# What winter squash do you like best?



## kyredneck

I prefer the c. moschata species like butternut and Tahitian Melon squash because they're sweeter than most other species and insects don't bother them as bad.

I grew Burpee Butterbush 2013, very pleased with it, it's even sweeter than the Walthams Dad raises every year.

Many years ago we grew the Tahiti squash and it's the sweetest of all, I'm thinking of growing it again for 2014. It's a space hog, and late, but my wife and I both agree it's the best tasting winter squash we've ever had.

http://plantfreak.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/tahitian-squash-the-mammoth-of-squashes/

What's your favorite winter squash?


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## camo2460

I also like the Butternut Squash, but I've never heard of the Tahiti Squash, where can I get some seeds?


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## CulexPipiens

Butternut and Red Kuri are my two favorites.


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## bacpacker

Butternut and acorn are my favs. I also would like to find some seed for the thaiti


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## Woody

Back in PA, Blue Hubbard was the standard. They are BIG but lasted the longest in the cold, cold cellars we had. I never had much luck with any 'smooth skinned' storage squash, maybe just my harvesting and storage practices. Down here in NC I have not had any luck with any so far. I don't have any kind of cellar to store in so they are either outside in the shed or inside in the storage room. Either way the temperature varies too much to store them for too long. This year I am trying the Baby Blue Hubbard, maybe they will do as well as I remember.

Anyone have any tips for NC storage or squashes???


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## kyredneck

camo2460 said:


> I also like the Butternut Squash, but I've never heard of the Tahiti Squash, where can I get some seeds?





bacpacker said:


> Butternut and acorn are my favs. I also would like to find some seed for the thaiti


Thompson Morgan was the original seed company that sold Tahitian Melon squash years ago, but I'm probably going to order my squash seed this year from Sandhill Preservation Center, they have a large selection of varieties including the Tahitian.


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## kyredneck

CulexPipiens said:


> Butternut and Red Kuri are my two favorites.


I've read a lot of folks like that Red Kuri (Cucurbita maxima).

How big do the vines get? Do they spread even more than a Waltham Butternut (C. Moschata)?


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## kyredneck

Woody said:


> Back in PA, Blue Hubbard was the standard. They are BIG but lasted the longest in the cold, cold cellars we had. I never had much luck with any 'smooth skinned' storage squash, maybe just my harvesting and storage practices. Down here in NC I have not had any luck with any so far. I don't have any kind of cellar to store in so they are either outside in the shed or inside in the storage room. Either way the temperature varies too much to store them for too long. This year I am trying the Baby Blue Hubbard, maybe they will do as well as I remember.
> 
> Anyone have any tips for NC storage or squashes???


They like room temps a lot more than cold cellar temps, I can tell you that. I moved a large cardboard box of butternuts, a cushaw and a PA neck pumpkin to the cellar 2-3 wks before Christmas and already the cushaw and some butternuts have shown bad spots forming so I'm moving them back up into the house.


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## Davarm

I only grow Blue Hubbards and Jumbo Pink Banana now, they seem to do the best in my soil(and climate - zone 7).

I've tried several types of pumpkins(one being "Long Island Cheese") but they just dont do very well here.

The Jumbo Pink Bananas get up to a foot in diameter and some are more than 3 feet long and they are heavy producers.


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## kyredneck

Dave, do you have problems with squash vine borer where you're at?


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## shadowrider

I like pumpkins best.


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## Davarm

We have them but not in high enough numbers to cause a real big problem.

Squash Bugs are what I have to watch out for, those little buggers will suck a vine dry almost over night if you let them go unchecked.


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## camo2460

kyredneck said:


> Thompson Morgan was the original seed company that sold Tahitian Melon squash years ago, but I'm probably going to order my squash seed this year from Sandhill Preservation Center, they have a large selection of varieties including the Tahitian.


Thank you my friend, I checked out the web site you posted and was quite impressed. I marked it as one of my favorites, and will be placing an order soon.


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## kyredneck

Here's a couple more sources:

http://www.gardenharvestsupply.com/ProductCart/pc/Organic-Tahitian-Squash-Seed-p5016.htm

https://www.southernexposure.com/tahitian-melon-squash-winter-4-g-p-1388.html

Something worth mentioning here is the very close resemblance Tahiti squash has to Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck, aka 'Neck Pumpkin'. I strongly suspect some vendors have done/will do the age old marketing scheme and sell the same cultivar under both names. I've had both cultivars and I assure you they are NOT the same. Besides Tahitian being twice as sweet and flavorful, it CAN get bigger than PA Dutch, it's flesh is a deeper orange, it generally has a proportionally smaller diameter seed cavity to neck diameter, and it seems to me the exterior appearence of the Tahitian retains a 'glossiness' or a shine where the neck pumpkins are more dull.

Below is a photo (I just took) of a 'neck pumpkin' that I sliced into and steamed some of it just yesterday. If memory serves me right Tahitian would have already started 'healing over' on the cut end, this neck squash looks like I just cut it, and I suspect that it won't heal either, we'll see. Also I had to add some sweetener (stevia) to it, something I never have to do with the butternuts or Tahiti squash.


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## Momturtle

We have had tremendous luck with Candy Roaster (c. maxima) here. Prolific despite the attempts of squash bugs, borers, chickens and deer. It is a medium large squash that is very sweet and tender and it keeps like a dream just piled in a corner of the living room. As an experiment, kept one for two years in the kitchen and it was still good (not great but good). I wish I could grow summer squash or any pepo type here. Squash bugs appear out of nowhere and bang, they are gone.


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## kyredneck

Concerning squash bugs, IF, and that's a non negotiable 'IF', no squash is being cultivated by your neighbors close to you, delaying setting out ALL squash till mid June works like a charm here to defeat the squash bugs. When they emerge in the Spring, if they don't find any food to eat, they pick up and leave! For real! My closest gardening neighbor is 1/4 mile away which apparently the distance is enough for this to work. 

Start your pepos (and all others also) in pots at least by mid May and hold off setting them out till mid June and see if that doesn't help IMMENSELY, but remember the big 'IF'.


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## alwaysready

I like the pink banana squash they make the best pies!


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## kyredneck

shadowrider said:


> I like pumpkins best.


Those long necked squash generally are a whooooole lot easier to prep than pumpkins.


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## bacpacker

Kyredneck,
Thanks for the links. I will scour those sites for goodies. Also I will try planting my squash later this year. Certainly worth a shot down here. 
If you don't want to answer, no problem. Are you in the mountians in the east or more middle/western part of the state. The reason I ask is what your climate is compared to us. I know around here the valley is much different than the mountians are. Also, I used to live in Louisville,Ky and know what the summers are like there.


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## CulexPipiens

Butternut stores very well just in our house. It's quite common for me to get them in September and still have them in perfect condition the following May/June.


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## kyredneck

Bacpacker I'm located in the foothills of east KY, more times than not we share the same weather as the mountains probably very similar to yours except you would be a tab bit warmer most of the time. I guess you refer to the Tennessee Valley, it's generally Ohio Valley climate here. 

I'm scouring the sites too, let me know what you find out. I very much wish that I had the same Tahitian seed from years ago because I know it was genuine, it may not be easy to find the real thing now, the thing is that even the companies that sell most of the time don't even know if their seed is genuine or not, they just parrot what they've been told.

I've about decided I'd like to grow about six hills of Tahitian Melon, at three plants per hill under decent growing conditions that should equate to about 50 fruit averaging 12-15 lbs each; that's a lot of winter squash to eat, barter with, and give away.  

There's a humongous brush pile on the hill north of the house that once it's burnt off this Spring would be the perfect place to plant those squash and just let them ramble, because that's what they want to do, ramble. They require a lot of space.


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## kyredneck

CulexPipiens said:


> Butternut stores very well just in our house. It's quite common for me to get them in September and still have them in perfect condition the following May/June.


Oh I agree totally, it's an excellent keeper, and so delicious; it's easy and quick to prepare if you just like it steamed and mashed with a little butter as we eat it. A potato peeler will take the rind off. So simple.


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## Davarm

alwaysready said:


> I like the pink banana squash they make the best pies!


Thats what I mostly use them for and they are good! Dont know how well they store, we can them all before they've had a chance to sit too long.

My grandson did drag 3 small cantaloupe sized ones in from the garden around September and they are still sitting on the table with faces drawn on them so I guess they will store at least a few months.


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## CulexPipiens

kyredneck said:


> Oh I agree totally, it's an excellent keeper, and so delicious; it's easy and quick to prepare if you just like it steamed and mashed with a little butter as we eat it. A potato peeler will take the rind off. So simple.


Roasted and then pureed.

Use the puree as a pasta sauce with some italian sausage and sage.
Use the puree mixed in with veggie or chicken stock and then use that mixture to make risotto.

Roasted and then cut into chunks (diced)

Use as a side with many dishes.
Put on pizza with goat cheese and sage.
Layer into a lasagna and then use a becheml or garlic cream sauce instead of a tomato sauce and some goat cheese and good fresh mozzarella.


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## NavaBoer

I bought some seeds from baker creek heirloom seeds these are old varieties that are among the best for eating (according to my research) 
If you take the time to navigate the site you'll find many varieties of squash and other vegetables. This is the kind of business I want to support because they are non GMO and from what I can tell are truly a caring company. I enjoyed doing business with them.

http://www.rareseeds.com/crown-/
&
http://www.rareseeds.com/jarrahdale-pumpki/


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## helicopter5472

Summer Squash is my favorite, It's Summer somewhere !!! but I like just about all types


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## kyredneck

CulexPipiens said:


> Roasted and then pureed.
> 
> Use the puree as a pasta sauce with some italian sausage and sage.
> Use the puree mixed in with veggie or chicken stock and then use that mixture to make risotto.
> 
> Roasted and then cut into chunks (diced)
> 
> Use as a side with many dishes.
> Put on pizza with goat cheese and sage.
> Layer into a lasagna and then use a becheml or garlic cream sauce instead of a tomato sauce and some goat cheese and good fresh mozzarella.


Cool! Thanks for sharing that!

Do you peel/remove rind before or after roasting?


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## CulexPipiens

kyredneck said:


> Cool! Thanks for sharing that!
> 
> Do you peel/remove rind before or after roasting?


Most of the time I simply cut into half and remove the seeds, smear the pulp with olive oil and a few sage leaves and then roast. When it's very tender you can let cool and simply use a spoon to scoop the pulp right out of the rind.


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## kappydell

butternut & blue hubbard. I got a real deal on a huge one at a grocery store because the clerk was selling 'gourds' for $1 each, and kept insisting is was a gourd. (..OK...I offered to pay the squash price...Score one for me.) I only wish she had more of them. Now the other home-makers see me at the gourd pile, one invariably asks what the characteristics of each kind are and what is best for what. I like squash, eat any kind I run across or someone gives me, so I have tried most of the common ones grown around here. Yum!


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## NavaBoer

NavaBoer said:


> I bought some seeds from baker creek heirloom seeds these are old varieties that are among the best for eating (according to my research)
> If you take the time to navigate the site you'll find many varieties of squash and other vegetables. This is the kind of business I want to support because they are non GMO and from what I can tell are truly a caring company. I enjoyed doing business with them.
> 
> http://www.rareseeds.com/crown-/
> &
> http://www.rareseeds.com/jarrahdale-pumpki/


Sorry if that sounded like spam haha 
What I meant is I'm super excited to grow these this spring. I will be growing tons of them for chicken and turkey feeding over the winter. I also got a butternut style squash but I'm more interested in these cool blue/green ones


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## CulexPipiens

NavaBoer said:


> Sorry if that sounded like spam haha
> What I meant is I'm super excited to grow these this spring. I will be growing tons of them for chicken and turkey feeding over the winter. I also got a butternut style squash but I'm more interested in these cool blue/green ones


Not spam to me... Baker Creek has some great seeds and should be supported.


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## kyredneck

CulexPipiens said:


> Most of the time I simply cut into half and remove the seeds, smear the pulp with olive oil and a few sage leaves and then roast. When it's very tender you can let cool and simply use a spoon to scoop the pulp right out of the rind.


I did this very thing yesterday (except w/butter) with about a 5 lber, I baked it for 1 1/2 hrs @ 375F and it actually could have cooked a little longer, but it was still good.

The thing I like about cubing and steaming is that it is much quicker and requires substantially less cooking energy than firing up the oven.


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## kyredneck

OK, I did it. I burned the humongous brush pile and planted 4 Tahiti Melon Squash plants at one end (with plenty of manure and compost) of the burn area and have (barely) trained them to run to the other end, and man, these things are brutes! It's a forest down in there with bumble bees all busy doing their thing and loads of baby squash set on already. If we get enough rain I suspect these 4 vines are going to produce a lot of fruit the way it's looking; the plants seem to really love the ashes in the soil.


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## hashbrown

My crookneck squash and zucchinis seem to be getting along fabulously. May I present my very first squashini!


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## Enchant18

Found a great butternut recipe. Cut into 1" chunks coat in 2 T olive oil, 2 T brown sugar and a dash of cayenne. Bake about 30 minutes. It's delicious.


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## kyredneck

'Olive oil, brown sugar, and cayenne', cool. Sweet & spicy. I love watermelon w/Valentino's sauce (popular south of the border I hear). I suppose the brown sugar could be substituted with Stevia?


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## kyredneck

hashbrown said:


> My crookneck squash and zucchinis seem to be getting along fabulously. May I present my very first squashini!


Cool. That cross had to occur last year, right? I mean, you all have been growing crooknecks & zucchs in close proximity and saved seed from them, right?

Just tryin' to learn sumthin' here. 

'Squashini', or 'crookneck zucchinni'....


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## Enchant18

kyredneck said:


> 'Olive oil, brown sugar, and cayenne', cool. Sweet & spicy. I love watermelon w/Valentino's sauce (popular south of the border I hear). I suppose the brown sugar could be substituted with Stevia?


You could use Stevia but I would add a small amount of molasses as well to get the brown sugar taste.


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## kyredneck

Lol, my whole intent is to avoid too much consumption of refined sugar, it behooves some of us to do that; IMO, the c. moschatas like butternut and Tahiti squash are some of the most 'naturally sweet' without the addition of sugar. Just sayin'. 

OTOH, there are others with 'sweet tooths' that are fortunate not to have to be overly concerned with consuming too much sugar.


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## crabapple

I like butternut & Acorn squash, DW likes spaghetti squash.
I want to try The pumpkins with the hulless seeds.


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## kyredneck

We love spaghetti squash and eat it regularly, like spaghetti with a good sauce and parmesan cheese. 

I've never grown it though, except I now have volunteer Spaghetti squash (C. Pepo) hanging from my compost fence and these are the reason why squash bugs have appeared in my garden this year.


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## Toffee

Butternut is my favorite hands down. The plants aren't doing so good this year, though. I'm still holding out hope


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## Hooch

...sugar pie pumpkin..n amish pumpkin...speggetti squash too..i had a cross one year of the two...they were interesting...i grew them too close together n whammo...squash these days..sheesh!!


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## Davarm

I made a pie and a few loaves of bread(cake) from the first of this years Jumbo Pink Banana and they sure were(are) good!


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## tamitik

I grew Hopi Pale Gray squash this yr.. great taste and easy to grow.

the bees need to co-operate, tho.

I will be hand pollinating next yr.

Got many jars and lotsa seed for next yr.

Its the longest keeper i know but, with no root cellar, I had to can them.


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## crabapple

Planting Acorn,pumpkin,spaghetti & something with no name.


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## Starcreek

I just planted some Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash. I've never planted it before. Apparently, it's a rare heirloom that was grown by the Choctaw and Creek Indian tribes. A friend of mine who does the pow wows and all sent the seeds to me, and when I was getting ready to plant them I looked them up online and found out the vines can grow to 20 feet!

(I think we need more space..... )


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