The small green squash can be harvested as a summer squash, or allowed to grow to full size. The squash will then turn yellow and the skin will harden similar to butternut squash.
I’ve tried a new squash this year, an amazing one that grows 3 – 4 feet long. When harvested young, small, and green, it is used as a summer squash. When fully mature, tromboncino squash is similar to butternut squash. I grew three plants this year, but I’ll probably plant only one or two at the most next year. The vining squash is prolific growing much more than my space allowed and I just kept trimming it back.
To grow tromboncino squash, direct sow the seed about 2 feet apart in the spring after all danger of frost has passed. The vine needs to be trellised to allow room for the long fruit to grow and hang freely. These can be quite heavy – 5 or more pounds each – so be sure that your trellis can handle the weight.
To use as a yellow summer squash, harvest at any size while still green. For a hard, winter squash, allow it to stay on the vine until it is yellow and the skin has hardened. Be sure to harvest before a frost.
Shared at Fat Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesday, Living Green, Tuesday Garden Party, Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, EOA Link Up, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Eat Make Grow, Simple Lives Thursday, Freaky Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fill Those Jars, Farmgirl Friday, Weekend Whatever, Homestead Resource Guide
I have read about the trombocino squash and am planning to plant some in our garden next year. We live in the south (Georgia) and have such trouble with squash vine borers getting into the stems of the yellow crooknecks and zucchini, but I understand the trombocino has a harder stem and is more resistant to the borers. Did you find that to be the case?
Well, I had vine borers in my zucchini this year, but not in the tromboncino. Next year I plan to wrap the young squash stems in foil to hopefully prevent the problem.
Wow! I’ve never heard of tromboncino, I’m curious how it tastes hardened off. Thanks for sharing this post on Wildcrafting Wednesday.
I’ve yet to bake one; soon!
I was had several tabs open on this summer squash when I saw that you were the first link on the Eat Make Grow blog hop! We have a ‘Rampicante’ this year at the CSA. We harvested a bunch yesterday and I was wondering what to do with them. I didn’t know they could be a winter squash too.
Our biggest draw back is that they don’t fit into the coolers when we are packing up the shares. Also they are fairly delicate and easy to break while harvesting or bringing in from the field. Probably why you don’t see them in the grocery stores. I haven’t cooked one yet, but I am looking forward to it!
I’ve often imagined them in the grocery store. It would be funny to see how customers and the cashiers would deal with them. Also, one of them is way too much for one meal, but that is good news to me, since I’ll have plenty to freeze.
Whoa. Those are huge. I think I will try planting some of those next season if I can find some seeds.
Do they come in heirloom varieties?
I don’t think it’s been hybridized at all. They are available here: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/search.php?item=1460&search=tromboncino. Fedco says they are open-pollinated which is the same as heirloom.
I have grown this before and they did well here in NE Georgia. I need to get up a good trellis so I can grow them again.
The one that grew along the ground has been chewed by chipmunks, so yes, trellising is best.
Hello, Susan V,
I am so glad you linked up and shared your curious, but delightful variety of squash! I will plant it for sure! Also, I would like to feature you tomorrow on the ‘EOA’ link-up! Thanks, new friend!
Thanks, Jacqueline! You’ll have to let me know what you think of the squash!
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This is great Susan! How did they taste as winter squash?
Found you from a friend sharing your tomato trellis system which is AMAZING!!
We would love to have you share this and the trellis over at the Farm Girl Friday blog fest we host every Friday and in our Homestead Resource Guide Link Ups! I’m sure there are lots of other great posts I have yet to discover on here too that we’d love to have you share!
The Homestead Resource Guide is a new permanent link up we are building and we just got started so you have the chance to get a top spot on any categories you like still!
http://theadventurebite.com/life/farm-girl-friday/
http://theadventurebite.com/homestead-resource-guide-link-ups/
We love it. The squash did not keep as long as an acorn or a butternut, so I cooked them all up and froze them in 2 c. packages. And they make a fantastic pie! I’ll bookmark your site and link up. Thanks for inviting me!