Vegetables that store well: Acorn squash
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Vegetables and Sides | 15 comments
Way back in October I bought an Acorn squash. We had tried a gem squash simmered for 20 minutes and served with lashings of butter and black pepper and loved it.
Somehow the little Acorn squash didn’t have quite enough hanger appeal. Day after day it was considered and turned down for supper. Sometimes it would vanish completely and I’d find it behind a bottle of tonic water (its home was beside the drinks tray). A couple of days ago it had totally disappeared. Eventually I found my diminutive friend sitting inside the blender jug that had been left on the side. Perhaps this was a subtle message from Danny?
Nearly 3 months old, its skin had changed colour from green to orange with dappled green. It was still firm to the touch but probably needed to be fast tracked into the pot. I gave it a 15 minute simmer in the asparagus steamer and sliced it in two.
Home matured squash have the sweetest most succulent flesh that I have ever tasted. The dogs loved the fibrous bits on their biscuit this morning. Squash are now right at the top of my seed list for growing this summer.
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Thanks for all the tips on growing squashes in pots, will be trying it this year. Can’t wait to get out into the garden once it stops raining, i’m really craving some warm sunny weather now.
Hi Kate(uk)
Thanks for the info on growing squashes in pots. I am going to try using a couple of those squishy pots at the front of the cottage where it is sunny all day as well as some in the back garden.
I grew all my squashes in pots last year- BIG pots,those big rubbery 2 foot across ones that trees are grown on in.It was a rotten year for them last year, but I’ve done it before in better years and they have been fine. Feed well, get some good stuff in the bottom for the roots to get stuck into and water like mad ( except last year….).Squashes don’t seem to mind being trained up wigwams of sticks, but tie them in so the weight of fruits is supported.
We’ve been eating up the last of the marrows and pumpkins from last summer this week- so sweet and delicious and the colour, just glorious.
Hi Michelle
Thank you so much for all these tips. Growing them up a fence sounds like a great idea.
Hi Marion
I’ll definitely try this. Thanks.
Just in case your seeds won’t germinate: if the variety is a hybrid (F1), I don’t think it’ll work (don’t blame me). You can always try to germinate a few seeds in the house months before just to check are they real seeds. If they don’t do anything, then you still have time to buy seeds (non hybrids, so you can keep those seeds for the year after). Good luck!