What About Uchiki Kuri?

[Chez]

What has been your experience in growing Uchiki Kuri squash re flavour, yield and 'fruit' size? Or anything else you wish to add.

[uraki]

werent they the bad guys in lord of the rings?

[Chez]

No silly, it's a skin disease...

[lizzie]

We had one of those but the wheel came off

[Chez]

Well that was fun . Can't believe my own sense of humour overtook me to the point that I almost sabotaged my own thread!

So I'll try again - who has grown them and what do they of them?

[Johnboy]

Hi Chez,
Some people have a tendency to produce these and complain that they are all seed and no flesh. I actually think that they do not have the right watering regime as I for one have not found this in those that I have produced. I rather like them as they are the right size for one person and they taste fine to me. I would recommend them as 'a good grow'.

[John]

Hello Chez
I've grown them for several years now. I thoroughly recommend them. They're very reliable, prolific and keep well. Their flesh has a firm texture with a slightly nutty taste - excellent for steaming and roasting.
In those years when I have struggled with butternut, these have never let me down.

John

[Tony Hague]

I found them a bit grainy in texture; for flavour Golden Hubbard is superior, in my view.

[Beccy]

Oh yes, yum, yum, yum. And as for 'the right size for one' , Johnboy, you must be extraordinarily greedy!:D

I found them wonderful, as an inexperienced squash grower they have given me my best results so far. So good looking that someone nicked some of them. Up to about 8" in diameter. Flesh dense, orange and well flavoured, quite nutty and sweet.

[Chez]

Thanks all for the responses. I think we'll give them a go and possibly Golden Hubbard too. Will be interesting to see how they compare in flavour with our beloved Crown Prince.

[LakeView]

As for me, I still prefer 'buttercup' as some may have read in another thread. I grew Uchiki Kuri last summer and produced some fine fruits, fleshy and firm (I'm alliterate). But the flavour is bland to me by comparison to Buttercup. I'll grow them again, though, because the intense deep orange colour is wonderful and I grow not only to eat but to decorate at Harvest Festival(and Thanksgiving)! Yes, you have a squash-growing American in your midst!

(My secret mission is to get one Brit to try growing Buttercup squash this summer and report back here how wonderful they are! I'm afraid I can't offer seeds as I don't grow mine in isolation from other varieties. Try the Organic Gardening Catalogue.)

[mandylew]

have to give them the thumbs down i'm afraid, as sid above not enough flesh, were not as prolific as others either, i'm trying golden hubbard this year first time too.

Mandy

[Chez]

Thanks Lakeview & Mandylew - well, I guess I should have qualified the question a little better, i.e. whether the flavour is considered good or not all depends on what you are comparing against. We are used to a great tasting pumpkin in Crown Prince, so may be more difficult to please. Just looking for something that tastes at least as good as CP, but a little smaller than 3-3.5kg.

Based on your latest opinions and especially Lakeview's indication we can get Buttercup, that is just what we've ordered from the Organic Catalogue.

[LakeView]

Well that's my reputation on the line then! Anyone else want to give Buttercup a try...
http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_22_43_114&products_id=1181

Please, please report back!

I do find that any size fruits are delicious; they don't have to grow to full size to be edible. I had a 4" diameter squash a few weeks ago and it was as tasty as one full-grown.

Good luck everyone!