should be yellow and not green.

That helps a lot. Squash is still green, but skin is already hard.

It is not easy to be patient and wait for the first ripe squash. It doesn't grow any faster, no matter how often you inspect it. But I continue to inspect the squash often so I won't have surprise squash bug invasions ruining the anticipated harvest.




It makes me happy to see a lot of blossoms. More each day. The lavender plant that attracts a bunch of bees to the yard is about 20 feet away. I am hopeful they will pollinate the squash flowers. There are also salvia plants, bee balm, a small different lavender, and pineapple sage, even closer, to attract bees and pollinators. The borage and clover haven't grown enough to flower yet, but they are within five feet of the squash bed.

I never had much squash to harvest when I previously grew them in Denver. I didn't plant very many plants and there weren't a lot of flowers. I had sunflower volunteers to attract the bees, but didn't get much. What I did harvest, I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope I am a better gardener after all these years. At least I was smart enough to plant more seeds this time around. Although I can't yet tell which are spaghetti and which are the butternut squash plants. They are getting tangled up together. Today's project is to use some twine to control the vines.

Anyone grow sweet meat winter squash have trouble getting them to germinate? I've planted seeds three times, no plants.

Welllllllll, my goats finally thought the squash plants were big enough to eat. Nothing left but the roots. They had about 6 blossoms each. Can't grow anything here outside the garden cage.

Note to self: No goats allowed in the yard.

Sorry to hear that the goats enjoyed the squash feast you planted for them. Oops. The squash you planted to harvest for yourself. No way to fence off the squash next year, so the goats can't get to them?

My squash vines are all over the place. And many flowers I can see from across the yard. I have seen bees and a lot of wasps in the squash and melons, so I usually go the other way to leave them alone to pollinate without distractions. I am really glad there have been no bad bugs on the squash so far. I set out to explore the vines for fruit, but kept getting distracted because weeding kept me busy today. Even found weeds growing in the squash. Some weeds were hiding so well that they were quite large when I discovered them and yanked them out by the roots. Then we had sprinkles of rain off and on today. I still had to water because we didn't get much rain but I did water a bit earlier because it was cloudy most of the evening. Which meant I also had an early supper. All-in-all a good day, even though I never did find any squash growing, but there are at least a dozen flowers, so I am hopeful still.

Actually, I sowed seeds out in the pasture knowing either the chickens would eat the seeds, or the goats would eat the plants. My only surprise is that they hadn't already eaten them. Turns out they pulled up the plants, but ate only the blossoms. So, my husband, who is not the least bit interested in gardening, decided he had to save them. Replanted them, watered them. They are still alive, probably until they bloom again.

My first Mrs Aquillard squash. Its golf ball size.

I finally got around to seeding some winter squash . I will be happy with any that comes up and survives. I planted about 8 varieties total , but will be thrilled if half comes up.

What kinds did you plant, and which is your favorite?

I knew there had been too many pollinators in my squash to not have any set yet. This morning, I decided to water earlier, to get to the squash before the pollinators, so I would not have to disturb/interrupt them. As I was able to take my time, I noticed at least three spaghetti squash. Yippee!

My first ripe Mrs aquillard winter squash. It weighs 10 lbs. We have to let it set for 2 weeks. Anyone ever eaten one? Are they good?

You are harvesting your winter squash and I am still working on getting my seedlings in to the ground. :)

As posted earlier, I seeded about 8 different types and all came up except for one. Planted a few butternut squash a few years ago, but have not grown any since. I hope I not too late this year.

Varieties up were buttercup, Australian butternut, Queensland blue, Hubbard, sphagetti squash, delicata, and Lakota.

Any thoughts and comments regarding them? Care and growth habits about the same? I don't have a lot of room so am tucking them in here and there where there is some room for them to ramble.

We are starting to harvest our delicata and I am not taking any to market! We LOVE this squash. I cut in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, cut slices and put on sprayed cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes, turning once. Better than french fries! Yummy!!!

I have harvested a couple of small acorn as well and two Zapello, which I have never had before. I'm anxious to try them as well.