It's almost time now for our vegetable gardens to be in full swing.
If that conjures up memories of tip toeing in the dark to leave packages
of your surplus zucchini on your neighbors' porches, you might be a good
candidate for growing tromboncino squash. Tromboncino or Rampicante
Zucchetta is an unusually shaped Italian squash that is grown as a type
of zucchini. Actually it is technically in the Cucurbita moschata
species, but it is generally eaten while immature and is often listed as
a C. pepo. The fruits can grow very long and they curve
about as they touch the ground. You can avoid this curly cue shape
by growing the vines on trellises, but it is the shape that give this squash
its name, for its resemblance to a trombone.
The blossom end from a kind of bulb and this is where the seeds concentrate. The rest of the squash is all flesh, making it a great squash for cooking because it tends to remain firmer than regular zucchini. The flavor is at its finest when harvested at about 8 - 18 inches. If left on the vine they can easily grow to 25 lbs. and could probably be used as a gourd.
As with all the members of the Curcubitaceae family, Tromboncino are insect pollinated and will readily cross pollinate with other varieties in the same species. To save pure seed, you will need to isolate the plants either by planting only this one variety or by using barriers. They are a good candidate for hand pollination. Read Hand Pollinating from "Troubled Times"
Seed is available in many catalogs either under squash or Italian vegetables.
Online you can find them at The
Cook's Garden
or at Pinetree Garden
Seeds. The fruits can be used in any of your favorite zucchini
recipes.
Go To Page: 1
