Grow Your Own – Raiders Of The Lost Squash
by John Weckerle
Note: For links to all our garden articles, click “Gardening” under “Categories” (sidebar).Â
The two largest yellow summer squash in the garden have gone missing – gone missing because I harvested them! As it turns out, I probably could have let them go another day; things always seem to look bigger on the plant than in the hand. However, from a taste and texture standpoint, a little small is better than a little big where squash are concerned. Both broccoli plants are now bearing small heads, and the peas and eggplant have begun to flower. The cucumber section has been thinned down to one plant. Salads continue to be standard fare thanks to the lettuce, and I’m looking forward to the bonanza of vegetables we could see in the next few weeks.
The “mystery squash” is still thriving and putting out flowers. The fruits are only about an inch long, and are light green – but the shape suggests a spaghetti squash. On perhaps the only downside, we still see no tomatoes. It does look as if some flowers may have been nipped off. This weekend will include a close examination of the tomato plants to see if there are any caterpillars or grasshoppers in evidence, and possibly a squirrel-proofing of the beds. The squash, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts were trimmed back yesterday in the hope of getting some sun to the red and golden bell pepper plants, but they grew back up overnight. The red bell pepper may produce because its on the edge of the bed, but the golden bell appears doomed at this time. This is a learning experience – next year, I’ll group these plants with a little more understanding of how they grow.
 
Bed 1
Bed 2