If you like pattypan squash, you will love Gelber Englischer custard squash. This is one of the loveliest squashes we grow. The lemon-yellow fruits are best eaten when small and tender. Productive, compact bush.
German heirloom.
HomeSummer Squash Seeds
Summer squash is enjoyed fresh off the vine in summer. We have several fantastic varieties to tempt you away from boring grocery-store types.
Sowing Summer Squash Seeds
Sow squash seeds outdoors after the last frost date, 1" deep. Sow in hills spaced 4-6' apart. Thin to 2 plants per hill. Full sun.
Zucchini 'Cocozelle'
(55 days) Cucurbita pepo
30 seeds $3.00
Cocozelle zucchini is a beautiful heirloom with dark and light green stripes. The bushy plants are highly productive. The fruits are best harvested at 10-12" long. It has been more disease and bug-resistant for us than other zucchini varieties.
American heirloom, 1893.
Squash 'Early Prolific Straightneck'
(50 days) Cucurbita pepo
40 seeds $3.00
Early Prolific Straightneck is our favorite yellow summer squash. The 6-8" long fruits have a fine texture and thin skin - no peeling required. It is delicious raw or cooked. Pick the fruits when they are small for best flavor.
American heirloom, 1938.
Kamo Kamo is the tastiest summer squash we've ever grown. It has firm flesh with a rich, nutty flavor. It's not very good as a winter squash, but the mature fruits make lovely table decorations. Also known as Kumi Kumi pumpkin.
Heirloom from the Maori people of New Zealand.
Costata Romanesco is my all-time favorite zucchini. The lightly nutty flavor is superb, and the ribbed fruits are dense and firm, not mushy or watery like some zucchini. Vigorous, semi-vining plants. Moderate production.
Italian heirloom.
Squash 'Kamo Kamo'
(65 days) Cucurbita pepo
30 seeds $3.25
Zucchini 'Costata Romanesco'
(55 days) Cucurbita pepo
30 seeds $3.00
Black Beauty is a popular heirloom zucchini with 8" x 2" fruits that have a dark green skin. It is delicious raw or cooked. The fried blossoms are also very tasty. Zucchini can be frozen for use in winter recipes.
American heirloom, 1920's.
Zucchini 'Black Beauty'
(55 days) Cucurbita pepo
30 seeds $3.00
Squash 'Gelber Englischer'
(60 days) Cucurbita pepo
20 seeds $3.25
Golden zucchini has a vivid yellow skin and creamy white flesh. The mild flavor makes it excellent for eating raw or cooked. It can also be frozen for later use. Harvest when the fruits are 6-10" long.
Open-pollinated.
Squash 'Golden Zucchini'
(55 days) Cucurbita pepo
30 seeds $1.50 clearance sale
Zapallito del Tronco squash is fun to grow. The 4' x 4' semi-bush plants have enormous leaves that add a tropical flair to the garden. You actually have to get under the canopy to pick the fruits around the main stem. The bright green, baseball-size fruits have a mild flavor and smooth texture. Very productive. Also known as Zapallo del Tronco or Zapallitos de Tronco. Heirloom from Argentina.
Squash 'Zapallito del Tronco'
(55 days) Cucurbita maxima
20 seeds $3.25
Guicoy is a very beautiful squash for fall decorating. It's also a delicious summer squash similar to Kamo Kamo. It has a rich, nutty flavor and nice texture. We like it much better than typical zucchini. Some people use the pulp of mature fruits for pumpkin pie, but there are better squashes for that purpose. So we list it as a summer squash. Mature fruits weigh about 2 pounds. Heirloom from Guatemala.
Squash 'Guicoy'
(65-100 days) Cucurbita pepo
30 seeds $3.25
Zucchino Rampicante is the best dual-purpose squash we have grown. It is equally good as a summer or winter squash. It has a mild flavor and rice-like texture. Very productive. The long, narrow and curved, light green fruits mature to a tan color. Stores for up to 5 months. Easy to use in the kitchen. We chop it into 2" pieces, steam it, remove the skin, then add it to recipes. Italian heirloom.
Squash 'Zucchino Rampicante'
(65-95 days) Cucurbita moschata
30 seeds $3.25
