Organic Striped Cushaw Squash - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds - Cucurbita argyrosperma

The 'Striped Cushaw' Squash is a variety of Native American origin. Pear-shaped with sometimes a twisted neck, its fruit weighs up to 7 kg and is 50 cm (20in) tall. Its light yellow flesh is tender and slightly sweet, and its rind, striped with straw yellow and dark green, gives it a little bit of a zucchini look. In fact, its very tender skin allows it to be prepared like a zucchini in gratins, ratatouilles, or purees, etc. The 'Striped Cushaw' Squash can be stored for a long time and makes a good decorative element.
This variety spreads over more than 4 m (13ft). Reserve the necessary space in your vegetable garden for its fruit production. Squashes are greedy and thirsty. Given such measurements, consider layering the stems by covering them with soil. This will generate new roots in that area, which will draw the nutrients that the fruits need to become the most beautiful possible. To discover the 'Striped Cushaw' Squash, sow from April to June and harvest from August to October.

Orange, green, red, yellow, black, or even blue, smooth, ribbed, warty, with tender skin, etc., squashes and zucchinis offer us an astonishing variety of shapes, colours, and sizes, as they hybridsze with disconcerting ease. That's why there are so many varieties.

In common language, winter squash refers to all kinds of pumpkins, potimarrons, butternut squashes, etc., with tough skin and delicately sweet flesh. By summer squashes or zucchinis, we mean the different varieties that are harvested while still young when the skin is still tender. The latter are consumed with the immature seeds.

All are native to America and belong to the large cucurbit family. They were introduced to Europe in the 16th century.

• There are about ten species of squashes, of which four are the most cultivated in our vegetable gardens. These are Cucurbita pepo, musk squashes, Cucurbita maxima, and finally Cucurbita argyrosperma.
• Cucurbita pepo: these are the most represented in vegetable gardens, they include certain pumpkins, zucchinis, pattypan squashes, etc. They are generally recognized by their rigid, lobed leaves and their angular peduncles with at least 5 ribs that do not widen at the point of insertion on the fruit.
• Cucurbita moschata or musk squashes: they have soft leaves. The peduncle is very ribbed and visibly widens at the point of fruit insertion. The leaves take the shape of a heart.
• Cucurbita maxima: these are mainly pumpkins. Their peduncle is rounded and takes on a slightly spongy appearance. As the name of the species suggests, it mainly concerns large-fruited varieties. The leaves have 5 lobes.
• Cucurbita argyrosperma: very few represented in our gardens, they have trilobed leaves and a very thick, robust, and non-ribbed peduncle.

Generally trailing, they cling to any support with their tendrils. Female flowers can be distinguished from male flowers by their inferior ovary (under the flower), which looks like an embryo of a fruit. In many regions, male flowers are harvested just after pollination to be stuffed or fried. There are many ways to consume squashes and zucchinis. Sautéed, fried, in gratins, soups, or stuffed. Zucchinis are popular in Provençal ratatouille, Italian caponata, Maghrebi couscous, or many emblematic Mediterranean dishes.

Harvest: Squashes and zucchinis are fruits that need a lot of water to give their best. Squashes will be better if harvested when ripe. Zucchinis are harvested young and fresh, still immature. They must all be handled with care and remain free of any cuts or bruises.

Storage: Zucchinis are cut into pieces and then frozen. Their fragile skin is not suitable for storage as is. Winter squashes with tough skin can be stored for several months and consumed throughout the winter. Unlike other fruits and vegetables, they need warmth for optimum storage. There is no need to store them in a dark place, so you might as well store them where their plump silhouette can be appreciated.

A gardener's tip: Place a slate or a tile under the fruit. It will no longer be in direct contact with the ground, thus avoiding rotting due to humidity. Similarly, they particularly like slightly moist soils. So remember to mulch around the plants, especially during the height of summer. Squashes and zucchinis are very susceptible to powdery mildew (a fungal disease that leaves a white fuzz on the surface of the leaves). Avoid watering the leaves or flowers. Associate your squashes with alliums like chives, onions, or shallots, or with legumes like beans or peas. On the other hand, the marriage of squash and cucumber may harm both parties.