It's That Time Again!

Memories Of Gardens Past

In 2008 I grew spaghetti squash for the first and so far only time. The quantity of the squash wasn't great, but the size of them was certainly substantial. Once cooked each squash provided meals for several days!

Round 2?

It looks as though my container butterbush squash plant is trying to produce a second crop. Unfortunately, the traditional first frost date in this area is less that a month away. I don't think these squash will mature before then, but I'll hope for the best.

At Last, Butterbush Success!

I planted a container variety of butternut squash last year and saw the plants wither and die for no apparent reason. This year I planted the remaining six seeds and only one of them sprouted. As you can see, it's coming along quite nicely. Although I must admit that based on the pictures in the seed catalog and the hefty size of the container I'm using, I thought there would be more than three squash on the plant. But, it certainly has been a better result than no squash at all. I can't wait to find out how they taste.

Not Honeydew, Honey Bear!

I'm growing Honey Bear squash for the first time this year. The catalog said that this is a great variety for containers, but I couldn't resist growing at least one plant in a lasagna bed. And as you can see, it is doing just fine. I put another plant in an Earthbox and it is doing well too. But the third plant has not fared well in the smaller container where it was placed. So I guess the lesson learned is that when it comes to this squash, the bigger the container the better.

Summer Me, Winter Me

I was assured by the info on the seed packs that the summer squash on the left and the winter squash on the right were both of a type that occupied a "compact" environment. So I planted them both in the same modest sized lasagna bed. After a month and a half of growth, they don't seem so compact do they?

Attack Of The Mystery Squash

Last year, I saved some seeds from a bush delicata squash. I planted several of them this year and put out three plants. Two of the plants have developed along normal lines, but the third has produced what you see in the photo above. If you compare these squash to average bush delicata, you see they are quite different in appearance.

I have sent this photo to different sites on the web and many people have suggested that it is a patty pan type of squash. However, I've never planted patty pan squash and this squash doesn't really have the scalloped shape so common for patty pan. Besides, how could a patty pan seed get into the delicata seeds I collected? I've never planted the patty pan type nor have I ever borrowed any patty pan seeds from another gardener. So I have a mystery on my hands. And I have begun to wonder.

Could this be some sort of strange, mutant, Audrey Rose squash? Is it just the vanguard of an invading army of alien squash sent to take over the gardens of Earth? Or is it something even more sinister? Will the bulbous fruits grow so large that they will produce pseudo-humans who will move among us and infiltrate our society? Is the end of life as we know it at hand? Stay tuned to this blog to find out.

A Familiar Friend

The stripped delicata squash plant has started fruiting. I love this variety for its taste, its resistance to powdery mildew and the fact that it keeps well for months after harvesting in dark, cool, dry places like the corner of a garage.

Song Of The Cicadas

Summer is ending. Summer is fleeting. Soon it'll be cold, snowy and sleeting.

The cicadas are out in full force and singing up a storm. And no matter what lyrics one might put to their tune, the chorus would undoubtedly be something like the sentences at the start of this entry. Gardening this year had a later start than usual because it seemed that Mother Nature didn't really want to start spring. Planting in this area was three to four weeks later than usual. But the time of bounty is upon us and the first summer squash is in. I hope my straight neck squash plant lives up to the prolific nature of average summer squash plants, because there isn't much time left before the cool nights return and the autumnal equinox is upon us.

Winter Is Holding On

According to the calender we have entered Spring, but Old Man Winter isn't prepared to take leave of us just yet and produced some lake effect snow this morning as a reminder he is still in charge. He also gave me the perfect excuse to  bake a couple of Bush Delicata winter squash I harvested last autumn. Their bright color and delicious taste took the edge off of what was an overcast and gray day. And the seeds extracted from them will allow me to start growing another batch of these wonderful squash in a few weeks when Spring really arrives.