If you really want to save squash seed in your market garden, Moschata is your squash.
Compared to Pepo and Maxima squash, there aren’t that many Moschata varieties out there. Mostly the butternut clan. And until recently there weren’t even that many butternuts available in seed catalogs.
Moschate also have 5 sided stems but the base of the ste, swells as it reaches the top of the squash.
Moschata are like Pepos in that they are near peak flavour at harvest – they don’t need to cure to get sweet. However they keep their sweetness in storage. So they are good winter eating, just like Maximas.
They are CROSSERS, but if you can settle on one Moschata for your market garden, then I definitely recommend Moschata squash for beginning #seedsavingformarketgrowers.
The PROS of saving Moschata Squash seed:
- Very easy to extract the seed
- Easy to grow extra in your market garden and choose the best for seed
- There are some great open pollinated varieties
- Annual – from seed to seed in 1 season
The CONS of saving Moschata Squash seed:
- You’ve got to restrict yourself to growing only one of those fun butternut squashes varietie that have been popping up in the last 10 years.
YIELD:
4 lbs to 11 lbs from a 100ft bed
SEED LIFE:
4 to 6 years
