If you've ever grown summer squash, you know how prolific these plants can be in ideal growing conditions. Turn around, and six or seven more crookneck squash are ready to pick. Wait too long, and a zucchini will grow the size of a bat. Even your neighbors may start to look weary when you offer yet another bag filled with squashes. (Although your local food banks would appreciate any extra produce, no doubt.)
Still, summer squash can sometimes seem like too much of a good thing at times.
That's one reason I'm in love with 'Pattison Golden Marbre Scallop' squash. This rare heirloom not only produced loads of squash for me this summer, but also left plenty of winter squash too.
I direct sowed squash seeds in mid-May, after our last frost date. Before long, the bush plant started to provide small yellow scallop squash that tasted sweet throughout the summer. You can see an example of the scallop squash in the middle of the below picture.
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| Surrounding the 'Pattison Golden Marbre Scallop' squash (from top, moving clockwise) 'Rosa Bianca' eggplant and greenish 'Ronde de Nice' squash; blackish 'Little Finger' eggplants; 'Banana' pepper; striped 'Fairy Tale' eggplants; 'Lebanese White Bush Marrow' squash; green peppers and 'Calliope' eggplant. |
Around three weeks before our last frost date in early-October, I stopped picking the squash. Or, at least, I slowed down picking fruit. (Squash is botanically a fruit, not a vegetable, by the way.)
The squash eventually grew larger and developed a hard skin that couldn't be dented with a fingernail. That's when I knew it was ready for winter storage. So, I harvested the squash and left a couple inches of stem on each one. Now, the squash are stored for winter, and we've already enjoyed them in two separate dinners.
Today we had our first snow storm of the year. But I'm still enjoying 'Pattison Golden Marbre Scallop' squash, thanks to the amazing productivity of this unique and delicious heirloom.
I found my seeds at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. When I couldn't find information about how to grow both summer and winter squash from this plant, their seed experts were kind enough to answer my questions. Why not see for yourself whether this beautiful squash wins your heart too?
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That scallop squash is so pretty, so golden. I'll have to add that to my list for next year. I realized just last year that overgrown zucchini can be baked much like a winter squash (which is good since I tend to forget about them often during growing season.)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kat. I really recommend this variety. Interesting about the overgrown zucchini. You would think they would get too tough to eat. Have a happy holiday week, and thanks for stopping by... Teresa
ReplyDeleteI will try this one next year. Costata romanesco is a good heirloom zucchini to grow for both summer and winter eating. Great flavor too.
ReplyDeleteDuane: Thank you! I will definitely try that zucchini variety next year. Now I'm intrigued. Teresa
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