An early variety that I love is Festival. It's in the Sweet Dumpling type of winter squash. Looks like a colorful Acorn but is much tastier than an Acorn. It's also mostly a bush unless over-fertilized. Then it will vine somewhat. It's also usually quite productive for me.
This year tho none of my squash are very productive.
As far as saving seed, there is another thread here about which vine crops cross or don't. Basically if you plant 1 variety of any species, you should be able to save seeds as most species don't cross very easily. So a Pepo (hard stems, summer and winter types), a Maxima (thick fleshy stems like buttercups) and a Moschata (mainly Butternuts) and you should be OK.
A company that has a good selection of more than the standard squash is Holmes, tho I'm not sure if they sell in home owner size packs. I buy from them in bulk as I usually plant 5-8 acres of winter squash / year for market.
Carol
Last edited by Wi-sunflower; September 12, 2013 at 06:07 PM.
Reason: added thought
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