Squash 'Tromboncino'

Tromboncino is an Italian heirloom squash variety that can be grown as a Winter squash but is most often picked young as a Summer squash. Produces long, bent green-skinned fruits with a bulbous end. Grows as a vine. 15 seeds per packet.
Squash 'Tromboncino'
Squash 'Tromboncino'
Price Per Packet: $ 2.50

Growing Advice

Photo by Nadiatalent (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Scientific Name: Cucurbita moschata

Common Names: Tromboncino Squash, Tromboncino Zucchini, Rampicante Squash, Climbing Zucchini, Climbing Crookneck Squash, Serpentine Squash, Trombolino D'Albenga Squash, Trombetta Squash

Origin

Tromboncino is an open-pollinated, heirloom squash variety of Italian origin.  It was bred and first grown in the coastal north-western region of Liguria.

Uses

Pick when young to use as zucchini, ideally at about 30cm in length while the skin is still pale green and tender.  The fruits can be left to on the vine to grow to their maximum size, about 90cm long, at which point the skin will harden and turn a tan colour.  The flavour of fully mature fruits when cooked is similar to butternut pumpkin but more watery and blander in flavour.  The flowers are edible and can be stuffed with a rice and chopped vegetable mix and fried for a delicious meal.  The flowers are retained on the bush for a long time even after the fruits start to develop so you may be able to harvest both a flower crop and a zucchini fruit crop.

Germination

In colder areas of Australia sow Tromboncino Squash seeds from October to December, in temperate regions sow from September to January, in subtropical regions sow from July to March, in tropical areas sow during the dry season from March to October.  Sow Tromboncino Squash seeds 2cm deep spacing plants about 60cm apart to allow sufficient room for growth.  Tromboncino Squash seeds take between 7 and 13 days to germinate.

Cultivation

Choose a growing site that receives full sun for optimum growth and fruit production.  If growing during the warmer moths in hot climates this variety may produce better when grown in a lightly shaded location. Tromboncino Squash plants take between 11 and 15 weeks to produce fruit.  Squash plants require fertile soil so be sure to dig plenty of organic fertiliser, such as well-rotted cow manure or garden compost, through your growing bed prior to sowing.  Apply an additional side dressing of fertiliser once flowers have been pollinated to promote fruit growth.  Hand pollination may be beneficial if natural insect pollinators are absent from your garden, to achieve this simply pick a male flower, remove the petals and dab the anthers onto the central stigma of the female flowers.  Female flowers can be easily differentiated from male flowers as the female flowers will have an immature fruit visible behind the flower whereas the male flowers will just have a plain stalk.