Winter Squash

      We have had a very cold stretch of winter weather, with night time lows sometimes of 5 to 7 degrees. It is time to work on cooking the winter squash before it goes bad.

       There were two Marina di Chioggia squash left, this one and the one cut up in the following pictures. In this picture you can also see a butternut squash, and acorn squash and a buttercup squash.  The Marina was cut into chunks for baking in the oven along with a big ham for dinner.

Cut into three pieces

Further cleaned and ready for baking

      What a great way to have garden grown veggies fresh in the middle of winter.

Marina di Chioggia

      This is my first year growing the Marina di Chioggia squash from Italy.  It is beautiful in its weirdness.  This one is supported by an inverted bucket, as I was afraid the 15 pound squash could burden the vine,

Squash Trellis in Early July

      This trellis is a vertical home to various climbers of the squash family: Boston pickling cucumbers, poona khera cucumbers, buttercup squash, marina di choggia squash, butternut squash, swan gourd, pointsett cucumbers, white cucumbers, and green dragon cucumbers.  I think I better reinforce some of the vertical supports.

           Right behind the squash trellis is the Kennebec potato patch.  The out of control potato patch.  The potato patch that is spilling everywhere.  In about ten days I am going to harvest the whole patch for what will be smaller potatoes.  That will give the squash plants room to ramble.  Here is the potato patch from the other direction.

      The squash trellis is on the right.  In the foreground is an artichoke plant in a large flower pot.  Note the humidity in the picture.  It is going to be quite unpleasant working outside today.

      The garlic patch is to the right of the potato patch.  The tall garlic in front is "Music", and to the left of that patch is a shorter stand of "Red Russian".  I may have to harvest the garlic today as the tropical system Arthur may dump a lot of rain on us tomorrow.  Not what you want at harvest and curing time.

      There is a bed of beans next to the potato patch which so far have not been overrun.  Then to the left of the beans is the tomato trellis.  It is time now to trim and tie the tomato plants to the uprights.  Time to go to work on some of these things.