Marina Di Chioggia - Maxima squash

Marina Di Chioggia squash is an ancient variety with round, slightly flattened, embroidered to warty fruits. They can reach 35 cm in diameter and weigh from 4 to 8 kg. The dark green or bronze-green skin encloses firm, sweet, orange-red flesh.

Description of Marina Di Chioggia squash

Marina Di Chioggia squash, Cucurbita maxima, is an ancient variety of fruiting vegetable native to northern Italy, near Venice. It produces up to 5 round, flattened, warty fruits, 20 to 35 cm in diameter and weighing 4 to 8 kg, with green or bronze-colored skin. The almost reddish-orange flesh is firm and sweet, and can be eaten cooked in gratins, soups or jams. In Venice, it is cut into quarters and served by boatmen, grilled in olive oil.

Sowing Marina Di Chioggia squash

Marina Di Chioggia squash is sown in pots of 2 to 3 seeds, 2 to 3 weeks before transplanting, from March to May.

Place seedlings under a light shelter, at a temperature of between 18 and 20°C, and keep the substrate moist until the seeds emerge. Be careful not to sow squash seeds too early in the season, in which case the roots will become fibrous, making growth difficult in the garden. Transplant into the vegetable garden once the last frosts have passed.

From April to June, after the last risk of frost, it is possible to sow directly in the garden in 2 to 3-seed stacks.

Prepare 2 weeks in advance holes filled with compost or organic matter, spaced 2 m apart in all directions, to accommodate the squash plants or seeds. Mulch the soil to maintain sufficient humidity and limit water evaporation.

Place a crate or tile under the fruit, without damaging it, to isolate it from the soil and prevent rotting.

To encourage the development of squash, combine companion plants such as corn and beans (milpa). Also plant basil to repel pests.

Harvesting Marina Di Chioggia squash

Although Marina Di Chioggia squash fruits can be harvested and eaten immaturely, those intended for winter storage should be picked as late as possible, before the first frosts, from July to November, when the stalk begins to dry out and the skin becomes thick. Be careful not to tear them off, but cut as close as possible to the stem, 10 cm above the stalk.

This variety of squash can be stored for several months in a well-ventilated, dry place, at a temperature of between 10 and 12°C.

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