We battle SVBs valiantly down here, every year. I plant squash after the last freeze, and left unprotected, they are always dead in a few months. That's happened year after year to me. Yes, even my moschata gets at least badly damaged. Moschata is supposed to be somewhat "SVB-resistant" but, for me, it's hardly SVB-proof. I guess Texas SVBs have powerful drills.

So I decided to try Tatume. It's also called Tatuma or Tutuma, and sometimes called Calabash Mexican zucchini. I believe it's also sometimes called Calabacita, which means "little squash". But Calabacitas sold here in stores look sort of like fat Fordhook zucchinis, which are OP and are pretty much your standard store-bought zukes. They don't look like Tatume, which are largely round. Now, Tatume are alleged to be almost SVB-proof. None of this "resistant" nonsense. I planted them out two months ago, and they are absolutely thriving. Growing much faster than my other cucurbits. People say Tatume vines "aggressively". You bet! My vines are already yards long. Several mini-squash already. No sign of any SVB damage, and this is in a bed that had SVBs last year. Amazingly, it's actually a variety of C. pepo, which is what SVBs especially love. The stems are hollow, just like other pepos, so it really isn't clear what about them SVBs don't like. Keeping my fingers crossed. This is looking like a keeper.

I can still grow moschata and maybe other pepos, but they need protection until late June, when the second generation SVBs here fade away. So I plant them out in May, when they are small enough that protection is easy. But by then one has lost a few months of growing season.

A remaining question is whether I actually like the taste of Tatume squash. It'll be a few weeks before I actually get to try them. They are said to actually have some flavor, unlike regular zucchini, which are quite bland. FWIW, the store-bought Calabacita were quite good. Noticeably sweeter than regular zucchini.

It is noteworthy that Tatume is actually OP and does not readily cross-pollinate so, if left to mature completely, seeds can be collected. Of course, that also means that seeds are not widely marketed. Also, it seems that vines can root adventitiously at leaf nodes, which is insurance in a hot summer, and extra protection against possible borers. In addition, Tatume is supposed to love fierce heat. It's mostly used as a summer squash but, left to mature, the skin will get hard and it will keep. Not quite sure what happens to the flavor then. Overmature Tatume are allegedly almost inedible. Maybe someone has some guidance to offer on using Tatume as winter squash.