Winter squash 'Little Dumpling'
Words: Graham Rice
In 2010 there was a trial of 47 cultivars and varieties of winter squash, the first the RHS has ever run.(Pumpkins and butternut varieties were not included.)
The entries were assessed for earliness and maturity, fruit size, yield, ease of harvesting, flavour and storage qualities.
The size of the central cavity of the fruit was checked in addition to the above: the larger the cavity, the less flesh.
The plants were assessed in August and September, and then the stored fruits were checked and tasted in January. The results have recently been ratified, 10 cultivars received an Award of Garden Merit.
One of the stars of the trial was 'Sweet Dumpling'. Maturing at about 9-10cm (312-4in) across, this is ideal for stuffing and baking individually. The fruits themselves were very attractive in colour and shape, all fairly uniform in size, and coloured cream with green speckles and some orange colouring between the ridges. The flavour was outstanding.
Each trailing plant produced an average of seven fruits. Some entries produced far more; 'Gemstore', for example, yielded an average of 22 fruits per plant but its other qualities failed to impress.
Seed was sown in mid-May and plants set out at the end of the first week of June. The soil is rich and fertile, so no fertiliser was added before or during the trial.
'Sweet Dumpling' combines a good yield, good storage quality, and good looks with a lovely flavour. The other entries which received the AGM were: 'Celebration', 'Crown Prince', 'Harlequin', 'Heart of Gold', 'Honey Bear', 'Kabocha Large Fruited', 'Sunshine', 'Sunspot' and 'Sweet Lightening'.
You can buy winter squash 'Sweet Dumpling' from Mr Fothergill's Seeds.
Read the winter squash trial report here (479kB pdf)