These are growing like triffids. Perhaps not as big as plants this time last year; but still have some time yet. I am aiming to have them planted out at the bank holiday weekend. Suggesting that they will need to be hardened off soon.
Category Archives: Squashes
Squash re-sown
I’ve been looking at these for a few days; wondering why they weren’t growing. So I had a check today. Turns out, it’s all a bit cold and damp. The one thing that has germinated is the crimson sweet watermelon. Have rummaged in the seed box and resown. Only one or two were summer squashes. Rest were winter squashes.
On the other hand:
These are the first cohort. We has assorted squashes and cukes in there.
Squashes and cukes 2014
Potted up some of the cukes and squashes. This only half the cohort; there are still 15 or so yog pots that have yet to germinate. Seem to be taking their time.
There is another 5-6 weeks before these can be safely planted out without the risk of frost.
Squashes 2014
The sun is out, the the wendy and poly are steaming warm, and I am still sore from planting potatoes. With today being the first of April, I thought I could rest a little and sow squashes and cucumbers. We have a frost until the end of may, that leaves approximately eight weeks during which these seeds will hopefully germinate and are likely to become triffids.
For the moment I have now sown a ghostrider, I fancied something of a break. A few additional varieties of winter squash have been sown instead. No small pumpkins either, I wasn’t particularly enamoured by sweet dumpling. That’s not to say mama H won’t encourage me to sow one. Many of these are sprawling varieties. Last year, there was success with the Cobnut butternut squash being grown up bamboo canes, rather than out across the ground.
The runners and riders:
- soleil
- astia
- patty pan
- yellow scallop
- cobnut
- winter butternut
- crown prince
- gourd small
- cornells bush delecta
- white serpent
- striato di naploli
- tondo di picanza
- little gem
- bush baby marrow
- crystal lemon
- marketmore
- fem spot
There are quite a few varieties, but I do have a tendency to sow a large number. Besides, not all of these may actually germinate. Half of these are to be observed on a warmish window sill, the others will be in a unheated prop in the four tier blowaway. The 4TB does actually get quite warm now that it is warming up a little. I take solace in the fact that the celeary and the carrots sown in there are just starting germinate. The hollow crown parsnips have yet to make an appearance.
Sweet Nothing
Remember these?
Was just thinking. The jury is still pretty much out on these. This fruit and vine is that of the sweet dumpling squash, and was grown upwards in a raised bed. From one plant; there were three perfectly fruit. This was an experimental crop; in that the seeds were free and as ever I like to experiment.
The proof in any pudding is of the eating, and it was with baited breath that these were prepared. We had them with roast dinner with some sweet potatoes. The one fruit was diced and roasted with chilli flakes and cumin.
And didn’t taste of anything.
Not a single bit flavour; in stark comparison to the lovely sweet potato.
A bit of a shame. Can’t say why though. But I have refs that other growers have had the same issue. A lack of flavour. Which suggests some consistency in observations. Therein a dilemma. I would like to grow a few more different varieties next year of squashes. This one, however, might not be one of them.
Masards mystery pumpkins
Masard has had some great success with these mystery pumpkin seeds. These three fruits are a great testament to his nurturing. Have no idea what they are; other than squashes. All suggestions welcome!
Bollywood butternut, baby
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One cobnut butternut 3.5 lbs
Lots of small sweet peppers
Purple rainbow chillies Nigel and frauzauber
Garlic
Onions
Cumin seeds
Chilli flakes
Fennel seeds
Ginger
Stock
Garam masala
Salt and pepper to taste
Have chopped up all the veg. Roast in the oven-happening right now-45mins on has mark 7ish.
Heat roasting dish with olive oil. Adds cumin fennel and chilli seeds when hot enough. Add veg and put in oven.
Then fry off onions and garlic in dash of oil. Add roaster veg with salt, pepper and garam masala with stock. Simmer till soft and then blitz with hand blender. That’s the plan at least!
Seed to sill
Side by side two of this years winter squashes.
Butternut, baby, I will never let you down
Finally, after nothing; two butternuts. The larger one is nearly ripe and will be sitting on the window sill.
Three little maids are we
Other than the sweet dumpling, there are two other small pumpkin vines. The hooligan pumpkin is a hybrid, and that is probably why it is noticeably bigger than the jack be little. I had anticipated the jack be little to be a little bigger. No pun intended. Ma has them in her hand, and they are like small oranges.
horticultural 'obbit 