New favorite winter squash

[longwinters]

Its called Confection squash.  The best winter squash I've ever had.  I will be planting more of it next spring.
 
Long

[Ranger99]

gonna hafta try some. . . .


my yellow and zucchini squash
record ain't too good this last
2 or 3 years. . . .

[longwinters]

I got mine last year through Henry Fields.  I tried to start it early but it wouldnt germinate.  Planted the seeds direct and it grew like crazy.
 
Long

[nodlenor]

Where did you get the seed? I have 15 seed catalogues and can't find it in any of them.
 I ordered some sweetcorn, zucchini, and cucumber seed a few days ago but I'll be getting more later.
Do many of you raise your own plants or do you buy them? 

[longwinters]

Henry Fields has them.  Another excellent winter squash is called "sunshine" or Kabochi.
 
Long

[bilmac]

Is it open grown?  Hybrid squash is pretty rare so I would expect the catalog description would say if it is.

What about it is so good?

[powderman]

LONGWINTERS. I ordered a catalogue from them a month ago but don't have it yet. Looking forward to trying your squash.
We've raised a lot of different kinds of winter squash, some good, some not so good. One was an old one the Lakota sioux used to raise. Huge but tasty, didn't store well though. Didn't care for the hubbards, all time favorite is still the good ol butternut. POWDERMAN. 

[Ranger99]

got some here that sez
"early acorn hybrid" and "waltham butternut"
i don't have much faith, but we'll see. . . .


got the mater seeds stuck in the little
expanding doo-dads.
these are from last year. seems like when
they hit the water last year, they about
jumped out of the tray. surely a dried
compressed little peat doo-dad doesn't
have a limited shelf life. does it?

[powderman]

RANGER. Those are wonderfully delicious squash. I have kept a butternut for 14 mo and eaten it, best keeper I've ever had.
I cut the squash off the vine when they are ripe. Do NOT intentionally break the stem off the squash, they will decay there first. Next I lay them on a rack in the shade for several weeks, that dries and toughens the shell, if really dirty was the dirt off before letting them dry, or cure.
 When I'm ready to store them I dunk them in a fairly strong solution of bleach and water, maybe 2 cups in about 4 gal of water. Bleach kills any surface bacteria or unseen mold. After dry I store them in milk crates in as cool a place as I can find.
I'm looking forward to getting my catalogue and tasting the new squash that LONGWINTER posted about. POWDERMAN. 

[longwinters]

Sorry, I was out of town for a conference for a week and just got home last night.
 
These squash are sweet and have a deep flavor.  When you bake them you will not need brown sugar etc... they are great on their own.  I kept mine for about 4-6 weeks after picking and then baked and froze them.  In our area it is so cold in the winter you can't just leave stuff in the garage as it will freeze.  I don't know how long they would last in a root cellar etc...
 
Long

[powderman]

LONGWINTERS. I looked ay Henrys web site and the squash looks similar to the buttercup that I like so well, they are good keepers and delicious. I still don't have the catalogue but if the pks of seeds in his catalogue don't come any smaller than 120 seeds I'll just plant my buttercups again because I don't want any more than 6-8 plants of each. Looking forward to spring. POWDERMAN. 

[longwinters]

Hi Powderman,
 
If you scroll down the page a bit on the Henry Fields website it shows that you can buy a pack of 25 seeds.  I don't blame you about not wanting the big package...you'd have squash for the whole neighborhood. 
 
Long

[powderman]

LONGWINTERS. I'll be glad when I get the catalogue. I bought a small pack of Waltham butternur seeds today. POWDERMAN. 

[longwinters]

The Walthams are very good.  I grow them every year.
 
Long

[powderman]

Finally goy my Henry Fields catalogue. $7 seems kind steep for 25 squash seeds but I want to try the confection squash. I only want  6 - 8 plants each of confection and waltham butternut, I already have that seed. Hope my heart allows me to have a nice garden this year. POWDERMAN.