A Year of Zucchini Rampicante!

A squash plant that seemingly outruns the squash bugs and squash vine borer? Sure seems that way...follow along and learn why you might want to grow this vigorous zucchini plant!
www.adventuresingardening.net
#adventuresingardening
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#zucchini

[@rosewood513]

I now only plant these for my squash needs. The bugs were discouraging me then I noticed they didn't like this plant. I live in the deep south where the bugs are insane, I almost dug my garden under. It gets way too hot here in the summer so these do not get extremely big but plenty big or me. Your squash is amazing. Mine grew big but they never got that big. I grow mine on a fence and they do look impressive. Thanks for the amazing video. I think we have the same fridge.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Thanks for your comment! Honestly, I think I’m not going to try any other zucchini. I usually do and end up hand picking bugs and digging out vine borers for too much time everyday. Happy gardening!

[@dalah4053]

I grew mine over a 16 ft cattle panel arch. It grew over and 20 ft out unto the yard and garden! I have TONS of squash! Working on dehydrating some to make flour. Hoping it turns out. Stuffing the ends and freezing for later. Loving it! Fun to give away! The looks I get are hilarious!!

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I have a friend that dehydrates hers and uses it in soups over the winter. It’s such a productive plant!

[@dalah4053]

Same here with Blue Pumpkins. Not one pumpkin. All male flowers on a 25 ft vine. And the Cucuzzi squash just isn't growing. Still 6 inches tall. Bur the Zucchino Rampicante is amazing. I have TONS and it is still going strong at the end of July. Give it a try. Also look into Malabar Spinach. Grows as a vine. Heat tolerant. Beautiful vine with purple flowers and berries that are the seeds. You will have tons of seeds and plenty of volunteers.

[@kimalexander8378]

I grow my rampicante vertically. I DIY’d a garden structure…consisting of EMT pipe verticals and horizontals joined together with MakerPipe connectors…with a section of cattle panel wired across the top. My rampicante grows from the soil upwards via twine and multiple clips until it reaches the top, then it sprawls horizontally on the cattle panel. I have 7 rampicante plants growing in my garden right now, and they take up relatively little soil space in the 6’ x 4’ raised bed.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Wow that’s a lot of Rampicante! Sounds like an awesome set up 🙂

[@PondRiverFarm]

Great information and fun video...and I WANT THAT KNIFE!

[@camilleolsen]

After nursing my three plants for the last 5 months on a trellis in the Texas heat and drought, with no production whatsoever except for male flowers, I finally saw TWO squashes growing this morning. I'm beside myself because I mainly just wanted to get some good seeds adapted to our soil and crazy weather conditions. Thanks to this video next year I will let them grow on the ground and I expect much better production. Subscribing with many thanks!

[@Kay-qt2id]

Someone told me you can pollinate them yourself with a paint bush , maybe google it for more fruit

[@marcibunn]

amazing!

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Thanks Marcy! Miss you ❤️

[@SimmsMillFarm]

Exactly the information I was looking for!!

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Great! Happy gardening! 🌱

[@BarryWatson57]

Great video! I also watched a lady talking about trumbetta squash. They look the same. Google let me know that they are. I wonder if there are varieties that are more or less susceptible to squash boring moths?

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I believe this is because of how quickly it roots in along the vine. Plus how quick it grows.

[@dalah4053]

Have you tried Malabar Spinach? Another fun and hear tolerant plant to grow. It is a vine and is beautiful even if you don't like spinach.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Yes I have tried it! It was tasty but our season here is too short for it to reach its full potential. I did like the taste though.

[@Ezpize626]

Well done! I'm growing rampicante first my first season in Aotearoa New Zealand. Just have my first fruit that are about 2ft plus now. I'm growing these vertically, but maybe I'll let one down to root as you have done. I look forward to roasting this, making frittata, perhaps roasting and preserving with eggplant, tomatoes etc..

[@AdventuresinGardening]

What a great idea to use it in frittata! I have about 20 or so in storage and am always looking for a creative way to use them. One of my local friends grew them vertically as well. Hope you have a great season!

[@Kay-qt2id]

In Melbourne growing my first season and harvested a number of them. Tonight I cut the seed part in half and covered it with oil then in the oven, cooked the skin is easy to remove. Will be using them in a quiche with ricotta cheese and herbs. Fried the neck in rounds on low for 40 minutes to cook right through and get a nice caramelisation, dusted with cinnamon, yum.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Sounds yummy!

[@jaym5118]

I'm going to try growing this in my 2024 garden. But I hope it grows better than my Cucuzzi/Cucuzza squash did. That squash grew SO slow that it didn't even have a chance to grow one squash (and I planted them in May). I just barely saw some forming on one of the vines, and now it's almost Fall. They won't stand a chance. Slow growth seemed to be the theme of this year's garden. Even after pouring vitamin water on them. Many plants suffered the same fate as the Cucuzzi/Cucuzza squash. Especially my peppers and tomatoes. I don't know if it was because of the super HOT sun in early summer or what. But some of my plants did lousy this year. Even the Blue Pumpkins I grew from seed got big vines that grew all over the fence. But it didn't grow even one single pumpkin. Makes no sense. And other plants only gave me one squash, such as the Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck and the Turban Squash (both of which are actually still growing on the vines). And some of my seeds never germinated at all. Such as my Apple Gourds and Ground Cherries. I planted those 3 times and no luck.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Every year has challenges for sure! I have found it helpful to keep a journal to remind me of where I’ve been and how to improve my garden. I’m also planning ahead for 2024…2023 brought many challenges, mostly weather related. Thanks for watching!

[@jenniferspaulding5652]

Thank you for showing the prep on this one. I think I'm going to give it a try in my garden this coming season. So, does it really taste like butternut, and what's the texture like? 😊thanks!

[@AdventuresinGardening]

It looks like butternut when fully ripe but isn’t as sweet. The texture is somewhere in between a winter squash and zucchini. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you give it a try. Thanks for watching!

[@ld1176]

Yes grow this squash in Ky. Very good. Could you please post your recipes for this great Great squash. Thank you Lester

[@AdventuresinGardening]

If I come up with any good recipes, I'll be sure to post them. Pretty much I roast them or use them as zoodles. Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@geraldcroft9020]

You 14:51 have something going on in your expression, it’s almost as if you’re going to start giggling at any moment. Ha ha that’s a good thing😊

[@sandrarichardson2713]

A tremendous video. I normally am a 4-6 minute video watcher. But this was a composite of a lot of what you would want to know about this particular squash. I am growing it for the first time this year and didn't really research it beforehand. Told a friend it reminded me of growing pumpkin. Put the seed in the ground and go to bed. Get up in the morning and you can't find any of the other plants in your garden. lol Question: To abort the growth of each vine in linear direction, can I snip the growing end of the vine off? Of course, then the side branches might go bananas. Should have planted it in the pasture. Thanks for your help. Jesus bless.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Thank you for your kind words and it is DEFINITELY a vigorous plant. I have never done any pruning so I can’t really speak for that. I do however redirect the running vines with bamboo stakes. I hope you have a great growing season!

[@radoslavpetrov6841]

You can snip the growing tip and it will make 6 side shoots. Not kidding. This plant is monstrous grower. Just alot ot fertilizer and wather every other day and you will have more than 30 fruits on a single vine…. I have been growing these for the last 6 years. In the northern hemisphere they just start to bear fruit. I usually plant 4 plants and am giving away about 70% of the crop to friends and neighbors. I do not store it for the winter, but only use it as summer zucchini. Remember chicken pellets ot organic farm fertilizer and water every other day.

[@LiveLaughLolaKB]

Excellent video! Thank you! This will be my first time growing Rampicante. I was going to use a trellis but now I will let it crawl! Did you direct sow your seeds? How far apart? Only 2 plants produced all that? Were they producing Spring to Fall? Do you have issues with squash vine borers? Whew haha

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Thanks for the questions! I start everything in cell packs or fiber pots because of slugs and other critter that like tasty seedlings. How far apart? I only grew 2 and they provide all my family and several others need. Yes I have squash vine borers that I battle, but this variety roots in along the vine and keeps it at bay. Thanks for watching!

[@LiveLaughLolaKB]

@@AdventuresinGardening 😁 super excited! Thanks again!

[@BarryWatson57]

Where did you get your seeds?

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I originally purchased them from Baker Creek but I’ve saved my own seeds since. Thanks for watching!

[@dbanks3156]

How many plants did you initially plant?

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I planted 2 plants this year. Have you grown it? It’s an amazing plant! Thanks for watching!

[@andreabeydler5107]

When you use them as pasta using the zoodle do you cook it first or eat it raw? I'm going you try them for the first time this year thanks to your video.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Glad you’re giving this Zucchini a try! I do not cook them but that’s just my preference. I like the al dente texture after I’ve salted them in the colander and let them sit for a few hours. Happy Gardening!

[@andreabeydler5107]

@Adventures in Gardening sounds great! Thanks for replying back and letting me know. I'm excited to get them started in my garden.

[@shayewilliams7735]

So do they taste like butternut squash when they get to this stage? And how do they compare to regular zucchini when still green? I'm growing these for the first time this year and I'm very excited.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

When they’re green they are very much like regular zucchini in taste, texture, and use. When matured they don’t get as sweet or dense as butternut, but have their own delicious quality. You’re going to love them! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment ❤️

[@shayewilliams7735]

@@AdventuresinGardening so would the mature fruit taste as good paired with spaghetti sauce as a regular zucchini?

[@AdventuresinGardening]

@@shayewilliams7735 yes I think it does! Zoodles are an awesome way to use it too.

[@kristinarunciman6472]

My zucchino rampicante is orange and it split when we got a lot of rain. It's self-healed a little, but I'm wondering if I'd better harvest it? When DO you harvest them? I'm in Northeast Tennessee.

[@AdventuresinGardening]

If I want to keep them over the winter I actually leave them on the vine until the frost kills the vine. Because of the heat and moisture of this time of year, try picking yours when it is nearly the orange color and see if it continues to mature after picking in a cooler/dry location. Hope that helps!

[@southernroots2229]

Because I follow a low carb diet, I was trying to look up the carb content of this vegetable and couldn’t find anything. Do you know what the carb count is for like a cup?

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I'm not really sure, but if I were to make a guess I would guess closer to regular zucchini than butternut squash. My guess is based on the texture and weight...but again only a guess. It makes THE best zoodles! Thanks for watching!

[@karenharrington9614]

Can you grow vertically?

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I personally have not grown them vertically, but I know people who have and they didn’t have the same results. My suspicion is that vertically grown, they are not able to root-in as the vine grows. Thanks for watching!

[@gailletson8058]

How many plants is this?

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Just 2 plants! 🌱 🌱

[@rhondaanderson8519]

??? How do you prune

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I don’t prune and just let it run and make lots of zucchini. Sometimes I redirect the vines though. 🌱

[@Happy2Run4Me]

I accidentally stepped on the end of the main vine once and though that end stopped growing it just put out side shoots and rooted wherever it sprawled. I redirect the vines if I can before it gets too rooted or set in its ways but it is so prolific! I redirected it away from in front of my deck and it just sent a side shoot back over there again lol. I trellised it last year and didn’t get nearly the production I get when it sprawls on the ground. I did have to hand pollinate it though because my pollinator population is low but that’s ok and worth it to me because the squash are so versatile and tasty and produce so heavily. I think I prefer it to zucchini and yellow squash now. I may also forgo growing butternut this year!

[@AdventuresinGardening]

I’ve accidentally stepped and broken vines too! I guess that pruning 😂. Such a vigorous plant.