Oh boy. Any forum member with an ounce of good sense wouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole, or any other length for that matter. But since my moniker is on the subject line I feel somewhat obliged. What gardener doesn't occasionally fantasize about having a vegetable named in their honor. I'm just not sure how much honor is in this. LOL. And really, when all the beans are counted this really should be called Seedpapa Squash. And that's all I'm going to say about that as I continue down the road to Perdition. This is a case where size is largely irrelevant. I've not picked one any shorter than 18 inches and 24 to 36 inches is probably closer to average. After about four feet it starts getting a bit, oh gee help me here, woody. I've only eaten them fresh,but Soonergrandmom pickles them and somebody treats them as a storage winter squash. Pardon the inconclusive answer. I'm sure owiebrain and Soonergrandmom will be along shortly to firm things up.

LOL...I'm trying not to laugh out loud and have my boss ask me why I'm laughing...but I'm crying with laughter :) QUIETLY.

I must say, according to all the emails in my spam box, size is not irrelevant. ;) But it is good to know that I can let these babies get a little, uh, bigger.

You know I just call it that to make you laugh :)

Lisa

Oh boy. Any forum member with an ounce of good sense wouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole, or any other length for that matter. But since my moniker is on the subject line I feel somewhat obliged. What gardener doesn't occasionally fantasize about having a vegetable named in their honor. I'm just not sure how much honor is in this. LOL. And really, when all the beans are counted this really should be called Seedpapa Squash. And that's all I'm going to say about that as I continue down the road to Perdition. This is a case where size is largely irrelevant. I've not picked one any shorter than 18 inches and 24 to 36 inches is probably closer to average. After about four feet it starts getting a bit, oh gee help me here, woody. I've only eaten them fresh,but Soonergrandmom pickles them and somebody treats them as a storage winter squash. Pardon the inconclusive answer. I'm sure owiebrain and Soonergrandmom will be along shortly to firm things up.

LOL

"I'm sure owiebrain and Soonergrandmom will be along shortly to firm things up."

'Firming things up' doesn't appear to be the problem, but thanks for the vote of confidence.

Keeping it from visiting the neighbors may be a constant problem unless you can find it in your heart to share. I assume it is not the size of the vine that concerns you as much as the size of the 'fruit of the vine', but please be aware that the vine will be a huge monster. I planted mine late but it has reached the top of an 8 foot trellis and has it's first immature squash.

I would say that 18-20 inches is a good length, (no yardstick Lisa, just eye-ball it) and you shouldn't experience any 'woodiness' with that size. At that point the neck will be one to one and a half inches thick. I did make squash pickles with mine once after I had cooked squash in every way I could think of that year. Anything larger than that and the seeds will become large and tough, but the neck will probably still be usable.

If you recall, when seedmama grew this the first time, she was expecting it to be, in her words, "diminutive", so if it grew to "woody" (her words again), then possibly she needs to take it in a little sooner. There seem to be over-achievers in every field.

I love this squash and plant it every year, but I would never consider using it as a winter squash, although I have seen one at Baker Creek that was huge, darker colored, firmer, and probably 'woody'.

Seedmama, it is odd that you didn't have a desire to name this lovely squash after yourself, but choosing seedpapa for this honor must make him very proud.

And....I'm not sure that any of us will be ready for what owiebrain will have to say. After all, she is a younger woman.....and hot. I just saw where it is 106 there today. Expect the best from owiebrain, but prepare for the worst, just in case. LOL

Overachiever? Nah, I'm just a farmer, outstanding in my field.

Overachiever? Nah, I'm just a farmer, outstanding in my field.

Actually, I think you are a broken record, broken record, broken record. What's with the double posts?

Of course, when I type this, you know the 2nd messages will probably disappear and people will think I am losing it.

I just want a picture of the squash... :)

Moni

PS, both the plant and the veggie

Moni, you are welcome to come see it in person!

I was wanting a name and picture also. I was also wanted to know if had a problem with bugs, but I would never ask something like that now.

Larry

The actual name is Zucchetta Rampicante Tromboncino Squash, I think, but you will see it advertised as any one of those words sometimes.

This is a picture from my garden several years ago. This trellis is a bent 16 foot cattle panel. The left side has Zucchetta and the right side has two Tess tomatoes (no, you don't need two). If you look just left of center in the picture, you should be able to see two squash. One is hanging straight down just above those two large leaves near the bottom of the pic, and the other is higher and starts above the trellis then loops through the wire and the bottom of it is almost in the center of the picture.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zucchetta

Larry, I have never had SVB on this squash and I think that is because the stems are harder than most, at least near the ground they feel solid. I have had squash bugs on them.