They call it Smooth Criminal Squash because it will “steal your heart.”
Really.
Fellow gardener, Sherman Shifflett, said a friend of his from Valdese, NC grew this hybrid squash with excellent luck. He sent Sherman a few seeds, and Sherman shared some with me. I have since started them in indoor pots.
Yellow squash is a favorite among backyard and small plot gardeners because it grows quickly and produces heavily (assuming you can keep the squash borers at bay).
It is also excellent tablefare.
The only drawback is the plants spread halfway across your garden and it can be difficult to harvest (a 5-inch squash hides under a big leaf and it’s two feet long the next day).
But not with Smooth Criminal Squash.
This hybrid squash grows straight up, more or less, and the squash are grouped on top – like a banana tree upside down.
According to the seed folks, “Smooth Criminal has a totally unique, indeterminate growth habit. It continually grows upright, setting more and more fruit along the central stem as it grows.”
“Smooth Criminal produces a light yellow, tender squash which reaches 4-8 inches long. It continually grows upright, setting more and more fruit along the central stem as it grows. This trait, combined with spineless stems, makes it easy to harvest.
I have never seen these seeds before at local garden shops, but they are readily available online. There is still a month left before planting, so plenty of time remains to order a few seeds and give this interesting vegetable a try.