Have you grown spaghetti squash?

[happyflowerlady]

I actually think that spaghetti squash has much more flavor than pasta does, but I know that is totally a matter of taste. I would suggest you buy one at the grocery store, bake it, and scrape it out with a fork lengthwise, and then you will have a nice plate of "spaghetti"to test out with your preferred pasta sauce, and then you will know if you like it and want to grow it, or not.
I like it with tomato sauce, or a cheese sauce like you would put on Mac and cheese, and I bet it would be yummy with an Alfredo sauce, as well.

 

[Jessi]

Jessi, Dconklin, thank you for your answers - I'm a little bit dissapointed if it doesn't taste like pasta. I was looking for a nice replacement for my spaghetti. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the taste of squash. Growing it is fun, eating it - not so much

Yeah, I was slightly disappointed, too. I mean, I didn't expect it to taste *exactly* like pasta, but the first time I tried it, it was because I kept hearing people talk about it being a great, healthy alternative.

I will tell you that my girls LOVED it, though. As in, enough so that they started requesting "that spaghetti thing that isn't really spaghetti" (the squash) instead of real spaghetti at times. You can't actually taste the squash once you add sauce, so you may like it anyway.

 

[claudine]

I think I'll look for it, buy it and try it then. And I'll let you know what is my opinion on "that spaghetti thing that isn't really spaghetti", lol
Happyflowerlady, I think I'll add cheese sauce, everything tastes better with cheese

 

[Ruth B]

I really love it.

It has tons of flavor, and does taste like a squash. I cut mine in half, and about that, don't get one so big you can't cut it in half yourself. I got one home once and had to laugh at myself, saying, Ruth, do you have a chainsaw? A knife would be kind of hard to get thru here lol. I take out the seeds, and put each half on a baking sheet and roast for about an hour.

Roasting time does depend upon the size, smaller ones are ready in about 30 to 40 minutes, but basically most are an hour. You can put some kind of butter or oil on them, and I know some do, but since it's cooking inverted, I don't really like to do that.

After fork tender done, let cool right side up and then just scoop out. Scooping out with a fork is what rakes out the squash like spagetti. A spoon doesn't really do that.

I actually just salt and pepper it. I have used spaghetti sauce, but it just gobs up funny, and bogs down the flavor, and is kinda yucky I think with it. So I just don't that anymore.

I use any herb I happen to have around and what I want the taste of. But mostly, just salt and pepper and butter. Then it has flavor if I don't cover it up.

 

[maphil]

I never ever planted Spaghetti Squash, but this year I planted one plant just to see how it would do. The vine is taking over our garden. On the bright side, we have several squash on it. My mother actually got me hooked on spaghetti squash. She baked it in the oven and melted butter in the center and then pull the strings loose and mix with the butter, salt, and pepper. Very good vegetable.

 

[maphil]

As said previously, this is my first year of growing it. How do I know when to pick the squash?

 

[LouisFerdinand]

My maternal grandfather has grown Spaghetti Squash.

 

[Enonymous]

We all love spaghetti squash here, but I have never grown it before. I know they call it a winter squash, but yet it doesn't grow in the winter. From what I have been told I should plant it soon, but not sure if I should start it inside or just put the seeds out in the garden.

Have you ever tried to grow spaghetti squash? If so, when do you plant it and does it take over your garden? I am hoping to try it this year but do not know the first thing about growing it!

YES! I love growing SS. It is one of my favourites. This is what I do -

- When the germination season comes round (same as pumpkins) I soak the seeds for 24 hrs then plant in seed raising mix.
- Seedlings are raised in a green house which stays between 15 - 28 degrees Celcius.
- Once the seedlings are approx 10 - 15cm tall and looking strong (minimal yellow leaves) I then plant.
- SS is planted in outdoor beds in late spring (roughly 15 - 25 DG's during the day) and I leave lots of space.
- We also set them up near a trellis and I've found our squash grow much better off the ground.
- we also like to place them near zucchini and get Zughetti which is a nifty little cross polination thanks to nature and the bees

Things to watch out for, red mites and powdery mildew.

Hope this helps!