Kitchen Garden Forum

Due to plant die back I had to do a hurried bit of harvesting this week as some rather good squash were now a bit too visible.

Ten Crown Prince
Weights, 5kg, 4kg, 5kg, 4,5kg, 3.75kg, 4kg, 4.25 kg,5kg and 4.75kg, plus one I gave to Chris after he gave me a bundle of cuccumbers.

Six Vegetable spagetti
Weights, 3kg 2kg and four at 1kg each.

Still more I hope under the remaining leaves.
Bugger-all Butternut to see anywhere, is it a bad year for them?

Peter - sounds like a fantastic crop. Just as a matter of interest, can you tell me how you prevent your fruits from going mouldy once you've cut a chunk out of them for eating?
I've found this a problem in the past with the big squashes because there are only two of us so we can't eat one of them at one sitting. I normally cover the cut surfaces with cling film and store in the fridge but they do take up an awful lot of room. Have you ever tried freezing the flesh? If so, did you blanch it first, and how did it turn out?

peter wrote:Bugger-all Butternut to see anywhere, is it a bad year for them?

For the first time in 3 years, I've actually finished off with some Butternuts. I changed seeds this year and used Butternut Sprinter.

I had 4 plants and have picked 3 or 4 full sized fruits per plant. Since then another 4 fruit have formed, some of which are approaching full size.

Primrose, there are a number of solutions to your problem.

First cook the entire sauash, either whole or as chunks. That should steralise it and you can then add cooked squash to any stew/curry/soup for about a week from tupperware in the fridge.

Second, same thing, but freze the cooked flesh in bags. Mash it first.

Third, make soup out of an entire squash and have a soup party, fresh crusty bread, fresh butter and spicy soup, mmmmm.

Fourth, halve, de-seed, then quarter or eighth the body. Peel on a sturdy wooden chopping board with a very strong sharp knife, slicing down onto the board and turning over. Cut into chunks of a size you are happy with, bag them and freeze them.

I have a two gallon pot.

Thanks for your suggestions Peter. I'll give this a try, especially as I currently have two enormous (unidentified variety)self-sown marrow shaped squashes ripening which would feed an army.
We've previously only eaten our various squashes roasted and baked, so I can see a whole new cooking area opening up.

I did post a Winter Stew into Soup recipie, I'll have a look for it & pm you the link.