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| Gardener's mystery seeds produce record-breaking squash | Gardener's mystery seeds produce record-breaking squash |
| (12 days later) | |
| Gardener Peter Marston had no idea what he was growing when he planted a handful of seeds he had been given as a present in his Nottinghamshire greenhouse. | Gardener Peter Marston had no idea what he was growing when he planted a handful of seeds he had been given as a present in his Nottinghamshire greenhouse. |
| As the first green shoot came through, he decided to treat the plant as a cucumber but was amazed and delighted as it grew and grew – and became what is believed to be a record-breaking climbing squash. | As the first green shoot came through, he decided to treat the plant as a cucumber but was amazed and delighted as it grew and grew – and became what is believed to be a record-breaking climbing squash. |
| It turned out that Marston’s mystery vegetable was a tromboncino squash and at the Malvern autumn show on Friday it was declared a European record. | It turned out that Marston’s mystery vegetable was a tromboncino squash and at the Malvern autumn show on Friday it was declared a European record. |
| Marston’s squash is 173cm (68in) long – 2cm longer than the previous record, according to organisers. | Marston’s squash is 173cm (68in) long – 2cm longer than the previous record, according to organisers. |
| Tromboncino squashes, which originate in Italy, arguably make the best eating if picked young, small and tender. However, if allowed to keep growing they can often reach a metre long and can be used as a winter squash in stews and soups. | Tromboncino squashes, which originate in Italy, arguably make the best eating if picked young, small and tender. However, if allowed to keep growing they can often reach a metre long and can be used as a winter squash in stews and soups. |
| Marston insisted there was no secret to his success: “I thought I would treat it like a cucumber because that’s what I knew how to grow. I’m a bit old-fashioned like that. I don’t experiment a lot.” | Marston insisted there was no secret to his success: “I thought I would treat it like a cucumber because that’s what I knew how to grow. I’m a bit old-fashioned like that. I don’t experiment a lot.” |
| Marston, however, will not be eating his tromboncino squash. “I don’t really go for unusual vegetables to eat,” he said. “I’m a meat and veg man – but normal veg.” | Marston, however, will not be eating his tromboncino squash. “I don’t really go for unusual vegetables to eat,” he said. “I’m a meat and veg man – but normal veg.” |
| Instead he will use this feted squash to try to create an even bigger specimen for next year. | Instead he will use this feted squash to try to create an even bigger specimen for next year. |
| Marston, 74, from Radcliffe-on-Trent, is no stranger to large vegetables. At the national giant vegetables championship last year he took an award for a hefty kobra gourd believed to have broken the British record. | Marston, 74, from Radcliffe-on-Trent, is no stranger to large vegetables. At the national giant vegetables championship last year he took an award for a hefty kobra gourd believed to have broken the British record. |