Anyone ever successfully grown yellow crook-neck squash? Does it vine all over the place like zucchini does? Does it have stickery stems? Is it easy to grow?

I've been eating quite a bit of it lately and like it much better than zucchini. I think it might disappear from the grocery stores soon though. I've noticed it's getting harder to find, especially the organic kind.

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2003

Answers

I have grown it and had pretty good luck. It seems a little more compact than the zuchini that I grew, but I suppose there are different varieties,some less trailing than others. I found that it did not do well when close to winter squash or pumpkins. One year mine turned orange and had a hard skin....guess it cross pollinated with the others. Besides that, I did not find it difficult to grow at all. I love it too. Its so mild and buttery tasting. Are you ordering your seeds already? You are waaaay ahead of me! :) Does sound like fun though.....Idaho Gal thinklove@webtv.net

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2003

No, not ordering yet -- just trying to plan ahead (unlike other years!). There's a Jung's store right here in town, so I will probably just go in and buy the seeds right there.

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2003

Actually zucchini doesnt vine all over the place, at least not any I've grown; it grows in a nice neat bunch. Yellow crook neck grows just the same way, very very prolific.

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2003

I love yellow crookneck squash but I've had horrible problems with squash vine borers the past two years. This year I think I ended up with a total of 6 squash. :( I'm going to try planting them in a different bed this year to see if that helps. Any other suggestions?

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2003

Any type of zucchini that I've grown is not "viney" either. I always try to sick with the bush-type squashes and cukes.

Joy...does the crook-neck squash fry up as well as zucchini? I've tried frying up the straight-neck yellow squashes and if I'm not careful they get "squishy" fast!!

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2003

I don't know, Marcia, I haven't fried any. I just steam it, add a little butter, salt and white pepper and eat. I think zucchini gets mushy easily, so I don't know how to compare. In appearance and texture, it seems to be about the same as steamed zucchini.

I've never actually grown zucchini, since I'm not that fond of it, and you usually can get "donations" from people who did plant it. I thought I was told that it was viney -- maybe not. I have successfully grown acorn squash -- that was viney. I grew it in a row with the corn and let the vines cover the corn roots.

I guess I'll just plan for some vining, and if it doesn't need the space, that'll be okay.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2003

We absolutely love yellow crook neck squash, but, the borers really hit it hard here, I tried yellow zucchini with lots of luck this past summer, almost, almost the same taste as the crook neck, and we had yellow squash/zucchini till frost this fall, first time ever!

We eat the little ones raw with dip or just plain like a pickle with sandwiches and salads, the larger ones I saute in a bit of olive oli with onion and just lightly cook. The frozen yellow crook neck is a fair substitute in the winter though, just be careful not to over cook, it is better that way. The fresh crook neck is simply too expensive around these parts in the winter, I stick with the frozen, which the Super Wally World carrys for 89 cents for a pound size bag.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2003