Embarrassing vegetable question

[MrsHandles]

Dear gardeners of Mumsnet, I am very embarrassed to say that I’m not sure what kind of squash/marrow/thing this is. A friend donated them as very small plants and the name has rubbed off the stick.

As you can tell, I’m a very amateur gardener and need all the help I can get! So, what is it, when do I harvest and what can I do with it.

Please be gentle, and thank you.

If the leaves are huge and the plant is taking over the garden it's a butternut squash.

Oh, I thought this was going to one of those rude carrot type things that used to be on 'That's Life'

I'd go with courgette.
You can pick them small, and lightly cook, or wait til they are bigger and more marrow like, and slow cook them.

That’s a marrow. You can stuff them or make jam out of them. Not sure what else you can do with them

It looks like a marrow to me from the colouring, but there might be smaller squashes that also look like that. I think you can harvest them early and use like courgettes? Tbh I'd try to ask the friend you got the seedlings from.

That looks marrowish! Make some ratatouille with it, delicious!

PeonyTime

I'd go with courgette.
You can pick them small, and lightly cook, or wait til they are bigger and more marrow like, and slow cook them.“

Courgette leaves are large and prickly, same sort of shape as rhubarb leaves, that’s not a courgette. Some sort of squash.

That’s not a courgette. It’s got yellow stripes on it.

It’s a marrow. The flowers are the same as this photo of one.

Marrow. Revolting things.

Revolting things why?!

Is it like this? I don't know what the hell I've grown and worse it's in my front garden 🤣

Thank you everyone! Looks like the general consensus is a marrow. Yes, it’s completely taking over and the leaves are large and prickly.
Sorry @TwoLeftSocksWithHoles I realised after I posted that the title might falsely draw people in

@TroysMammy

If the leaves are huge and the plant is taking over the garden it's a butternut squash.

You too, huh?

@PenCreed I didn't plant it though 😂. I reckon a rogue seed got in the compost bin and when the compost was put on the raised beds it germinated. I had one in the greenhouse last year too and I had just one squash for all the effort it put into growing. I'm growing munchkin and sweet dumpling squash this year.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

That’s not a courgette. It’s got yellow stripes on it.

It’s a marrow. The flowers are the same as this photo of one.

A courgette is simply a young marrow. Both courgette and zucchini mean little marrow in their respective languages. The difference is that courgettes are selected to have lots of fruit to pick young.

The shape of this one looks like it might be a butternut squash.

It’s up to you as to what you do. If you have lots of fruit you could pick some and use as large courgettes. If you have only one then I’d leave it till the skin changes colour. If it ends up a smooth pinkish yellow, it’s likely to be a butternut squash. Keep it on a sunny windowsill for a couple of weeks and it’ll then be able to stand around for quite a while before using.

If it’s basically green and yellow striped, but paler, then it’s likely to be a marrow. Scrape out the seeds, stuff it with a rich filling, veggie or meat, and bake it.

If you leave it to mature the skin will get too tough to eat, so you’ll just be eating the flesh.

Marrow . Years ago people would slice in half lengthwise , scrape out the middle , fill with mince and onions place back together , tie with string. And roast covered in foil. Slice when cooked. I can remember it from childhood.

If the plant is trailing in a long vine its a squash if its growing out from a central stem like a bush it'll be a courgette/marrow.

MereDintofPandiculation

Well l never knwe that!!!!

This started out as a courgette but had ideas above it's station. I give you the vegetable hide and seek champion summer 2021. Lipstick for scale.

Isn't a marrow just an overgrown courguette?

how big is it?
based on the shape I would guess marrow or pumpkin. if marrow just pick small.

butternut squash are already yellow when tiny

This is an imposter in my garden. I did not plant it but I reckon a rogue butternut squash seed got in the compost bin and germinated. I had an imposter in my greenhouse last year which gave me one butternut squash. They don't start out the colour you see in the shops. I grew a pumpkin last year and was most perturbed that it grew a green fruit although it was orange on the seed packet. They turn the colour they are meant to be nearer the time to harvest.

all cougette types cross pollinate, you can get some very interesting shapes/colours from saved seeds.

beware if it tastes bitter it's poisonous.

Imposter

I’ll have to get you another picture with something for scale.

Again, thank you to you all for your comments and suggestions