Question Spaghetti Squash Woes

[KimChick]

Does anyone know how to grow spaghetti squash so that it is stringy when cooked? I cut it into rings, steam it, ease it off the rind with a fork, and still had a lot of "duds" from the garden.
So, I have quite a bit in the freezer labelled "Non-Spaghetti Squash" because it's not stringy. And it's really hard to make spaghetti squash lasagna when it's not stringy. Grrrr.

[labradors]

It sounds to me as if you have crossed seeds. I grew spaghetti squash once and it was like spaghetti inside. I never grew it again because hubby didn't think it was as good as pasta . I would be inclined to buy some new spaghetti squash seeds from a reputable seed house.

Could you use up the frozen stuff in soups, stews, curries, or give it to the chickens?

Linda

[WLLady]

If you harvest too early they dont have good strings yet....you have to wait until the rind goes bright yellow and the stem starts drying and you cannot push your fingernail into the rind......

[Farrier1987]

What she said. And you keep them just like winter squash, but not as long. When ready to cook, split end to end, scoop out the seeds and roast in the oven. We do upside down on a cookie sheet. After they are cooked, scoop them out of the shell. And they probably misnamed them. They are not really spaghetti squash, they are spaghetti LIKE squash. They should be jacked up on their truth in advertising.

[KimChick]

It sounds to me as if you have crossed seeds. I grew spaghetti squash once and it was like spaghetti inside. I never grew it again because hubby didn't think it was as good as pasta . I would be inclined to buy some new spaghetti squash seeds from a reputable seed house.

Could you use up the frozen stuff in soups, stews, curries, or give it to the chickens?

Linda

I don't think so; the seeds came from a package. Unless the flowers were cross pollinated when all were in bloom?

[KimChick]

If you harvest too early they dont have good strings yet....you have to wait until the rind goes bright yellow and the stem starts drying and you cannot push your fingernail into the rind......

Hmmm... we know about picking when bright yellow, but maybe we need to pay closer attention to that, and do the fingernail test.

[KimChick]

It sounds to me as if you have crossed seeds. I grew spaghetti squash once and it was like spaghetti inside. I never grew it again because hubby didn't think it was as good as pasta . I would be inclined to buy some new spaghetti squash seeds from a reputable seed house.

Could you use up the frozen stuff in soups, stews, curries, or give it to the chickens?

Linda

It does get used up. I even use squash in bread occasionally. Our chickens get some, too.
A good spaghetti squash does make a good lasagna, as well as a lightly curried dish of it. However, if it is not stringy, it goes into soup, etc.