Maxima plants tend to die in the Mallorca heat before the fruit fully develops, but I’m determined to try again. I might just need to start with better genetics, so do any of you know of maxima varities that handle heat better? Or already grow them in a warm climate?
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Stumbled into this, it’s Spanish, so could be a start.
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Summer Squash Seeds, Zapallito Del Tronco
Description
“This Argentinian heirloom squash has a creamy, buttery soft flesh and an edible rind. It is also called avocado squash, due to the low moisture content of the flesh, making it creamy in consistency. A semi-bush habit and very productive with relative squash bug resistance and excellent heat tolerance.”
- Average 50 days
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 5-10 Days
- Ideal Temperature: 70-95 Degrees F
- Seed Depth: 1/2-1 inch
- Plant Spacing: 12-24"
- Frost Hardy: No
- Cucurbita maxima
I hope this is helpful.
Jerry Irving
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Thank you for the suggestion🙏🏽 i tried this variety and it made a few very nice summer squash before the summer heat killed it. But i know some who grow it in other places in spain with much more success so maybe my plot is just at the extreme end…
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Thank you🙏🏽
I saw this post on another topic about maxima. It got me thinking…
If you have a hard time growing maxima’s but not moschata’s , why not grow an interspecies hybrid grown in a maxima field, like Tetsukabota.
You then can select for maxima phenotypes that do quite well.
I take the liberty to copy paste a bit of @ThomasPicard his post :
“By the way: will have loads of seeds of Tetsukabuto around spring to trade, partially grown in the moschata patch, partially grown in the maxima patch.”
Now me talking again…It’s from this topic, with a very interesting video about longevity/storage time of Maxima’s, they’re popular in Brazil for that reason i assume.
That way you’ll be two steps ahead. Grow something that probably will like it which looks like maxima and you’ll be ahead on storage time.
Take a look, it’s from four days ago. so 13-11-2024.
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Fantastic tip, this could work🙏🏽
Yes so as stated in Laura’s topic I will be able to trade seeds around march or so, as they are long keeper.
Will be able to send you the 3/4 maximas, or the 3/4 moschatas, or both if you want.
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Fantastic! I normally plant in march so that’s perfect
You might look for “candy roaster” maxima seeds. There are several different genetic lines of candy roaster in the United States with different shapes and sizes, but all have their origin in the Ohio River Valley and the Southeast United States where it is relatively hot and humid.
edit: There is also the Iran Winter Squash which is somewhat easy to buy seeds for in the United States. I may have grown this in my garden as part of a seed mix. Reviews indicate the flesh might not be very sweet.
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I have heard that some of the Hopi heirlooms should be better off under the conditions you describe, than many european and Japanese strains. The two latter are often selected for earliness and cold-hardiness, which you don’t have to deal with much I assume 
But I haven’t tried hopi heirloom Maxima varieties myself, and I don’t grow under your conditions.
Kokopelli sell a couple different.
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" Very prolific variety for low desert, hot gardens…"
Jerry Irving
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“The plants were amazingly heat and drought tolerant.”
“While my butternuts were wilting and drooping in the middle of our hot days, the Hopi squash were just as perky and lovely as ever.”
Quotations from Taylor’s Tiny Farm in Ogden, Utah zone 7a.
Jerry Irving
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