Anyone else having a love affair with heirlooms? So excited that there is a renewed interest in these incredible vegetables and fruits with a heritage and history. I decided to do a weekly post highlight an heirloom I have grown and love. Part of what keeps me so engaged in gardening is the endless heirlooms available. Planting them is like transplanting a small piece of culture and history in your own backyard. In a few square feet are crops from all over the world. Who needs to travel when your backyard is an exotic destination of world wide produce.
This exquisite squash is a Japanese tradition. Kogigu (c. moschato) is a prolific producer of 1 to 2 lb squash. I love the deep ribs and waxy texture. This little beauty starts out a deep rich green and as it ripens it turns an earthy brownish orange. The flesh is a beautiful bright orange with a sweet fruity taste. It is very fine grained.
Keeping quality is an amazing 8 months. These Kogigu were harvested in September of 2017. They have been stored in my garage. Ideally you would not want temperatures to get below 50 degrees to get the longest storage life. So fantastic that I can still enjoy the fruits of my labors in the garden mid January.
Give this one a try. It does need room to sprawl but was very easy to grow. It will cross with other squash in the c. moschato family which includes butternuts and Long Island Cheese. The puree makes great pies and desserts. They can be prepared using your favorite butternut squash recipe.
Generally c.moschato are more insect and disease resistant and do well in hot humid summers. Check out Baker Creek Rare Seeds to purchase and start saving your own seeds.
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