Mystery Gourds....can anyone help

[LackaDAISYcal]

We built some lovely raised beds earlier this year and emptied the contents of out two compost bings, mixed with some topsoil to fill them up. We planted a variety of crops, but have had some mystery curcubits springing up all over the place all summer and we had originally thought either butternut squash, pumpkin or courgettes, all of which have gone into the compost at some point.

Anyway, they are starting to get big now, and different plants are producing different coloured green fruits. The plants are huge and of a creeping nature, with tendrils that grab hold of anything they come into contact with and wind themselves around very tight.

We harvested a couple today and cut them open; they are around 6inches in diameter, very round and have the texture of courgettes when opened, but not the smell.

We are a bit flummoxed as we can't remember eating anything like this for it to have gone in the compost. would the seeds of a standard courgette produce something different next season? Could they be unripe melons? (although texture not right imo)or unripe pumpkins? Do pumpkins grow orange, or start green and then change colour? They are driving us potty with the speculation.

I'll put some photos on my profile once the camera battery has charged. Advice from gardening gurus would be really appreciated

TIA.

[Lmccrean]

I am by no means a gardening guru but if the original thing-in-the-compost-heap was a hybrid, then it is likely to produce something different. trying to find more info for you now

[Lmccrean]

cant find anything more than details of ratios for chance of something different growing! will be back on later to have a peek at the pics

[LackaDAISYcal]

thanks for the responses

haven't managed to get any pics yet (can't find the blardy charger for the camera), but we asked our neighbour who has been a gardener all his life and he's never seen the like, so the hybrid thing may well be the case.

We cut one open and it looks like courgette inside, same sort of texture and colour, but the flavour of the flesh is very mild. We're going to try roasting them and see what happens.

DH remembers some different types of squash that came in the otganic veg box, but the flesh seems much softer than squash flesh..although not an expert on squash other then butternut really.

[snigger]

Triffids?

[LackaDAISYcal]

they look like it, the amount they have spread all over the place

[snigger]

Just don't look at the pretty lights....

[FuriousGeorge]

Pumpkins start off dark green & then change to orange as they ripen.
Once you've posted a photo,I'll have a look,I've grown loads of gourds/courgettes/pumpkins so might recognise yours!

[LackaDAISYcal]

thanks furiousgeorge

they might be pumpkins then. Will try and load some photos tomorrow. The one we cut open does seem unripe iyswim. Seems strange that different colour and shapes have sprung up as we have big orange pumpkins here, but I've been reading that gourds are quite promiscuous so might have been mingling, lol