Signs of Frost?

Congratulations to Matron ( http://veggies-only.blogspot.com/ ) and her 191 pound pumpkin!  They brought home 4th place in the London pumpkin contest on their first try.

Yesterday, I harvested this squash collection, including the Queensland Blue pumpkin from Matron's seeds, and a little broccoli.   Today I picked more pumpkins, scalloped squash, lettuce and a basket of tomatoes. 

It appears the garden was frosty last week while I was away.  It will happen again, so I left only a few green pumpkins that have a little protected by other plants.    

September Squash Con't

Last night's cooked giant white scalloped/pattypan squash and tomatoes where not that great.  I had reservations about trying this big guy (also scalloped, but yellow).   No worries - best dish all summer.  I cut this one up in large chunks and steamed it.  Then added fresh tomatoes (instead of cooking the squash & tomatoes together).   I think it is more flavorful than even young white scalloped squash (seeds were "assorted scalloped.") 

The difference was age.   The one last night had been on the vine longer.  It's skin was tough and the seeds more mature.  It was the last one on the plant, too.  This yellow one had tender skin without mature seeds.  

And there many more on the two plants.   They were late sprouters from the seeds I planted in the garage.  I almost thought it was too late to plant out in the garden (late july).  They are going strong while the others are finished.

September Garden

Remember the garden?  It's been on its own for these past warm and dry weeks.  Along with these tomatoes, I had a basket full of sungold and chocolate cherry tomatoes and a giant pattypan squash (ideally, you don't want them to reach giant size).   I cooked the squash, some of these red tomatoes, onion, a few green beans and basil.  

The cherry tomatoes are now frozen for winter cooking.  We've also frozen blueberries from our neighbor.

I just noticed another late planted squash with many small squash and one larger one.  I'll figure out which type of squash it is, and try it tonight.

And my mission of using up older things in the cupboard is progressing.   We never have pudding (hmmm... so that's why it is old), but now we have pudding with bananas to eat.

Back to vacation posts.

August Garden Photos

The first of the beans has reached the 11 foot top of the climber.  Soon, it will be thickly covered.

The pumpkins, Queensland Blue (from Matron) and sugar pumpkins, are starting to spread out.  The other squash plants are delicata winter squash and pattypan scallop summer squash.  The aren't supposed to spread as much as the pumpkins. 

A few sunny days ago.

June Garden Progress

The Rattlesnake Snap Pole Beans have sprouted from the 6/16 planting.   They are planted on one side of the bean structure.  Big expectations for little beans - I really hope to see it looking like this post link later this year.

These are the Scarlet Runner Beans plant on the other side of the structure on 5/26.  They are ready to start climbing any day now, and then the fun begins.    

As of today, I have planted out all other seedlings into the garden:

• Queensland blue pumpkin, from Matron  (and follow her updates on a GIANT pumpkin she is growing this year)
• Delicata squash
• Pattypan scallop summer squash
• Sugar pumpkins

The pumpkins and squash are in the main garden beds vs the pumpkin patch.   If the vines go everywhere, I'll be okay with that. 

I planted sunflowers but only one sprouted.  I may try more.  However, I decided beets and carrots will come from the farmers market or Carpinitos this year.

Sprouts!

While I was gone, DH was watching the tomato seedlings and the planted beans in the garden.  Just before I returned, he asked about the plants in the garage window.  They had sprouted!   I had given up on them before I left.

Matron - this includes your Queensland blue pumpkin and Jubilee tomatoes I planted at the end of April (some Jubilee already in the garden).  The other sprouts are delicate and patty pan squash planted in May.

I knew it was a little risky planting squash in these starter pellets but did it anyway. I was still surprised to pick up this pumpkin to find these roots.  I had to go find a larger pot.

Pretty Patty

Pattypan squash are the perfect size for dinner... and so darn cute!

There are lots of blossoms, so hopefully more patties are not far behind.

September Salads

Salads these days are a mix of chopped pattypan squash, carrots, tomatoes and maybe a cucumber. Add some cut up "ribbons" of chard, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, plus herbs and garden grown garlic. Stir well. I have no zucchini this year, and these pattypans will be back in the garden next year (but haven't decided about zucchini yet).
These salads feel loaded enough to carry over some vegetable serving "credit" through January.

Squash of Many Lives

This small ornamental squash/pumpkin grew in the garden in 2006 (see a sibling here), from one I composted in the garden in 2005. He decorated the porch in 2007, but started getting squishy so I sat him out in the garden for composting. Well, there he sat Thanksgiving morning, just sparkling with frost. I couldn't capture the sparkles, but you can see his frosty glow in the morning light.

I did plant seeds from another one left over from last year. ... planted them next to the zucchini. I think they must have crossed with the zucchini or the delicata squash, because the fruit ended up long, not pumpkin shaped at all. It also got a late start so the frost finished it up before it made it past the green stage. Don't you just love surprises in the garden?

I've never found that this this an eating variety. The only time I ever see this type is in stores in the fall labeled "ornamental."

Delicata Harvest

The squirrels can be seen stashing away anything they can carry (I'm starting to think it will be a cold winter). Guess I am too. The freezer is full of summer harvests, now I have delicata squash and pumpkins in the garage.

This is my first year to grow delicata squash. It's said to have a sweet nutty flavor with hints of brown sugar and butter. Can't beat that in a squash! It also was quite a happy grower. I only have cooked one and that was an early one that broke off the plant. I think it wasn't quite ready to be eaten, though. I'll report back on these soon.

Sound the Alarm

Powdery Mildew! A sure sign that summer is transitioning to autumn. (& I'm not ready for this, but I do like the fall season.) Some humid days and cool nights we've had aren't helping.

Innocent enough looking at this stage, but don't be fooled. It will spread rapidly to the favorite host plants in the garden. For me that is the delicata squash, cucumbers, and eventually the zucchini (the zucchini variety I'm growing this is supposed to be PM tolerant, though).

So what to do? In my live and let live garden where the squash and cucumbers ramble out of their beds and across walkways, I did jump in the tangle with the snippers and opened up the walkway. This should improve air flow around the plants. I also snipped & removed some of the leaves with PM or other injuries to improve air flow within the plant (these don't go into the compost either). Then I mixed up a water and baking soda mixture (sometimes a little dish soap to help it stick) and sprayed many of the leaves. The baking soda apparently changes the pH level on the surface of the leaves enough to discourage PM.

But then it rained... so I'll check up on them today.

All I try to do is hold it at bay long enough to keep the plant reasonably happy and comfortable until the last of their days and the end of the harvest. If it gets really bad, I remove the plant. Not willing to start spraying anything stronger than baking soda. By then, we're ready to move on to eating something else anyway!

Cucumbers and Squash

Tasty lemon cucumbers. I understood cucumbers wouldn't grow as well here as they did in Alabama, so I settled for zucchini in the salads. Let me say this: Not the Same! So, I'm happy to find these perfectly sized cucumbers that will produce here in the NW.
Above, the cucumbers growing up the old gate. These vines aren't very long so this gate seems about right for a little vertical growing. On the next row behind them in the in the photo are Delicata squash plants (bush variety). First time to grow these too.
The Delicata squash will develop more distinct green strips as they mature (I think). Looking forward to the: "sweet nutty flavor with hints of brown sugar and butter"!