Tromboncino Squash Seeds | Climbing Italian Zucchini

One Climbing Squash, Two Ways to Harvest

Tromboncino squash offers tender young fruit for summer cooking and larger, mature fruit for baking as winter squash. Also known as Zucchetta Rampicante, Italian Trombone Squash, and Tromba d'Albenga, this climbing Cucurbita moschata variety has a mild, sweet, nutty flavor when picked young.

Train the vigorous vines onto a sturdy trellis and enjoy a vertical vegetable garden with distinctive elongated squash. Harvest young fruits for grilling or steaming, and leave selected fruits to mature for a different kitchen experience.

What You Are Ordering

• Product: Seeds for planting, not live plants or harvested squash.
• Variety: Tromboncino, also called Zucchetta Rampicante or Tromba d'Albenga.
• Species: Cucurbita moschata.
• Seed type: Open-pollinated.
• Pack options: Choose 10 seeds, 30 seeds, 100 seeds, or a 1 oz pack. The ounce option is sold by weight, not a fixed seed count.
• Growth: Vigorous climbing vines that need room or strong support.

Planting and Germination

1. Sow outdoors after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed. This is a frost-tender, warm-season crop.
2. Use a sunny location with fertile, well-drained soil. Soil temperatures around 70–90°F support germination; cold soil can delay emergence.
3. Sow approximately 1 1/2–2 inches deep. Keep the planting area moist without leaving it waterlogged.
4. For hill planting, space hills about 4 feet apart, sow up to 5 seeds per hill, and thin to the 2–3 strongest seedlings.
5. Alternatively, start indoors about 3–4 weeks before transplanting and transplant carefully to minimize root disturbance.

Germination may take approximately 10–20 days, depending on soil warmth and moisture.

Vine Care and Support

Install a sturdy trellis before the vines become large, or allow ample ground space for them to spread. Guide young vines toward the support and provide additional support for heavy fruit where needed. Water consistently during active growth, directing water toward the soil rather than soaking the foliage.

Harvesting for Summer or Winter Use

• Young squash: Pick fruits around 8–12 inches long while tender. Use for steaming, grilling, sautés, and filled pasta dishes.
• Mature squash: Leave selected fruits on the vine until the rind hardens, then harvest before frost for baking and other winter-squash preparations.
• Timing: Allow approximately 60 days for young fruit and 90 days or more for mature fruit, depending on growing conditions. These refer to harvest stages, not a winter growing season.

Cut fruit from the vine with clean garden scissors or pruners rather than pulling. Regular young-fruit harvests help keep usable squash coming during the growing season.

Planting seed only: Do not eat the supplied seeds. Discard any harvested squash that tastes unusually bitter.