Sprouting Spaghetti Squash

I bet this is just about the weirdest thing you've seen all day today, huh? Maybe even all week? It definitely was for me!

Here's the scoop on this crazy sprouting Spaghetti Squash

So, I have a TON of winter squash of all types from this summer's garden stored in our pantry. I grew butternut, amish crookneck, delicata, acorn, sweet dumpling, and spaghetti squash this year and we have a boat load of all types to get us through the winter. Especially prolific this year was the spaghetti squash... I think I ended up with about 50+ pounds of it (and there is still more out in the garden!). Most of the winter squash is in good shape and should last all winter. However, some of the squash are small and probably didn't have enough time to fully mature before the vines died back. Being the (miserly) optimist that I am, I kept them with the hopes that they had matured enough.

Anywho, earlier today, I checked on the pantry (and especially the squash) to make sure everything was ok and nothing was starting to rot. I never expected to see this ...

Spahetti Squash Sprouting Inside

OH. MY. GOSH.  Have you ever seen anything like it?

As I carried my little Franken-Squash from the pantry into the kitchen, I was half expecting to run into Rick Moranis or have backup singers from "Little Shop of Horrors" serenade me with a witty song about my creation and the fate of the world.

Maybe the squash knows it is almost Halloween and I have no -- and I mean zero, zip, nada -- decorations around (unless you count the one pumpkin I accidentally grew that is still sitting on our kitchen table). It does kind of look like something is trying to escape, doesn't it? Or an arm reaching out?

Mwaa ha ha ha ....

Anyway, on a serious note, I know that spaghetti squash (and probably other types too) can have sprouted seeds inside them if you keep them too long or if they don't have enough time to fully cure. However, I've never heard of a seed sprouting inside and breaking through the shell and growing right in the fruit. Have you?

It's a very small spaghetti squash and there is a little wrinkling on the bottom of it, but there is no sign of rot anywhere on it. It's also only a month or two old. Other than the "arm" that has pushed itself out of it, it's a pretty normal looking squash!

Here's a short video to give you a better look ...

If you have trouble with this video, you can view it directly on YouTube @ http://youtu.be/ZpfslWOWg2k

Oct 09 2014

Join the Conversation!

Sally Smith
October 9, 2014

That's a very determined little squash!

Reply

Caryl
October 9, 2014

And how! I am always amazed at how strong the will to live is in nature.


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