Thread: In The Garden 2020

Things with the Butternut Squash plant are coming along, however I'm a bit befuddled.

All of the early blooms that I've shown didn't produce any fruit. The blooms just died. Kind of like these;





There are some fruit developing--





Any thoughts? Lack of pollination? Too little water/Too much water?

This whole planting is just for fun, I can purchase locally grown organic for next to nothing but again just having some fun.

Roy, sometimes excessive heat will prevent blossoms from fruiting. Haven't you hit 100 plus this week? Squash is pretty easy otherwise-that could be the problem?

Yea it was 102 F the other day. You might be onto something with the temps.

I've never raised any Hard Squash only Zucchini and I know that the zucchini is really easy to grow.

I'll keep trying to keep the soil moist but not soggy and see how it goes. I am hoping that I can grow enough to can some for pies. The USDA doesn't recommend home canning a puree, only cubes but it would still be fun to be able to make a pie with squash that I've grown myself.

By the way, the canned 'Pumpkin' at the store is really a squash OR a squash pumpkin mixture.

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-infor...rieties-squash

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Roy, sometimes excessive heat will prevent blossoms from fruiting. Haven't you hit 100 plus this week? Squash is pretty easy otherwise-that could be the problem?

I found this and it really explains what's going on with my little experimental squash. It was VERY Educational. Hell I noticed the Odorous House Ants ( Tech name for Sugar Ants) crawling all over the blooms--but I had no idea that they were helping with the pollination of the blossoms.

I think I'll just watch and see but perhaps cut a few of the non fruit producing blooms back.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Yea it was 102 F the other day. You might be onto something with the temps.

I've never raised any Hard Squash only Zucchini and I know that the zucchini is really easy to grow.

I'll keep trying to keep the soil moist but not soggy and see how it goes. I am hoping that I can grow enough to can some for pies. The USDA doesn't recommend home canning a puree, only cubes but it would still be fun to be able to make a pie with squash that I've grown myself.

By the way, the canned 'Pumpkin' at the store is really a squash OR a squash pumpkin mixture.

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-infor...rieties-squash

I love good pumpkin pie, but squash?! Being a Southern boy, my favorite way to cook squash is to coat it in a flour/cornmeal/salt and pepper mixture and fry it in grease-delicious!

Yep and a whole batch of fried green tomatoes to go with them. We like to slice the squash and pan fry in butter and salt and pepper, with diced onion and get that Carmelizing going on

Bon freezes green tomato slices. We had some. The other night. You have to cook in a hurry with hot oil o r they get mushy

Never tryed that but we have so many tomatoes I’m looking for alternatives. Right now all the neighbors are turning into tomatoes and cucumbers

Ok our usual harvest today, no squash today but tomorrow yea.
Plus a great shot of a peaceful backyard to drink my beer in

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Never tryed that but we have so many tomatoes I’m looking for alternatives. Right now all the neighbors are turning into tomatoes and cucumbers

You might consider blanching the ripe toms in boiling water, then put them in ice water so the skins peel then you can either chop them, cut in half or leave whole and freeze them.

You can put them in a rectangular pan and freeze it solid then use a vacuum sealer to store them in without worrying about frost getting inside. By freezing before using the vacuum sealer eliminates any problem with the juices being sucked into the machine.

Spaghetti Sauce Anyone?