Do they favor the taste of yellow crooked neck squash? I am growing white patty pan and they seem flavorless compared to crooked neck. Until cooked, they have no flavor at all, but I'll admit they are much sweeter than yellow crooked neck if eaten fresh off the vine.

My svb killed almost everything including my pattypans that are just now starting to come back. They stopped laying eggs. It's worth keeping under nets until July, I learned that this year. I avidly picked eggs and no dice, but last year I let them go doing nothing and got more crooked neck than this year. I planted yellow long neck squash, but they only grew to the size and shape of crooked neck.

I don't like zucchini unless it's battered and fried, so if trombocino rampicatnte tastes like zucchini, I want to know before I order seeds. Can you describe the taste? I know that is odd, but if it's more similar to yellow crooked neck, it's a winner, but if it's zucchini, I'll pass.

I just went through the seed saving thing and found out you have to let one sit so long becoming a gourd before the seed is viable, cucumbers the same. Your seeds won't grow.

I planted seeds from a zucchini this year, thinking it was yellow crooked neck squash, not one sprout. So ask more about seed saving before you rely on those seeds.

scarletdaisies,

The Trombocino Rampicante does not taste at all like zucchini - at least not to me. I am not a big fan of zucchini but will eat it on occasion. The Trombocino taste like butternut winter squash -but- a very mild butternut flavor. I got my seeds from the Italian Seed Company. Most seed company list them as zucchini and report they taste like zucchini but all of us who ate them this weekend were pleasantly surprised that they did not taste anything like zucchini to us. I think the reason they taste so full and 'rich' is because they have so few seeds. There are only seeds in the round bulb at the end - the neck has solid meat.

Hope this helps some. I will not try to save seeds but have already ordered my Italian seed for 2011.

DL

It is not a secret at all, one of the more popular among "heirloom" growers as it is a butternut and resistant to the Squash Vine Borer (SVB). Biggest drawback, it is a rampant vining squash that runs everywhere. It is widely available under a plethora of names Climbing Zucchini,Tromboncino, Trombocino, Zucchetta Rampicante, Italian Trombone Squash 'Tromba d'Albenga' Just google Tromboncino or Trombocino ( a common misspelling) and you will find lots of sources and discussions. many here on GW.

farmerdilla,

Right you are about the rampant vining! Thankfully, I was prepared for it because we planted it on a cattle panel trellis.

DL

I've been dying to grow these forever. I think I have the perfect place. Except the trellis there is only 6 feet high. Is that enough?

A 6' fence won't contain trombocino, but 8'-9' poles tied at the top and spread in an 'A' shape and covered on both sides with 6' wire attached a foot or more off the ground will do it. Don't plant a bunch of seeds in a hill like summer squash or you will have too many vines.
Sounds like a lot of work but Trombocino squash is worth the trouble. No borers, no seeds and doesn't even require watering much. Taste like yellow squash, but the texture is firmer or less watery

well... ive gotten one fruit so far this season... and the flowers arent opening. the plant is 40ft long already.. its strange because it seems there is a fruit or two forming yet the flowers havent opened yet. this is my first year growing it. is it typically late producing?