Summer Squash in the Fall

[karstopography]

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This morning’s pick. They look perfect. Looks like I’ll have a similar amount for tomorrow.

This flow off the nearby semi tropical Gulf of Mexico authored warm up here we get in November and December really spur squash development. The squash tend to sit there and not do a ton of rapid growth during the continental and pacific originated air mass cool downs, but nicely recover in the GOM warm ups.

But, this general weather pattern had been standard fall fare since I remember so I don’t necessarily think I got an especially lucky year for squash.

[PlainJane]

Am going to have to try that next year.
Might be less pickle worm damage too.

[karstopography]

Am going to have to try that next year.
Might be less pickle worm damage too.

No sign of the pickle worm or SVB. Pickle worms ruined a few cucumbers this spring. I didn’t grow any squash this past spring, but spring of 2022 I had SVB. No hint of those dreaded pests this fall.

[JRinPA]

I did a late crop a couple years, none this year, but they start to run out of sun here...end of September? Not too frosty yet but growth really slowed. The ground cools too, I'm sure that doesn't help. Could probably do it on a sloping southeast facing hill with clear line to sun.

Do you think your December squash has as much flavor? I kind of thought the latest zuchini maybe didn't taste like much.?

[karstopography]

I did a late crop a couple years, none this year, but they start to run out of sun here...end of September? Not too frosty yet but growth really slowed. The ground cools too, I'm sure that doesn't help. Could probably do it on a sloping southeast facing hill with clear line to sun.

Do you think your December squash has as much flavor? I kind of thought the latest zuchini maybe didn't taste like much.?

My mom, I’ve given most of the Dixie Yellow summer squash to her, adores this yellow summer squash and says the flavor of the fall squash is great, super sweet, she’s says it is like candy. I thought it was great also.

The scalloped squash I haven’t ever really eaten it before. It is very good, maybe not a sweet as the yellow squash, but full of good squash like flavor.

[JRinPA]

Good to hear, maybe I'll try fall squash again next year.

[worth1]

Good to hear, maybe I'll try fall squash again next year.

Plant the squash on hills and the soil temperature will be higher..

[karstopography]

I took out my two remaining Dixie yellow hybrid squash and one of the patty pans a couple days ago. That bed all the squash were getting a spreading downy mildew on the leaves. The other bed twenty feet away with three patty pan squash still looks good. I’ve got a bag of squash in the fridge hydrator to cook and some more out on the vines. It’s good, but like many vegetables you can only eat so much before fatigue sets in.

Kind of hoping the last three plants go the way of their sisters.

[AKgardener]

How do those scallop squash taiste anywho?? I tried to grow them and didn’t get any still want to try them.

[karstopography]

How do those scallop squash taiste anywho?? I tried to grow them and didn’t get any still want to try them.

Less squash like, not quite as sweet as yellow squash, but with a creamier texture than yellow squash. To my tastes, yellow squash is the sweetest, sweeter than zucchini and patty pan. I find patty pan is firmer or denser once cooked than either yellow squash or zucchini. Patty pan isn’t anything like a butternut or acorn or any of the other winter squash I have had. Patty pan might be edging towards a potato like territory, but only barely.

[karstopography]

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Now Spring or close enough. Transplanted four squash today, two Dixie Yellow hybrid, one long white Sicilian zucchini and one Patison scalloped squash.

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[karstopography]

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The various squash and melons seem to be doing well. Most of the seed on these were started in Early February. I also direct seeded another couple more honeynut squash today.

[karstopography]

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The Dixie Yellow Hybrid squash is getting closer to blooming.

[karstopography]

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Strange spring so far for the squash. All female flowers at first, but nary a male in sight. Finally getting a male or two flower and some pollination going on.

Usually, it’s all males at first and then the females finally appear.

[GoDawgs]

Pretty plants! My soil temp yesterday was 60.

[karstopography]

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Second picking of the squash. First of the long white Sicilian zucchini and first of the Pic n’ Pic yellow squash. Rest are Dixie hybrid.

[Tormato]

How do those scallop squash taiste anywho?? I tried to grow them and didn’t get any still want to try them.

Less squash like, not quite as sweet as yellow squash, but with a creamier texture than yellow squash. To my tastes, yellow squash is the sweetest, sweeter than zucchini and patty pan. I find patty pan is firmer or denser once cooked than either yellow squash or zucchini. Patty pan isn’t anything like a butternut or acorn or any of the other winter squash I have had. Patty pan might be edging towards a potato like territory, but only barely.

Have you tried Tromboncino Rampicante? Some say it is the sweetest tasting summer squash. It is a moschata type.

I'm curious as to the day/night temp conditions that you grow summer squash in. Here, it is usually mid eighties in the day, and low/mid sixties at night, for average summer growing conditions, when plants are producing. That gives one several days to pick squash at 5 to 9 inches long, if fairly small, less seedy squash are desired.

If overnight temps are about 72 degrees, or more (it doesn't happen too often), a yellow squash or zucchini goes from 6 inches to 12 inches in about 2 days.

[karstopography]

How do those scallop squash taiste anywho?? I tried to grow them and didn’t get any still want to try them.

Less squash like, not quite as sweet as yellow squash, but with a creamier texture than yellow squash. To my tastes, yellow squash is the sweetest, sweeter than zucchini and patty pan. I find patty pan is firmer or denser once cooked than either yellow squash or zucchini. Patty pan isn’t anything like a butternut or acorn or any of the other winter squash I have had. Patty pan might be edging towards a potato like territory, but only barely.

Have you tried Tromboncino Rampicante? Some say it is the sweetest tasting summer squash. It is a moschata type.

I'm curious as to the day/night temp conditions that you grow summer squash in. Here, it is usually mid eighties in the day, and low/mid sixties at night, for average summer growing conditions, when plants are producing. That gives one several days to pick squash at 5 to 9 inches long, if fairly small, less seedy squash are desired.

If overnight temps are about 72 degrees, or more (it doesn't happen too often), a yellow squash or zucchini goes from 6 inches to 12 inches in about 2 days.

I haven’t tried that Tromboncino Rampicante.

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A snap shot of the temperatures for the last couple of weeks. The squash did grow pretty quickly yesterday and today.

Strange start this year with the squash as every bloom was a female for perhaps the first week or so of blooming. Finally, a male or two made it to the party and the pollination happened. In times past, male blooms appeared first and then the females.

[Tormato]

Generally, I get loads of all male blossoms to begin with, then much fewer female blossoms.

If the same occurs this year, I read about a tip to cut off more than half of the male blossoms to increase germination rates. It possibly makes sense, if bees are mostly visiting all of the male blossoms. With the pruning, bees would likely visit both male and female more equally. But, low germination, for me, usually happens much more with winter squash rather than with summer squash.

[karstopography]

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Gone for a couple of days and came back to a few squash. Might toss the scapes on the grill with the squash or make a pesto with the scapes and toss that with pasta, sautéed squash and Parmesan.