Tuesday 2 October 2012

Patty-pan squash

The Patty-pan squash is allegedly a Summer squash (closely related to the Courgette / Zucchini), though mine has refused to acknowledge this. It has sulked, morose and unproductive, for the last N months. Every single embryonic fruit produced by the female flowers has aborted - even the ones which I hand-pollinated. But now that Autumn is unquestionably with us, the plant has decided that it will after all bear some fruit: two, in fact. I believe it has aspirations to become a Winter squash!


There has been no shortage of flowers, but they have all come to nothing until now.

Well, I'm going to try not to be over-optimistic, because the pair are little more than 2 inches in diameter right now, and they may never make it to maturity.


They do look good though - like tiny yellow "flying saucers"! Actually their name comes from the type of pan with scalloped edges in which patties were traditionally made.




I suppose that even if I never get a crop from this plant I have to admit that it has at least provided me with a few photo opportunities!



6 comments:

  1. I planted three patty pan this year - two have produced umpteen fruits - the other refused to play. Sorry yours have only just made their minds up to produce -hopefully if the frosts keep off you should get some more, with a bit of luck.

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  2. Love the rainbow colours on the insects wing.

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  3. Haven't grown'em yet. but they sure look good. Hope they make it!

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  4. Nice I have tried them several times but only got one squash one time.

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  5. Snap, mine have grown exactly the same and are only now trying to produce some fruit. I hope we both manage a harvest, no matter how small.

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