Image 1 of 3
Image 2 of 3
Image 3 of 3
Cucurbita pepo/moschata
An undeniably elegant Italian heirloom summer squash. The most common squash grown for the produce markets in Venice and something of a legend in its homeland. Divine and incomparable flavor. Sweet, buttery, nutty and floral with firm flesh that holds up well when cooked. It is a landrace variety with slight variations between fruits and plants within the population. Some sources list Rugosa as a moschata and others as a pepo. We think it could be an interspecific hybrid of the two given the qualities it has displayed. Incredibly resistant to both powdery mildew and downy mildew and many plants have shown frost tolerance to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Very drought resistant. We harvest these from mid July through October in our zone 5.
Growing Instructions:
Sow indoors 2 to 3 weeks before setting out after last frost or direct seed after last frost.
Plant spacing: 24" apart
Row spacing: 5’ apart
Amend soil with good compost. We also recommend a fall or spring cover crop of peas or another annual legume to fix nitrogen for the squash plants.
Mulch with leaves, or whatever you have available, to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Make sure soil pH is between 5.8 and 7.0. If plant needs a growing boost, water with nitrogen tea or compost tea a few times. If trace minerals are inadequate, sprinkle a small amount of woodash in each planting hole.
Harvest:
Harvest when young, around 6-10 inches long and before they become too hard and seed cavity fills out.
