Anyone tried Yuxi Jiang Bing Gua or Snake Bean

[zendog]

I was just looking through Baker Creek catalog and saw a few things that I found interesting and was wondering if any of you have tried. The catalogue writers create such great blurbs for everything but I know that is often more hype than reality, so I'm hoping to hear some real-world experiences on these before giving up my limited garden real estate.

The first was a squash called Yuxi Jiang Bing Gua that is supposed to be one that you can eat as a summer squash when young and a winter squash if you let it mature. I have been growing Tatume squash in this way and like it quite a bit as a summer squash, but it isn't what I'm looking for in a winter squash (it is more like a spaghetti squash in flavor, but I'd prefer more of a butternut). I had previously considered the tromboncino squash, but I understand the vines are big and sprawl all over. Tatume has always been a smallish vine and it also never gets taken out by squash borers that always kill my regular zukes. Since the Yuxi squash is a C. moschata I'm hoping it will resist borers pretty well also. Any chance Yuxi Jiang Bing Gua might be what I'm looking for? Anyone tried it? Are the vines manageable or beastly?

The second is the Chinese python snake bean, which sounds very interesting from the writeup. Anyone tried this one? Is it really as tasty as they claim and can be used like regular beans? And how vigorous is the vine?

Thanks!

[arnorrian]

I saw them on their site, and they look interesting. I ordered Black Futsu squash (pictures bellow) to try. I like that it's small, as I don't have much space in my garden. I ordered some larger varieties to give to my family and colleagues that have large gardens.

[zendog]

That one sounds pretty good as well. Any idea how big the vine gets? I really liked growing honeynut this year since the vines were quite small and manageable. I guess that is to be expected since the squash are small as well.

[GoDawgs]

I saw that snake bean too. What a monster! I believe I've already selected this year's "toys" but that would be a candidate for 2021.

[eyegrotom]

I also have a order waiting for delivery from Baker Creek I was tempted to order the Snake Bean decided not to at the last minute. Got Dragon Tongue instead. Mike

[Shule]

[mention]arnorrian[/mention]
I grew Black Futsu, this year. It got maybe four small fruits. They were a little too small for me, but it was fun to grow, anyhow. It was a stark contrast with the Cushaw White squash that I grew next to it! Those got huge (as did the plant). Black Futsu's plant wasn't huge, but it still takes up a squash-like amount of space. One of my fruits was super weird-looking (I think it may have been a cross; I had three plants in one spot).

[arnorrian]

Good to know, thanks.

[zendog]

Well I guess I waited too long and now the Snake Bean is sold out. I wonder if it will be back in stock before spring?

Maybe I should try the Kikinda Competition edible gourds.

[arnorrian]

Kikinda? That is from here, and I never heard of it.

[zeedman]

BC appears to have Snake Bean again this year. Did anyone here grow it? I'm normally a sucker for anything unusual, but the 20' long vines & long DTM spoken of in the reviews give me doubt that it would do well in my garden.

[GoDawgs]

Pickles decided it would be one of her garden toys this year and ordered it a month ago from BC along with some strange mustard that grows some big thing that looks like an ugly bald head. Ha! I just checked and it's called Bald Head Mustard. This should be interesting! Folks driving by will be wondering what the heck those two crazy ladies are growing now.