One can also add butter or brown sugar inside the fruit to enhance the taste. 368 talking about this. I grew my first batch of gems 3 years ago and got 70 squashes. Wash and halve the squash/pumpkin Scoop out the seeds and pith from the centre Pre-heat oven to 200 Deg C for 10 minutes. Gem squash can be planted until as late as February as long as the weather is correct. Freeze these as required wrapped in cling film. The squash will have smooth, hard, dark-green skin. You may also be interested in squash seeds and other popular vegetable plants. Place squash slices in a wide pan with 300ml water and bring to an idle simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or so, until squash slices take the tip of a sharp knife. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator for 2 hours or at room temperature for 30 mins. Baby gems can be harvested from as early as 6 weeks from planting. Gem squash ( Cucurbita pepo var. Your tasty Gems will be reading* in … Choose your location wisely as gem squash need a lot of space to grow. $5.99 $ 5. When left on the vines for some time they will start to turn orange. Butterbush butternut squash is a better option where space is a consideration. The skin is smooth, hard and dark-green. They send out long vines and will take over your vegetable patch if you allow them to. GROW YOUR OWN GEM SQUASH 8 Gem Squash SEEDS to produce delicious and tasty yellow flesh Gems! Seeds About Us About Us. Gem squash are easy to grow, but do require some patience as the growing season lasts 70-90 days. Get it as soon as Mon, Nov 23. We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your shopping experience, to provide our services, understand how customers use our services so we can make improvements, and display ads. Then they told me about a squash that was very readily available in South Africa but very difficult to find in the UK and they loved the taste of it. Two especially lucrative advantages of growing Gem squash are their compact growth habit to approximately 60cm wide and 30cm high, and their high productivity – if you keep powdery mildew at bay as the plants mature (a common challenge with all cucurbits), it wouldn’t be a stretch to harvest 15 squash off a single plant in a season. Plant in a sunny position in well drained soil or even the compost heap will do. Cover the newly planted squash plants with horticultural fleece. Place on baking tray, add filling, top with cheese and … I found seed on Amazon, and after much nuturing and pampering have 2 plants which have grown very well - thank you warm summer However, I have only had 2 fruits - plenty flowers, no fruits. Organic Gem Squash pack of 5 Grown in the UK especially for South Africans . It has the added benefit of being mobile, so that you … Sow two or three seeds 2.5cm (1in) deep outdoors in late May or early June and cover with cloches, jars or plastic; leave in place for two weeks, or as long as possible, after germination. Squashes are easy to grow from seed and can be sown outdoors in the spot where they are to grow, or you can start them off indoors in pots. Growth Period Gem squash takes between 10 and 12 weeks to the first fruit being ready for harvest. This is a very delicious squash that is not readily available in the UK. Dark orange, sweet flesh. Protect young plants from slugs and snails. Website by Thinnk Digital. Choose the sunniest spot you can. Learn how to grow any squash or zucchini easily in a pot. Sow two or three seeds 2.5cm (1in) deep outdoors in late May or early June and cover with cloches, jars or plastic; leave in place for two weeks, or as long as possible, after germination. We recommend harvesting them when young. It is also a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fibre, and manganese. Gem Squash Organic Seed, Cucurbita pepo originates from South Africa and grows as a spreading vine producing round green fruit to 10cm across. Did you know that the humble gem squash is unique to South Africa? Summer time.. yes that can be tricky! Plants About Us Plants. The plants each produce 4 or 5 long,pear-shaped fruits. A very interesting article, I am also growing Gem Squash, Boer Pampoen and Souties Squash ( A very rare South African Heirloom) in Los Angeles, California. Hi I am a South African living in the UK in Bedfordshire and my husband and I are desperate to find the normal gem squash seeds for growing. The easiest way is to train them onto trellis. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. If space isn’t on your side, then growing squashes upwards is the obvious answer. Grew 7 seeds of gem squash this year. Squash plant nutritional information. The cooked gem squash is then generally cut in half, and the inside may be covered in butter or brown sugar to enhance flavour. Baking Squash Halves Preheat the oven to 320 °F (160 °C) before you begin stuffing your squash. Very productive plant. Winter squashes are an excellent source of vitamin A. We grow a wide range of seasonal vegetables to Soil Association organic standards, selling at three weekly markets throughout the year and from the farm at our Veg Shed on Wednesdays and Fridays. Happy planting *Please note that due to the wide range of human and other outside factors involved in the growing period, we cannot cover any issues with plant growth following germination. The Gem Squash is grown a lot in South Africa - and my fave veg!! The best varieties for squash trellising are delicata, acorn, zucchini, and yellow summer. Gem Squash UK Gem Squash UK Gem Squash UK "Growing with Passion" About Us About Us About Us. Gem Squash is prepared either boiled or baked. The frost free growing season in the northern hemisphere is roughly between April and November. Seeds can also be sown direct outdoors, in a finely prepared bed, from late May. The squash can also be harvested and used as a winter squash. Place the halves on a roasting pan and bake in oven for 15 minutes at 200 Deg C Most squash are too heavy for the average trellis without extra support, but some, like the summer squashes and smaller gourds, are perfect for vertical growth. Comfrey liquid fertiliser would be a great feed for gem squash as it is high in potassium and organic! To grow squashes, you may need to build in one side with additional supports for the squash to climb. These gem squash are grown in the UK and they are delicious! Gem squash is one of South Africa’s most popular vegetables. Follow and read AlanGardenMaster’s articles as he develops his new one-acre plot. Amazon's Choice for Gem Squash Seeds. Drain and mash until smooth. Grow-your-own starts with a plan and now is the perfect time to start thinking about next year's plot. Gem Squash is a summer squash. Being small, gem squash work particularly well and they bake evenly. Despite mildew harvested about 350 gems. Pretty good return. You must follow the extended instructions listed in the see pack. Last year we got gem squash from the UK and only half of the seeds germinated so this year I ordered three packs and EVERY SEED has germinated into a beautiful plant - great flowers with gem squash appearing early in growing season in Sapphire North Carolina USA - we are so happy and will order these again every year.