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!

Stocking Up

On this date in 1938 patent #2,130,948 was granted for the material known as nylon. The success of this synthetic fiber led to a severe reduction in the demand for silk stockings, a ton of money for its creator, DuPont and the creation of the colloquial term nylons. But did you know that in addition to adorning the legs of millions of women past and present, nylons have a use in the garden? 

When growing melons or heavy winter squash vertically, nylons can supply much needed support(no pun intended) to make sure that your crop doesn't come crashing to the ground. And finding used nylons isn't a problem at all in most households. So give your vertical gardening efforts a lift and help delay the journey of a used item to the refuse bin.

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.

Pasta From The Garden

The first season I grew spaghetti squash, I didn't know quite what to do with it. I found a couple of recipes online, but they were nothing to stand up and shout about. But a couple of years ago I found a recipe so tasty and simple I couldn't believe it.

 

Crock Pot Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 medium to large spaghetti squash, washed(size the squash to your crock-pot's shape and capacity)
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce(24 - 28 oz or more) of your preferred flavor
• 3 cups of frozen meatballs

Instructions

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half around the middle. Use a spoon to remove the seeds and membranes. Place cut sides down in a large crock pot sprayed with non-stick cooking oil.(If your pot isn't wide or tall enough for the arrangement you see in the photo, try cutting the squash lengthwise and laying the halves side by side on top of the meatballs.)
2. Pour the spaghetti sauce around the sides of the squash and then place your meat balls around the sides as well.
3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. When a fork easily goes through the skin of the squash, it is done.
4. Use tongs to carefully remove the squash from the crock pot. Use a fork to scrape out all of the 'spaghetti' then discard the shell.
5. Serve with the sauce and meatballs from the crock pot. Enjoy!
6. An extra added bonus of this dish is that it's guilt free. The 'pasta' is low calorie and much healthier for you than regular pasta!

Wayback Wednesday

A few years before I had the ability to chronicle my gardening on the Internet, I planted Tahitian squash for the first and so far only time. It was such a roaring success that the plant almost took over the garden. I measured one of the vines at over 40 feet! And what made it even more amazing was the fact that the plant was rather sickly looking in the beginning and appeared to be ready to die. I just discovered some photos(taken with real film no less) that I thought had been lost and decided to share. What you see in the photo above is just a fraction of the plant's output. Mother Nature never ceases to surprise.

Mystery Squash Seeds Harvest

As revealed in an earlier post, it turned out that the squash seeds I couldn't identify before planting were of the dumpling squash category. All of these are from a single plant which sits by itself in a lasagna bed. The plant continues to grow and there are still squash to be harvested. The squash pictured above are those that appeared early in the plant's growth. The remaining ones I'll collect at the end of the month.

This squash plant has been fortunate as there have been no signs of squash bugs or powdery mildew on it. I'm hopeful my Honey Bear plants will fare as well.

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.

Mystery Squash Enter And Sign In Please

Planted a few mystery squash seeds earlier this year and only one of them sprouted. It has grown into quite a large plant on its lasagna bed and it looks as though the fruits are all of the dumpling squash variety. I can't wait to try them and see what they taste like.

Mutant Squash: The Next Generation

Last year I planted seeds from a bush delicata squash that produced large, ovoid shaped winter squash that looked nothing like a bush delicata should. This year I planted some seeds from those oddly shaped squash and this has been one of the results. I really can't believe how little they resemble the shape of their squash parent. And I can't help wondering how they will taste.

Mystery Solved

When I planted bush delicata squash seeds last year, one of the plants produced squash of the shape you see in the photo. When I asked people on the Internet about what sort of squash were being produced, it was generally agreed that somehow patty pan squash seeds had been accidentally mixed in with the delicata seeds. However, I suspected that these were not summer squash because of their hard skins.

I was proven right today when I finally cooked the squash. These were  definitely winter squash. If they had not been, they wouldn't have kept well in the cool, dark corner of the garage where they have been stored since being harvested last fall. I'm going to try planting some seeds from these squash this season and see what kind of results I get. It should be most interesting.

Lovely Lakota

Lakota squash have an appeal that extends beyond their use as food. They make a great addition to the centerpiece of any Thanksgiving table. And because they are a winter squash, they keep for months. I recommend growing them to anyone who has the space for the vines, which can extend to six feet or more.

Race To The Frost Line

Normally, we don't get frost here until the middle of October. However, nothing has been normal about this growing season, which started late because it was cooler than normal thru May and into June. And now it's been cooler in September than it should be on average. It will be a real race to see if my butternut squash plant will mature before Jack Frost makes his appearance. I've got my fingers and toes crossed!

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.

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.

Mid-Winter's Delight

Among the embarrassment of riches available in the New World are the seemingly endless varieties of winter squash that can be cultivated here. Although the growing season here ended months ago and we're squarely in the middle of what is shaping up to be one of the snowiest winters on record, yesterday I retrieved a Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato squash from the dark, cool recesses of my garage and baked it. Its warmth, naturally sweet taste and aroma certainly took the chill off the season. It's only February. And winter can last up until the end of April in a bad year. Fortunately, I have a few more squash to see me through until the Spring thaw.

Where Late The Wild Tomatoes Roamed

Last year my large blue container(PC language for a busted up, repurposed garbage can) was host to a Russian Persimmon tomato plant. This season it is providing a home for a winter squash plant. And as you can see, things are coming along quite nicely.