Squash Tunnel (updated)

I’ve been talking about growing a squash tunnel for so long and 2021 has been its year. I planted 11 squash plants at the beginning of June, on trenches full of manure, with their own bottle waterer – for ease of watering.

They’re all Winter squash, except for the Tromboncino which can be used as a Summer or Winter variety, apparently:

• 2 x Boston
• 2 x Tromboncino
• 2 x Honey Boat
• 2 x Festival
• 2 x Crown Prince
• 1 x Spaghetti

The tromboncino were first off the mark. One plant has produced the usual light green fruits but the other has produced dark-skinned fruits.
Both of the Crown Princes appear to have only produced one fruit each, unless there are more hidden in the foliage.

That big yellow one is an immature Boston squash. Those plants started climbing slowly but now the vines are at the top of the tunnel they’re producing more fruits, which I hope will hang down through the mesh. The festival have been least inclined to climb and are producing all their fruits close to the ground.

Unfortunately, the Boston squash succumbed to blossom end rot, perhaps it was the weather.

The tromboncino kept on growing… and growing ….

As you can see, September was when the foliage started to die back and revealed more fruits. The festivals didn’t trail much but produced some lovely looking fruits.

And the crown prince plants only produced one medium fruit each, which is plenty for me but I did expect a bigger harvest.
October was when all the fruits were harvested as the night temperatures were threatening to dip low.

Ok, so one fruit remained longer than the rest… that was finally removed and donated to a local primary school to amuse the children and teachers.

Everything else is waiting in the polytunnel and some have already been eaten, but now…. what varieties shall I grow next year…?

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