Anyone?

Did you use seeds from a packet or did you save seeds from a previous year? Spaghetti squash are in the species Cucurbita pepo, the same species as zucchini, so if you planted your own saved seeds, and if there was zucchini around the same season, they may have crossed.

Seeds from packet - same as in backyard and same packet for 3 years - this happens a LOT more in my front garden.

It's been a long time since I've grown these, but the lower picture looks like an immature (green) squash, and the upper one looks like it's close to being ripe. The color changes in that way. I guess the ripe one looks kinda small, but ...

That is not it color looks exactly the same through the entire growth process. Normal ones look the same and odd ones look the same, young and old.

Are they normal, what you expect for Spaghetti Squash inside? How do you get the "spaghetti" strings? Cook them first, and it comes out that way?

Could these seeds be crossed from a couple generations down, so the green color gene pops up randomly? Crossing with a zucchini this year should still give you normal looking squash, just that the seeds would then be "Zucchnetti" F1. Next year get some different seeds, and see what results you get.

You say that the "color looks exactly the same through the entire growth process". That's not what your two pictures show.

Please read the caption for the 2 pictures.

"2 pics are from squash on same vine."

Those 2 pictures are of 2 different squash, on the same vine and taken 1 second apart.

This has happened 3 years now - all from the same seed packet. Again in front it happens 5x more. In front I have zucchini nearby. I know that should affect seeds and not fruit - but it really seems like it affects the fruit!

Sorry, maybe I'm missing something. I'm suggesting that your two pictures are from squash that are of different ages. The one with the green mottling is younger, and immature, and the cream-colored one is more ripe. If I remember correctly, that's exactly what spaghetti squash do.

See here.

https://www.gardenguides.com/immature-spaghetti-squash-look-like-14533.html

"While they are still at the immature stage, spaghetti squashes will be greenish and mottled rather than the yellow or orange color you will see at maturity. A mature spaghetti squash will be a solid color and will look similar to the photo and description on the seed packet or nursery tag."

Dan.... I'm understanding him as saying they are all in the same bed, from the same packet. Some are green for their entire lives, and some are the light colored ones for their entire lives.

I was wondering Don.......can you follow the stems back to the ground and see if they are, indeed a different variety?

Yes, that's right. He did say that the squash looked the same through the entire growth process. As you point out, that would suggest that they are on different plants that are different varieties. But he says that they are on the same vine. So we're looking at two varieties on the same plant. I've heard of that happening with tomatoes and peppers. This isn't cross-pollination.

Oh....I missed him saying it was on the same vine. But, I'm still wondering if it's on a different vine... I don't mean to insult him, I just know sometimes it's hard in a big growth area to be sure you're following it back correctly.

100% sure it is the same vine. Really weird.

Now, you did say that the squash looked the same through the entire growth process. But as I remember, and as noted in the link I supplied, I believe that just isn't true for Spaghetti Squash. So something still isn't quite right here.

Yes it does turn yellow when ripe but it is slow and subtle and I typically pick it right when it starts to turn yellow. The zucchini looking ones do not change color much when they get ripe.

Thank you. I guess I have to ask how you know if the zucchini-looking ones are ripe. Normally, we look at the change in color, which, you say, these don't do. But maybe you look at the stem starting to dry up? That is, is it possible that you're just harvesting them too early?

How does the taste compare between the 2?

I haven't eaten spaghetti squash in years. Now I'm thinking about it again.