In August, when it seemed that our Raven F1s might croak and many of you
recommended the Italian Tromboncino, we planted a couple to replace the
long-bolted lettuce. (The Ravens did revive after the DH cut open the
vines and removed the offending creatures, using the bury-the-vine
trick.) But the Tromboncinos!... Good grief! Talk about vigorous!

We have already picked a couple (delicious and pretty!) and there are
LOTS more on the vines which are now running all over one of our garden
plots. LOL this must be like that infamous pattypan we've been hearing
about. The catalogue said 5 foot runners but none of ours are less
than ten feet. They have invaded the carrots and are now at least six
feet up the 8' high tripods that my picklers were/are growing on (the
picklers have a wilt that I hope does not infect the squash) and some of
our tallest tomatoes. Man do they climb well! Awesome! These babies
need no coaxing. They also keep running on the driveway and the garden
paths and I have to keep moving them in again. What a fun plant. And I
am so glad because I wanted to get a lot more zucchini before the end of
October. So if the frost holds off (Missouri Z 5b), I will have plenty
more.

So thanks to all who recommended them. What a trip.

Phae

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 23:19:49 -0500, Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:

We have already picked a couple (delicious and pretty!) and there are
LOTS more on the vines which are now running all over one of our garden
plots. LOL this must be like that infamous pattypan we've been hearing
about.

Sounds like it. But the pattypan is a bush squash: it
expands equally all the way around, no runners.



The catalogue said 5 foot runners but none of ours are less
than ten feet. They have invaded the carrots and are now at least six
feet up the 8' high tripods that my picklers were/are growing on (the
picklers have a wilt that I hope does not infect the squash) and some of
our tallest tomatoes. Man do they climb well! Awesome! These babies
need no coaxing. They also keep running on the driveway and the garden
paths and I have to keep moving them in again. What a fun plant. And I
am so glad because I wanted to get a lot more zucchini before the end of
October. So if the frost holds off (Missouri Z 5b), I will have plenty
more.

So thanks to all who recommended them. What a trip.

I *must* grow them next year. I don't know where though:
somewhere where they can ramble. Probably outside the
garden.

We have a place where we have mulch dumped and mushroom soil
dumped when we buy it, and it tends to get overrun with
weeds after we've moved the mulch, etc. Maybe the
trombocino would like it there, and fight off the weeds.

Pat
--
To email me, remove the obvious word,
and type my first name in its place.

"Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of
supply and demand. It is the privilege of human beings to
live under the laws of justice and mercy." - Wendell Berry

In article ,
wrote:

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 23:19:49 -0500, Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:

We have already picked a couple (delicious and pretty!) and there are
LOTS more on the vines which are now running all over one of our garden
plots. LOL this must be like that infamous pattypan we've been hearing
about.

Sounds like it. But the pattypan is a bush squash: it
expands equally all the way around, no runners.

I want to plant some next year if we can get a grip on the shield
bug/stink bug problem. Very frustrating. I like them small--- only an
inch or two across--- steamed and served whole. That size is also great
in stir fries but you probably already know that since you grow a lot of
asian-type veggies, don't you?


The catalogue said 5 foot runners but none of ours are less
than ten feet. They have invaded the carrots and are now at least six
feet up the 8' high tripods that my picklers were/are growing on (the
picklers have a wilt that I hope does not infect the squash) and some of
our tallest tomatoes. Man do they climb well! Awesome! These babies
need no coaxing. They also keep running on the driveway and the garden
paths and I have to keep moving them in again. What a fun plant. And I
am so glad because I wanted to get a lot more zucchini before the end of
October. So if the frost holds off (Missouri Z 5b), I will have plenty
more.

So thanks to all who recommended them. What a trip.

I *must* grow them next year. I don't know where though:
somewhere where they can ramble. Probably outside the
garden.

I am thinking of planting them with the corn next year and that way they
can wander in and out of the corn stalks. But I think we'd have to
really enrich that plot a lot to support them both.


We have a place where we have mulch dumped and mushroom soil
dumped when we buy it, and it tends to get overrun with
weeds after we've moved the mulch, etc. Maybe the
trombocino would like it there, and fight off the weeds.


Sounds like a plan

On Fri, 26 Sep 2003 13:22:39 -0500, Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:


I want to plant some next year if we can get a grip on the shield
bug/stink bug problem. Very frustrating. I like them small--- only an
inch or two across--- steamed and served whole. That size is also great
in stir fries but you probably already know that since you grow a lot of
asian-type veggies, don't you?

Yes, I did know it.

I do grow a lot of Asian veggies - you know, they are really
nice garden plants. Ready FAST, this is good. And spring
and fall crops - this is also good. I just like them a lot,
and we both like stir-fries a whole lot.
Pat
--
To email me, remove the trap and type my first
name in its place.

CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International: http://www.thehungersite.com/

"Phaedrine Stonebridge" wrote
in message newshaedrine_stonebridge-.

I want to plant some next year if we can get a grip on the shield
bug/stink bug problem. Very frustrating. I like them small--- only
an
inch or two across--- steamed and served whole. That size is also
great
in stir fries but you probably already know that since you grow a lot
of
asian-type veggies, don't you?



I have never seen a shield bug two inches across, if I come across any I
will try them steamed as you recommend. Is it worth trying this method
with the little babies that are say 3/4 inch across ? Do the bright
colours of their exoskeleton survive cooking to decorate the plate or
should you keep some raw ones for decoration?

David

When last we left our heros, on Fri, 26 Sep 2003 23:52:18 GMT,
"David Hare-Scott" scribbled:

"Phaedrine Stonebridge" wrote
in message newshaedrine_stonebridge-.

I want to plant some next year if we can get a grip on the shield
bug/stink bug problem. Very frustrating. I like them small--- only
an inch or two across--- steamed and served whole. That size is also
great in stir fries but you probably already know that since you grow a lot
of asian-type veggies, don't you?

I have never seen a shield bug two inches across, if I come across any I
will try them steamed as you recommend. Is it worth trying this method
with the little babies that are say 3/4 inch across ? Do the bright
colours of their exoskeleton survive cooking to decorate the plate or
should you keep some raw ones for decoration?


spurf!

You owe me a keyboard, young man.

And I don't consider the beer nasal lavage a partial payment,
either.


Pam



--
"Pay attention, son. This is for your own good." - Foghorn Leghorn

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

"Phaedrine Stonebridge" wrote
in message newshaedrine_stonebridge-.

I want to plant some next year if we can get a grip on the shield
bug/stink bug problem. Very frustrating. I like them small--- only
an
inch or two across--- steamed and served whole. That size is also
great
in stir fries but you probably already know that since you grow a lot
of
asian-type veggies, don't you?



I have never seen a shield bug two inches across, if I come across any I
will try them steamed as you recommend. Is it worth trying this method
with the little babies that are say 3/4 inch across ? Do the bright
colours of their exoskeleton survive cooking to decorate the plate or
should you keep some raw ones for decoration?

David



Har har har.

I too have much enjoyed - for the first time - trombocinos this year!
They're so delicious, and everyone who I've shared them with has really
loved them too. They're such fun, and I'm letting them ramble all over
the garden - can't stop 'em, so might as well let 'em go!

karen

In article
,
Phaedrine Stonebridge
wrote:

In August, when it seemed that our Raven F1s might croak and many of you
recommended the Italian Tromboncino, we planted a couple to replace the
long-bolted lettuce. (The Ravens did revive after the DH cut open the
vines and removed the offending creatures, using the bury-the-vine
trick.) But the Tromboncinos!... Good grief! Talk about vigorous!

We have already picked a couple (delicious and pretty!) and there are
LOTS more on the vines which are now running all over one of our garden
plots. LOL this must be like that infamous pattypan we've been hearing
about. The catalogue said 5 foot runners but none of ours are less
than ten feet. They have invaded the carrots and are now at least six
feet up the 8' high tripods that my picklers were/are growing on (the
picklers have a wilt that I hope does not infect the squash) and some of
our tallest tomatoes. Man do they climb well! Awesome! These babies
need no coaxing. They also keep running on the driveway and the garden
paths and I have to keep moving them in again. What a fun plant. And I
am so glad because I wanted to get a lot more zucchini before the end of
October. So if the frost holds off (Missouri Z 5b), I will have plenty
more.

So thanks to all who recommended them. What a trip.

Phae

Phaedrine Stonebridge wrote in message ...

But the Tromboncinos!... Good grief! Talk about vigorous!

I planted Tromboncinos last year, since I love vertical gardening and
wanted some summer squash. They did very well, but I was not
impressed at all with their flavor. They had a very, well, green
taste to me, not much like a summer squash at all. But they did take
over my entire 16' W X 8' H trellis, and even reached 4' feet through
open space to reach into a small crab apple tree behind the garden.
The vines completely covered the top of the tree. (I let them grow
out of curiousity.) The mature fruits looked quite odd; 3' long
baseball bats hanging from the top of the apple tree after the leaves
had fallen! It was well into december before they dropped off.

I now get my summer squash from the farmers market, and put the
trellis space into mini pumpkins for the kids.

IC Gardener
Iowa City, Iowa
Zone 5A

In article ,
Karen Zack wrote:

I too have much enjoyed - for the first time - trombocinos this year!
They're so delicious, and everyone who I've shared them with has really
loved them too. They're such fun, and I'm letting them ramble all over
the garden - can't stop 'em, so might as well let 'em go!

karen

In article ,
(IC_Gardener) wrote:

Phaedrine Stonebridge wrote in
message
...

But the Tromboncinos!... Good grief! Talk about vigorous!

I planted Tromboncinos last year, since I love vertical gardening and
wanted some summer squash. They did very well, but I was not
impressed at all with their flavor. They had a very, well, green
taste to me, not much like a summer squash at all. But they did take
over my entire 16' W X 8' H trellis, and even reached 4' feet through
open space to reach into a small crab apple tree behind the garden.
The vines completely covered the top of the tree. (I let them grow
out of curiousity.) The mature fruits looked quite odd; 3' long
baseball bats hanging from the top of the apple tree after the leaves
had fallen! It was well into december before they dropped off.

I now get my summer squash from the farmers market, and put the
trellis space into mini pumpkins for the kids.

IC Gardener
Iowa City, Iowa
Zone 5A


.. :: laughs uproariously ::

A very funny post indeed. How I wish I might have seen that crab apple.
Yes, they are quite vigorous. I quite like their taste. To each
his own I guess. I made bread & butter pickles out of them recently and
they are really good. And what is so nice is no seeds! I used the long
skinny seedless parts for the sliced pickles and the bulbous ends for
shredding and freezing, after I had removed the seeds.