Varieties of squash - names and descriptions. Lace family. The best varieties of squash What color are squash

Squash is a herbaceous annual plant, belongs to the Pumpkin family, cultivated as a bush or semi-bush form.

The leaves of the plant are relatively hard, the flowers are single yellow.

The shape and color of fruits of different varieties can vary significantly. The color can be whitish, yellowish, green, etc., sometimes with stripes or spots.

"White 13"- mid-season (the first fruit picking begins 53-57 days after emergence). A very unpretentious variety. The bush is branched, prickly. The fruits are white, disc-shaped, with jagged edges, weighing up to 400-500 g.

"Disk"- an early ripening variety of squash (with proper care, I begin the first harvest of fruits on days 47-52 after the appearance of the first shoots), quite cold-resistant, with one or two lateral shoots. Squash is whitish in color, disc-shaped, with weak ribbing, weighing up to 360 g.

"Umbrella"- early ripening, bush variety of squash, the pubescence is relatively prickly. The fruit is whitish, less often light green in color, bell-shaped, weighing more than 400 g. The pulp is white, juicy. It is quite demanding on soil fertility and warmth, but is resistant to diseases.

"Loaf"- early ripening, very compact, weakly branching variety, reaches 70 cm in height, flowers of the female type. The squash is light green, plate-shaped, with faint scalloped edges, weighing approximately 180 g.

"UFO White"- early ripening, compact bush, whitish, plate-shaped fruits, weighing up to 0.9-1 kg. Fruit pulp that disintegrates into fibers.

"UFO Orange"- an early ripening variety of squash. The fruits are light yellow, plate-shaped, glossy, weighing from 280 to 500 g. The pulp is orange-yellow.

"Polo" F1– early ripening hybrid, with a compact bush. The fruits are plate-shaped, green, without spotting, weighing from 300 to 400g.

<"Piglet"- early ripening, quite resistant to drought. The bush is compact. The fruits are whitish, plate-shaped, smooth, weighing more than 210 g.

"Sunny Delight" F1– hybrid early ripening variety, compact bush. The fruit is plate-shaped, yellow in color, weighing from 80 to 100 g. The pulp is predominantly white.

"Sun"- mid-season, bushy, non-branching. The fruit is plate-shaped, with a jagged edge, bright yellow in color, weighing 300 g.

"Tabolinsky"- mid-season, resistant to powdery and downy mildew. The vine of the plant is semi-long, the pubescence is soft. The fruits are yellowish in color, orange when ripe, plate-shaped, weighing up to 300 g. The pulp is creamy.

"Tango" F1– an early ripening variety of squash, weakly branched, practically not thorny. Fruits are green in color, with When ripe, they turn yellow, plate-shaped, weighing up to 330 g. The pulp is light green.

"Cheburashka"- early ripening, cold-resistant variety, female type of flowering, with soft pubescence. The plant produces up to 14-16 white fruits weighing up to 500g, flat in shape, with slightly cut edges.

"Chunga-Changa"- early ripening, with a compact bush. The fruits are dark green in color, plate-shaped, weighing about 330 g. The pulp is creamy.

Latin name- Cucurbita pepo.

Family- Pumpkin.

Genus- Pumpkin.

Predecessors- green manure, radishes, cabbage, parsley, greens.

Lighting- light-loving plant.

Watering– moderate.

Soil- fertile, medium loamy soils.

Landing- seeds.

Patisson is an annual herbaceous plant. South America is considered its homeland. It was grown there 5000 years ago. Known in Russia since the end of the 19th century. It is now cultivated all over the world. Its fruit is pumpkin, which tastes like asparagus. Young ovaries are similar in taste. Young leaves, shoots and flowers are also eaten.

It is prepared in the same way as zucchini. But its nutritional qualities are much higher than those of zucchini. The pulp of the squash vegetable is tastier and more nutritious. The fruits are harvested when they are still unripe. Their weight ranges from 100 to 800 g. They are boiled, fried, canned, and pickled. The dishes are very well absorbed by the human body. The unusual shape of the fruit is perfect for stuffing. You can also serve dishes in squash like in a pot.

Growing squash

It is better to grow it in areas warmed by the sun and protected from the wind. Perhaps it can be grown together with potatoes and corn. Plants grow well on compost heaps. Adequate warmth and nutrition have a beneficial effect on growth and development. You should not grow squash in the same bed for more than two years in a row.

The culture is thermophilic. If conditions are favorable, seedlings appear 6–9 days after sowing.

Shading of plants should be avoided. This negatively affects the amount of harvest. The plant should be provided with sufficient ventilation. The crop is drought resistant. But, nevertheless, it is necessary to maintain sufficient soil moisture, especially during the period of flowering and fruit formation. The water should not be cold. When watering, avoid getting moisture on the flowers and ovaries. Otherwise, rot may form.

The first feeding is carried out when the plant has formed 3 - 4 full leaves. The second during the flowering period.

If the plant is grown in a greenhouse, it requires hand pollination.

Pests and diseases are characteristic of all pumpkin crops. These are root rot, white rot, anthracnose and powdery mildew.

The harvest is harvested two to three times a week. Trying to prevent the fruit from overripening. Their optimal size is 7-12 cm. The harvest cannot be stored for long periods of time. The plant is able to bear fruit until the first cold weather.

Useful properties of squash and healing properties of squash

You can list for a long time the benefits of squash. The healing properties of squash are widely known. Ash elements, fiber, fats, vitamins, pectins, mineral salts, ascorbic acid. The benefits of squash have been proven for obesity, liver and kidney diseases, anemia, and atherosclerosis. They are also used as anthelmintic. Eating vegetables improves immunity, prevents the formation of blood clots, improves digestion, and neutralizes the harmful effects of free radicals. Patisson is recommended for use by people with heart disease.

The best varieties of squash, photos of squash

Fruits may vary in shape and color. Depending on the variety, the color may be yellow, white or green. Sometimes streaks and spots may be present. You can look at them in more detail in the photo of the squash. The following varieties of squash should be highlighted, which are worthy of attention.

White 13. Mid-season. The plant can be either bush or semi-bush. The fruit is medium or small in size. Plate shape with a convex middle part. The edges are jagged. Serration is weakly expressed. The color of a ripe fruit can be white or pale green. The seeds are rough, small, white-yellow.

Disk. Early ripening, bushy. The yield is more than 3 kg. from one plant. Disc-shaped fruits, white, smooth. No mesh or stains. The pulp is crispy and unsweetened. The plant should be protected from powdery mildew.

Umbrella. Early ripening, universal. The plant can be bushy or semi-bush. The fruits are bell-shaped or cup-shaped, the edges are jagged. The color is whitish or light green. The pulp is unsweetened, dense, white.

Squash is a plant of the Pumpkin family that has a decorative round shape in the form of a plate, which is why this vegetable is sometimes called a plate pumpkin. But still, the word “squash” comes from the French pâté (pie), since the fruits of the plant really resemble a beautifully decorated dessert or pie. The quality and taste of the fruits resemble zucchini; they are fried, boiled, salted and pickled.

The homeland of squash is South America, from where it was brought by sailors and discoverers of two continents in the 17th century. Currently, the vegetable is grown in almost all European countries, including Russia.

Based on species once brought to the Old World, breeders have managed to develop a lot of new varieties, with fruits of different colors, it can be white, green, yellow, with or without stripes and spots. Externally, the plant looks like bush zucchini, but there are also climbing forms among them.

A flowering squash bush can easily be mistaken for bush squash:

Varieties of squash also differ in terms of ripening, just like all other vegetables; they can be early, medium or late. But at the same time, all varieties of squash are useful for humans, so they are gladly used in cooking and even in folk medicine, which takes into account the healing properties of the seeds and juice of the vegetable. The most useful substance for humans in squash is lutein, which has a beneficial effect on human vision.

Choosing the right variety

Growing squash in your garden is not at all difficult. As you know, all plants of the Pumpkin family grow quickly and without problems, without requiring special attention. In order to have fresh squash on the table all summer, and so that there is enough of it for harvesting for the winter, you can plant several varieties that differ in ripening time. What should you choose?

Early ripening varieties

Bingo Bongo

Bingo Bongo ripens very early, 40 days after germination. The plant form is bushy, compact, and does not take up much space on the site. It stands out from a number of relatives for its violet-green fruits, shaped like discs with wavy edges. The blossoming pulp is white, the taste is delicate, the structure is tender and juicy. Fruit weight is 500-600 grams. The fruits can be canned and used for stewing and frying.

Bingo Bongo

Gosha

The Gosha variety is early ripening, the first fruits can be harvested 38-42 days after germination. They are not very large, weighing 300-350 grams, their skin is dark green, and the flesh is white, with a yellow tint. The variety is excellent for preservation, thanks to which the quality of the fruit is preserved for a long time. Gosha grows in the form of a bush, its flowers and leaves are just like zucchini. It bears fruit for more than a month, and during this time produces about 5 kg of fruit.

Disk

The Disk variety is distinguished by its white color and bell-shaped shape. Unripe fruits have a greenish tint, but this gradually disappears and the fruits become pure white. They ripen quite quickly - 40-42 days after germination. The fruits are small in size - 300-350 grams; small fruits that have not reached their final size can be picked and rolled into jars in their entirety. In this case, the yield of the bush will be low, but this deficiency will be compensated by the taste and quality of the canned squash, which will be eaten first.

Umbrella

The Umbrella variety is early ripening, the first harvest is harvested 45-55 days after emergence. The weight of the fruit is about 400 grams, the yield per bush is 4-5 kg. The fruits are harvested after they reach 8-10 cm in diameter, with poorly developed seeds. The color of the fruits is white-green, or white. The shape is flat with clearly visible teeth. The taste is wonderful, tender and juicy. Squash is suitable for canning and preparing daily dishes, but it is not stored fresh for long.

UFO Orange

Variety UFO Orange - large, weighing up to 500 grams, orange-colored fruits with faintly pronounced wavy edges, will appear 45 days after germination. Their flesh is tender and juicy, white in color. The durable peel of mature squash can be used as a pot for baking vegetables in the oven and for stuffing. For stewing and preservation, fruits that have not reached technical maturity, with soft peel and pulp, are used. The yield of the bush is high; during fruiting it produces up to 15 kg of fruit.

UFO Orange

Polo F1

The Polo F1 variety is early ripening and grows in the form of a compact bush. Unripe fruits are light green, becoming pure white when ripe. Weight 300-400 grams. The variety attracts with its high and stable yield, which can reach 10-15 kg per season, and resistance to disease. The fruits are good both fresh and canned.

Sunny bunny

The Sunny Bunny variety is early, the fruits are harvested 40-42 days after germination. Their color is golden yellow, sunny, the flesh is white, with a slight yellow tint. The weight is small - about 200 grams, suitable for rolling, and for preparing stewed and fried dishes. The Sunny Bunny grows as a compact bush, during the period of active fruiting it is literally strewn with golden squash plates, and can produce up to 15 kg of fruit per season. The variety is unpretentious, resistant to typical problems.

Sunny bunny

Cheburashka

The Cheburashka variety is super early, the first fruits ripen in 35-40 days. The variety is a Russian selection, therefore it tolerates cold and other unpleasant features of the continental climate well. The bush is climbing, but the vines are short - about 1 meter. The fruits weigh 250-400 grams and have the shape of a plate with wavy edges. The color is white outside and inside. The pulp is tasty and juicy. The yield is average - 4-5 kg per bush.

Cheburashka

Chatreuse

The Chatreuse variety is early ripening, with medium-sized fruits, the weight of which does not exceed 100-150 grams, and the diameter does not exceed 5-6 cm. The peel of mature squash of this variety is dark green, with white or yellowish spots and stripes, the flesh is white, and has a good taste. Mini squash is preserved without cutting, in its entirety.

Mid-season varieties

Mini baby

The Mini crumb variety produces small fruits; they are placed whole in a jar for sealing. Their diameter is only 3-5 cm, weight is about 70 grams, the taste is like ordinary large squash. The variety is grown using conventional technology, without making allowances for the small size of the fruit. Mini crumb grows in the form of a bush; both the fruits and leaves of the variety are small. The harvest is harvested 50 days after emergence; fruiting lasts several weeks, during which 3-5 kg of squash are picked from the bush. The mini Solar Explosion variety, which appeared on the Russian market relatively recently, has similar qualities.

Mini baby

Watermelon

It is not for nothing that the Arbuzinka variety received its name. In shape it is an ordinary squash with wavy edges, but it has a watermelon-colored rind and a melon-berry flavor. The weight of one “watermelon” is 400-450 grams, fruiting lasts about two months, the yield is high - up to 15 kg per bush. The first fruits appear 50-55 days after germination; they are used for stewing, frying and canning.

Watermelon

Snow White

Variety Snow White - from the name it becomes clear that its fruits are snow-white, with white flesh. The Snow White bush is compact and neat, taking up very little space. The fruits weigh 250-300 grams and have a wonderful taste. The fruits are canned, stewed and fried. When fresh, they can be stored in the refrigerator for about two months.

Snow White

Malachite

The Malachite variety grows in the form of a small shrub. The fruits are initially malachite green, become lighter when ripe, and have the shape of a disk without pronounced denticles along the edges. The pulp is white, tender, with excellent taste. They are quite large - up to 550 grams, fruiting is long, therefore the yield of the bush is high - up to 16-20 kg per season. The variety has good immunity to diseases and pests. The fruits are used for pickling, stewing and frying.

Sun

The Solnyshko variety bears bright yellow fruits weighing up to 300 grams. They ripen in 45-50 days, but they are not kept until technical ripeness, but are picked immature. In this form they are tastier for canning and for stewing and frying. Small-sized squash become an ideal “dish” for baking and stuffing:

Sun

White UFO

The White UFO variety, like most white varieties, has bell-shaped fruits with well-defined wavy edges and a convex top. Their sizes are small - up to 8 cm in diameter, weighing about 100 grams. The peel may not be pure white, but light green, the flesh is white, with a wonderful taste. There are almost no seeds. If you pick them at a time when their diameter is less than 8 cm, then there will be no seeds at all, and the taste will be even more pleasant. Ripening occurs in 50-55 days.

White UFO

Late varieties

White 13

Variety White 13 – ripens in 60-70 days. It grows in the form of a small bush, occupying an area of 70x70 cm. The variety is heat-loving, produces white or yellowish fruits, light tender pulp. The shape of the fruit is plate-shaped, wavy at the edges. The weight is quite large, up to 500 grams, in general the yield is 6-7 kg per bush. The fruits are suitable for canning, stuffing, and baking.

There are not so many late varieties of squash in Russia, and this is not surprising, the plant is heat-loving, and the summer here is short, in August the nights are already cold, which significantly reduces the yield of the crop. The first fruits have time to form and ripen, but due to cold weather the fruiting period is reduced. Therefore, the main requirement for a late variety is its cold resistance and the ability to form fruits at night temperatures within 10-15 degrees.

Alexander Gushchin

I can’t vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)

Content

An unusual vegetable - squash - is the fruit of a plant of the pumpkin family, a plate-shaped squash. It is not grown to large sizes, unlike pumpkin - small young fruits are used in cooking. Squash is healthy, rich in vitamins, natural antioxidants, and tastes a little like porcini mushrooms. They are used to prepare soups, various snacks, salads, they are fried, baked, stuffed, and canned.

Vegetable squash

A bush-shaped herbaceous plant from the pumpkin family (a type of pumpkin) with large hard leaves, yellow single flowers and bell-shaped or dish-shaped fruits, white, green or yellow, is called squash. The vegetable was bred artificially and is not found in the wild. It began to be grown in America (Mexico and Guatemala), and has been cultivated in Europe since the 17th century. The name comes from the French word for “pie”, and was chosen because of the way the squash looks - the shape of the vegetable resembles a pie or an unusual bun (see photo).

Useful properties

Squash fruits have a lot of beneficial properties due to their high content of vitamins and minerals. The peel of the vegetable contains a lot of carotene and lutein (natural antioxidants), which free the body from free radicals and toxins and resist the proliferation of cancer cells. The product is useful for blood diseases, endocrine and nervous disorders, removes excess water from the body, normalizes heart rate, and reduces blood pressure. Composition of squash:

In addition to its beneficial properties, this unusually shaped zucchini also has contraindications:

Doctors recommend limiting vegetable consumption in case of diabetes mellitus, impaired renal or pancreatic function.
The oxalates contained in squash increase the load on the kidneys and gallbladder, increasing the risk of developing urolithiasis.
Eating the fruits of plants of the pumpkin family should be limited to hypotensive patients, those with digestive disorders, and children under 10 years of age.

How to cook squash

You don't need to have a high level of culinary skill to cook squash quickly and tasty. The product goes well with other vegetables and accelerates the absorption of protein foods (meat products, mushrooms, cheeses). It is important to remember that it is not recommended to consume it raw, but long-term heat treatment also reduces the taste and healthfulness of “sunny squash”. The following fruits are more suitable for all recipes:

small size (diameter no more than 7 cm);
free from spots or other defects on the skin;
dense;
with a dried stalk.

Squash dishes

You can prepare squash as a single dish (by frying or stewing the vegetable with spices and garlic), as well as salads, stews, and soups. Pancakes with onions, vegetable snacks (they can be pickled for the winter), fruits stuffed with a mixture of rice and other vegetables, mushrooms, chicken fillet and cheese are delicious. Squash is used to make pies and custard fillings. In America and European countries (for example, Greece), the flowers of the plant are pickled and fried in batter.

Cooking recipes

Recipes from squash are distinguished by their combination of simplicity and originality; even a novice housewife can cope with the preparation of any dish. Simply fry chopped zucchini, sprinkle the finished dish with garlic and herbs, and in 15 minutes you have a light, savory snack ready. More complex recipes, such as stuffed zucchini, require some skill, but after 2-3 preparations they become easy to handle.

Stuffed

Time: 90 minutes.
Number of servings: 6 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 290 kcal.
Purpose: garnish.
Cuisine: Greek.
Difficulty: medium.

Choose this recipe if you are thinking about how to prepare an unusual and not too complicated squash dish. For the filling, choose a protein product (minced meat or chicken), add vegetable ingredients, mushrooms and sauce to it. In the vegetarian version of the recipe, meat is replaced with rice. It is better to use very small fruits for stuffing, of the same size, with intact skin.

Ingredients:

squash – 6 pcs.;
minced meat – 400 g;
onion – 1 large head;
garlic – 2-3 cloves;
champignons – 150 g;
hard cheese – 60 g;
sour cream – 150 ml;
butter – 30 g;
black pepper, salt, spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

Prepare the filling: chop the onion (chop into small cubes) and garlic (grate), lightly fry the mushrooms (5-7 minutes). Mix the ingredients with the minced meat, pour in sour cream, add spices and salt.
Wash the zucchini fruits, carefully cut off the top, clean out the seeds and pulp, leaving the walls 1-1.5 cm thick.
Fill the vegetables with the filling, add a piece of butter, and close with the “lids” from the tops.
Place in a cauldron or saucepan with a thick bottom. Cover with water and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes.

Fried

Time: 40 minutes.
Number of servings: 5 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 63 kcal.
Purpose: for a snack.
Cuisine: European.
Difficulty: easy.

There are several options for preparing delicious fried squash. In a simple recipe, chopped fruits are fried in oil on both sides. To obtain a more high-calorie and satisfying dish, use flour batter. It’s just as easy to prepare, and the result is almost like pancakes with a crispy thin crust. If desired, add cheese, garlic and other spices to the batter to add flavor to the dish and deepen the taste of the zucchini.

Ingredients:

squash – 3 pcs.;
egg – 2 pcs.;
flour – 4 tbsp;
vegetable oil – 50 ml;
garlic – 3 cloves;
parsley and dill – 50 g;
salt, spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

Wash the vegetables, peel and seeds if necessary, cut into rings 1-1.5 cm thick.
Prepare everything for the batter: mix flour with spices, beat eggs with salt in a separate bowl.
Fry the sliced fruits in a frying pan over high heat, first alternately dredging the pieces in flour and dipping them in the egg twice. Frying time is 3-4 minutes on each side.
Before serving, sprinkle the finished zucchini with herbs and chopped garlic to make them look elegant, just like for the photo.

Pickled

Time: 60 minutes.
Number of servings: 8 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 176 kcal.
Purpose: snack.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty: easy.

Canned squash turns out juicier if you marinate the vegetables whole without chopping them. The main secret of how to prepare a delicious winter appetizer from these zucchini lies in the spicy, unusual marinade, which gives a rich aroma. It is better to pasteurize jars and lids before rolling. This can be done in any convenient way - in boiling water, in the oven or over the spout of a boiling kettle.

Ingredients:

small squash - 1 kg;
cherry tomatoes – 150 g;
water – 1 l:
salt – 1 tbsp;
sugar – 1 tbsp;
dried star anise – 2 flowers;
cumin – 0.5 tsp;
garlic – 4 cloves;
bay leaf – 3 pcs.;
vinegar (70%) – 2 tbsp.

Cooking method:

Sterilize the jar and lid. Wash the vegetables thoroughly, place the jars with the garlic tightly inside. but without squeezing the fruits so that it turns out aesthetically, as in the photo.
Boil water, pour into a jar, let stand for 15-20 minutes, drain. Repeat.
The third time, before boiling, add everything for the brine (except acetic acid) to the water. Pour the boiling marinade into a jar, add vinegar, and cover with a lid.

Salad with squash

Time: 40 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 146 kcal.
Purpose: for a snack.
Cuisine: European.
Difficulty: medium.

A warm salad of squash and vegetables is easy to prepare, but not quickly, since the vegetables are added one by one after a short time interval when stewing. It is better to shred the ingredients using a Korean carrot grater, or manually cut into thin long strips. This salad goes well with potato side dishes and various casseroles. The greens are added last, a few minutes before the end of cooking.

Ingredients:

squash – 3-4 pcs.;
carrots – 2 pcs.;
onion – 1 piece;
bell pepper – 2 pcs.;
garlic – 3 cloves;
spices, herbs, vegetable oil for frying - to taste.

Cooking method:

Wash and peel the zucchini, grate or cut into strips. Simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Found an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we will fix everything!