Winter squash has a lot of advantages: in addition to the exquisite taste, the squash fruits also have excellent storability and almost do not lose their useful properties in storage.
A Bit of Squash History
The squash is native to North America and has been grown by Native Americans for centuries. The word “squash” itself translates from Native Americans as “eaten raw,” that is, as they say, right off the bat.
A ripe squash fruit can easily be confused with an overripe squash with a thin but tough skin, a “shell” of white, yellowish or striped orange-green color. The shape of the fruit depends on the variety, which may be elongated (almost cigar-like) or rounded.
Unlike other pumpkin varieties, the squash’s flesh breaks into brittle and long translucent threads. They resemble spaghetti, hence another of its nicknames, “spaghetti pumpkin.”
The squash lacks the sweet flavor of pumpkin crops with a slight nutmeg tinge. Instead, the juicy part of the fruit smells slightly of walnut kernels and vanilla.
Quality Features of the Vegetable
The squash fruit is rich in seeds, which Native Americans consider a delicacy for its bright nutty flavor. They are a valuable source of healthy fats, vitamin E, which slows the body’s aging process, and zinc salts. The latter plays a crucial role in men’s health.
In its raw state, the pulp of a ripe squash has a neutral, slightly sweet taste that resembles young walnuts.
Squash has minimal calories, contains almost no sugars, and does not cause allergic conditions. Because of this, this pumpkin is recognized as an ideal candidate for inclusion in a weight loss diet. In this case, the easiest advice for slimming citizens and citizens is to replace traditional vermicelli and pasta with “vegetable spaghetti.”
The potassium in the squash removes excess fluid from the body, removing morning swelling, resulting in excessive consumption of uncooked foods, coffee, salt, and alcohol, as well as a sedentary lifestyle.
Squash Sweet Recipe
It is widely popular in Mediterranean cuisine, where the pumpkin is used for sweet desserts and to add the pulp to appetizers, first and second courses. The fruit should simply be boiled whole “in the jacket” or baked in the oven for about 20-30 minutes (depending on its size)to extract the spaghetti from the squash.
No less original and delicious treat on your table will be candied squash. The pieces of pumpkin are boiled until softened in a moderately sweet syrup with the addition of any citrus peel and then dried. The candied fruit is super crunchy and flavorful. The product is stored in a lidded glass jar in the middle of the refrigerator.
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Squash — Benefits for Athletes
Athletes are well aware of the benefits of squash for the body. Squash can be found in almost all recipes dedicated to the recovery of strength. It is a big plus for a person who spends a lot of time in the gym. Not for nothing; every professional nutritionist and fitness trainer will recommend that their clients include it in their daily diet.
Squash can be found in many recipes dedicated to the recovery of strength after serious physical exertion. This type of pumpkin is rich in structured water, fiber, and vitamins B and C. In addition, it is used to make sweet desserts and terrific side dishes for various dishes. For this purpose, the fruit is simply boiled whole (without peeling) or baked in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.
Varieties
In fact, this family is quite large; it includes not only the representatives we are considering. For example, butternut pumpkin (squash, “butternut”) will grow light pink, pear-shaped, and somewhat elongated. Its flesh is orange, tender, and very sweet, buttery, with a nutty flavor — ideal for baking whole. The result is a soft crust and a cooked mashed potato inside.
Butternut Waldheim is a later modification of the same variety. Specialists have achieved an earlier ripening period. Fruits are elongated and light brown. The flesh has an excellent taste, with a nutty flavor. A wonderful variety, the novelty of last season, which has already managed to win love and recognition.
Blue Hubbard is another terrific variety that was bred relatively recently. The bluish-white fruits can reach up to 10 kg, but this is usually not the case with regular harvests. The flesh is bright orange, tender, and very sweet. This variety can be eaten raw. Excellent taste qualities allow this vegetable to take one of the leading places in the diet, especially in the winter and spring, when most fresh fruits are already losing some useful properties.
Squash Growing Routine
It is usually not a hassle to grow squash. Unlike its large-fruited relatives, this vegetable is less demanding of heat and soil fertility on the plot and is quite drought-resistant. It forms numerous shoots, some of which reach up to 7 meters in length.
In regions with short summers, two weeks before planting squash seedlings, it is recommended to cover the soil with black film — this contributes to faster warming. Then, with a no-planting method of culture, each planting hole is placed 2-3 squash seeds to a depth of 4 to 5 centimeters and watered with a weak solution of manganese.
Squash is responsive to organic fertilizers but gives just a phenomenal yield and heirloom seeds with the added addition of potassium fertilizers. If you do not limit the development of plants by pruning and rationing, a huge number of fruits are on the main and side branches.
With regular feeding (every two weeks) and watering, you will do without rationing procedures. But in cool summers, it is advisable to limit the growth of shoots by removing weak side branches and shortening the main stem.
Squash pumpkin needs nutritious feedings. Every week was spent on nitrogen feedings with an infusion of grass from the beginning of June to the end of July. In such an infusion, you can add a complex mineral fertilizer diluted in water every once in a while. Usually, do the following proportion: a liter of herbal information per bucket of water or a liter of herbal infusion and a spoonful of complex mineral fertilizer per liter of water. Before fertilizing, water the plants conscientiously so as not to burn the roots. In mid-August, feed your squash pumpkin with ash extract.
Great source of heirloom seeds
The first step to grow Squash would be to find a good reputable provider of heirloom seeds.
One independent and small-business that sells heirloom seeds online is the Ethos Seed Company – you can purchase Squash seeds on their website: Winter Squash Seeds – Ethos Seed Company
They sell heirloom vegetable seeds, herb seeds and flower seeds. The website also provides very useful tips and information about gardening and growing vegetables.
This small business is woman-owned which is a great thing to encourage as well.
It has a diverse selection of seeds with the “staple” selections that include the following categories: kale, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, beans, carrots, squash, cucumbers and many more!
Once you have ordered the seeds that you would like to plant, get ready to start a beautiful garden, and prepare for the right planting season. If you are not sure what to do, you can always connect with your seed provider who would be thrilled to help Heirloom Squash.
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