Acorn Squash (Table Queen)This is one of the most popular of the winter or storage squashes. The fruits have dark green skin flecked with gray spots and grow to about 6" (15 cm) across. Weight averages 3-4 lbs (1-2 kg). The sweet meaty flesh is yellow-orange. Excellent baked or steamed. Harvest: Shortly before fall frost, cut from the plant, leaving a portion of stem attached. The skin should be dark green and firm. Nutrition: Excellent source of fiber and vitamin A. Seed Saving: By the time the squash has been cured, the seeds are mature. Cut the squash open, remove the pulp and seeds, and rinse off the pulp. Put the mixture in a bowl of water to remove the remaining pulp; the good seeds will sink. Remove the good seeds and spread them out to dry for 2-3 weeks, stirring them at times to make sure they dry completely. Store seeds in a cool, dry place for up to 4 years. Notes:
Butternut Squash - WalthamWaltham Butternut is the most popular winter pumpkin variety with a more uniform shape and size. The pulp is creamy with a rich nutty flavor. This squash grows up to 12 inches in length, weighing up to 5 pounds. The variety is high-yielding; you can store it for the winter —ideal for soups, baked, and porridge. Harvesting: Harvest squashes when the stem begins to dry, and you cannot pierce the skin with a fingernail. Butternut Squashes don't like the cold, so harvest before the first frost by cutting off the stem with a sharp knife, leaving it 2-3 inches long. If the stem is broken, use it as soon as possible, as this will quickly spoil the Squash. Waltham Butternut can be harvested as young as a summer pumpkin or in the fall at full maturity. Seed Saving: The seeds are mature by the time the squash has been cured. Cut the squash open, remove the pulp and seeds, and rinse off the pulp. Put the mixture in a bowl of water to remove the remaining pulp; the good seeds will sink. Remove the good seeds and spread them out to dry for 2-3 weeks, stirring them at times to make sure they dry completely. Store the seeds in a cool, dry place for up to 4 years. Notes:
Early Prolific StraightneckThis is a very productive variety of summer squash that is quite popular! These compact, bush-type plants produce heavy yields of lemon-yellow club-shaped squashes in small spaces. These are best when picked at 6" in length, which takes about 50 days. The firm, fine-grained flesh is of excellent quality.
Harvesting: These squashes generally taste best when harvested at a length of 4-8". When the plant begins to produce mature squashes, they should be picked every day or two. Prolific Straightneck squashes keep well in the refrigerator for about two weeks and freeze well. Seed Saving: By the time the squash reaches its mature size, the seeds are mature. Cut the squash open, remove the pulp and seeds, and rinse off the pulp. Put the mixture in a bowl of water to remove the remaining pulp; the good seeds will sink. Remove the good seeds and spread them out to dry for 2-3 weeks, stirring them at times to make sure they dry completely. Store yellow summer squash early prolific straightneck seeds in a cool, dry place for up to 4 years. Notes:
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CategoriesFDL Seed Library
The FDL Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds that you can borrow to plant and grow at home. By saving seeds as a community we help create local seed stocks that are better acclimated to our climate and which support an abundant and genetically diverse landscape.
We ask that seeds are “returned” by harvesting seeds from a plant or two that you grow. Donated seeds will help to add diversity to our collection. Archives
March 2022
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