I'm a fan of the Neck Pumpkin, Cucurbita moschata, that Harris Seeds used to carry - and this year I'm down to my last 2 seeds.



Gave a go with Baker Creek's Tahitian Melon (and wonder if they made that name up, grr .. seeds are supposed to be marketed with the correct variety name) but unlike their web pictures, you can see on the left of this shot that a lot of them are stumpier and fatter. I wonder if that batch had crossed with something as squash is wont to do. It's ok, and if I couldn't find the Neck Pumpkin I like I'd grow it again. Just found that the variety Neck lasted quite a bit longer than the Tahitian. They were both started the same day and planted in beds prepped and watered the same.



You can see, they're prolific, the photo wasn't re-arranged - that's how they grew. When I've done Musquee pumpkin, and although tasty - I get two - the other large pumpkin varieties sometimes just one. Not sure why but these Neck style are easier for me to grow and get a bumper crop. For the planting space in the raised beds, I get the most squash per area with these as the vines can trail outside of the beds. I do also grow a few smaller hybrid varieties as I LOVE winter squash.

Been shopping around - Baker carries a Canadian neck that is only 4 or 5 pounds. These are generally marketed as 10 to 25 pounds with some going higher. Great cooked with just butter and brown sugar, all soups and for pie I use that trick of spreading the squash on a cookie sheet and baking in a low oven (300-325°) first to get it denser and more flavorful. A few seed companies are sold out, one noting failed crop so no seed until 2025. So perhaps Harris will add it back to their inventory. Probably picking up a packet from Seed Savers where they use the Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck Squash name. Reimer's calls it Turkey Neck. A few newer seed companies I've never heard of also appear to offer it.

Have you grown any of the larger and prolific winter squash? Have a favorite that you enjoy cooking and eating? I have a friend who just grows the prettier varieties (or buys them at Farmer's Markets) just for centerpiece displays - I'm not interested in that. Mine are grown for food value.

I have grown a few over the years. Hubbards (Chicago Warted and Blue) large and productive in zone 6B, can't take the 8a climate well, Moschata (Golden Cushaw, Dickenson) not a cushaw but a huge butternut. Mixta ( Green Striped, Gold Striped, Jonathan, Tennessee Sweet Potato) gold stiped is my favorite but most of them perform better than other types in the south

I'm not sure it's exactly the same thing, but Seed Savers Exchange sells "Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck Squash" that you might want to take a look at:
https://shop.seedsavers.org/pa...

and Wood Prairie has a "Canada Crookneck"
https://www.woodprairie.com/pr...

Thanks - I've seen Green Striped Cushaw but not the Gold and knew of Dickenson simply because it is generally referred to as what's in your can of pumpkin. Obviously the moschata do well for me (Tromboncino also takes off). My extremely hot and dry summers are probably the reason a lot of the heirloom squash I try struggle. Had not realized some like the Hubbards were known for that difference. Not always something you can pick up reading seed company descriptions. So, thanks.

I see Mixta is known to handle heat (and also SVBs) better than some so I may have to work one into my rotation next season. Had not noticed the mixta species name before. Also noting to avoid all C.maxima that don't like heat in the future. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2...

Googling it and saw your photo of the 45 pound Golden Cushaw over on Dave's Garden - Wow, that looks like fun. But seeds that come up searching for it are all for the Gold Striped.

Thanks Sandy - the Canada Crookneck is at Baker Creek as well - but it's only a 4 or 5 pound variety. I went to put the Seed Savers Pennsylvania Dutch one on my Google calendar in fall for 2025 or the Turkey Neck at Reimer's. Unfortunately, both seed companies are not registered to sell seed into California and I try to stick to the legal ones. Even small & newer folks like Thresh, JL Hudson, Renee's, Baker Creek are all registered - as are Parks, Burpee and so forth. Surprisingly Victory Seed is also not registered here. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/...

I've not tried Thresh Seed out of IA, but they carry the Pennsylvania Dutch that looks the same as the Neck Variety https://www.threshseed.com/col... and are registered to ship into California. I added a link in my October calendar to buy it for next year. This year I'll say a prayer over the two seeds I have and probably go again with a few of the Tahitian simply because I have it. I'll just remember out of all the winter squash I grow to use them first.

The big squashes are amazing, but I expect they need big room to grow, and I wouldn't know what to do with more than a couple pounds of squash at one time anyway.

Yes @sallyg they do take a bit of room. When I bring one in from storage it's a cooking day - soup and a couple of quick breads and a bit as a side dish. I don't can any of my garden's produce but I do make use of a Foodsaver and freezer.

sallyg said: The big squashes are amazing, but I expect they need big room to grow, and I wouldn't know what to do with more than a couple pounds of squash at one time anyway.

Cook it and freeze it. Then make "pumpkin" pies with it!