Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Monday, July 05, 2010

Tromba D'Albegna Squash

OK, let's get the sniggers out in the open! OOH Matron that's a nice big one! Last year I was fortunate to swap some seeds with Mas Du Diable, and she very kindly sent me some of these Tromba D'albegna squash seeds, also sometimes known as tromboncino squash.
These are an Italian variety that should grow up to 3ft long. The seeds are in a bulbous shaped end and the flesh is all in the long neck which can twist and turn like a trombone. Apparently you can make them bend by placing an object in their way. I am experimenting with this theory and placing some bricks around them. These can be eaten young like this as a courgette, or left to mature into a sweet butternut squash.
Now I have plenty of courgettes growing at the moment so I will leave these to get bigger and mature till the Autumn. These are amazingly prolific in my garden. There is a female flower bearing fruit at almost every leaf joint! I might even have to take some of the small ones off to eat as courgettes so as not to stress the plant and to let the rest grow big and strong. The hot weather we have been having in London seems to suit them!
You can just about see the bulbous end on the left side where the seeds are forming. This has been an exciting experiment so far, I've not grown this variety before and I look forward to trying them.
I took this photo above in the market in Funchal, Madeira last year. It looks as if these have been harvested early when in courgette mode as they are still green.
This is hopefully what I will end up with. Judith from Everything in the Garden's Rosie sent me this photo a couple of years back of her Tromboncino squash as an entry into Matron's Squashblog in October 2007. I have been fascinated with them ever since!

6 Comments:

At 10:28 PM, Blogger Maureen said...

WOW they look amazing, I must try them next year.

 
At 11:25 PM, Blogger Funkbunny said...

Oh, these are fantastic. I've never grown them myself but I got one at a food swap a few months back - it was about 3ft long and could be worn as a veggie scarf! Delicious too,and easy to prepare because the 'neck" is seed-free. I've saved seeds so I'm hoping to grown them this summer (in oz). Apparently they can grow straight but soon as they come up against an obstacle, they curl.

 
At 4:05 PM, Blogger Kath said...

What can I say but "Ooo-er, Matron!"

 
At 8:48 PM, Blogger Twiggy said...

Hello there
I'm blog hopping and have found you. I couldn't possibly not comment on such an ooer photo :) We recently obtained our first allotment and I'm looking for inspiration, so I will definitely return.
Twiggy

 
At 4:40 PM, Anonymous kitsapFG said...

That is a very interesting squash variety. I am assuming it keeps a soft outer skin when mature?

 
At 10:16 PM, Blogger Matron said...

kitsap - I don't know! I've read that they are similar to a butternut squash so I assume they harden up and turn colour at the end of the season. I'll have to wait and see.

 

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