Sunday was a busy day in our garden! We opened up our Purple Viking potato box and filled our son's shopping cart with about 20 little potatoes. This is more than we thought we would get from this box since the vegetation took a serious beating from bugs and then heat. Cole was happy about each and every one and celebrated by gently placing them in his cart.
We have also crossed over from "enough zucchini to grill some every 2-3 days" to "Holy #$# we have zucchini!". The first sign of this is that I made zucchini bread today and we are having some grilled tonight.
After we added some complete fertilizer to the open beds and removed the old trellises, I planted some more snap peas with "teepees" in place, bush beans, parsnips, turnips, spinach, carrots and lettuce. We also have 5 each of the following starting: purple sprouting broccoli, fiesta broccoli, chinese cabbage and tundra cabbage. BUSY BUSY for a Sunday!
In addition, I also updated my gardening journal. I hate to say it but it has been a LONG time since I made an entry. So, I sat in the garden for about half an hour and looked from bed to bed to see what had changed since I had last updated. Quite a bit to say the least. The last time I had written anything was June 1! Yikes!
And now for the big garden mystery...
We have huge spaghetti squash that are VERY green. Hmmmm. I have been trying to figure out if we bought a plant where the seeds were a cross. This seems most likely. Do you have any ideas?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
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There is a spaghetti squash that is green with white markings instead of yellow. I don't know the name, but they grow HUGE, like ten pounds or more. I bought one at a market once. I've heard that regular spaghetti squash can be green or white a long time before ripening to yellow if the growing season isn't long enough or if there isn't enough light to the fruit. It may never ripen to yellow on the vine. Some need to be picked and taken indoors to sweeten for a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteHoly zucchini. I'm impressed with what you've got growin' on.
ReplyDeleteHi I need help...
ReplyDeleteI planted spaghetti squash this year and they are overtaking my garden. ( a prolific lot) Their color is more white than yellow though... do they need to ripen more before harvesting or is this the color? Ones in the store are way mor yellowey.. Part 2 is... on the same vines, I am getting ones that are green in color almost look like watermelons... So I am confused about color and when to harvest. They are starting to get in the 5+ lbs stage and dont want them to get too ripe either. Appreciate any help you can send.
I have been looking into this as well. From what I have read online, there is some serious variation out there and it is also very easy for winter squash to cross. Everything I read said to leave them on the vine until the vine dies and then you can cut them off and let them cure themselves for a week or two before you eat them. I am new to spaghetti squash as well and we will be eating quite a bit. Feel free to share your favorite recipes!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thoughts... I have been enjoying cucumber and cherry tomato salads. Add some onion,garlic and canola oil.... oh and a dash of garlic salt....Delicious I even add raw slivered almonds and a touch of store boughten celery.. The other tomatoes are there...(on plants) but still green..We have many varieties. The romas are about ready to pop (turn red).
ReplyDeleteRe the Spagetti Squash: I pruned back a lot of leaves on the vine to expose the fruit..I am hoping that this will enhance ripening. The Green ones are definitely gonna be green as July Baby said. In my research I discovered Orangetti
Spagetti...a more orangy color flesh and rhind. I am now trying to find out how to get me some ;-)) Any thoughts or has anyone grown them.?
If you look at my previous post "Octomom of Squash", Orangetti is what I have planted and have a LARGE quantity of in my garden. Here is a link to "Abundant Seeds", where I purchased my seeds from. http://www.abundantlifeseeds.com/product/554/280
ReplyDeleteAlso, I spoke to one of our local Master Gardeners and a local farmer at the Farmer's Market today and they said if I planted the plant as a start, chances are that it is a cross if it is green. Apparently, it is fairly difficult to collect "pure" seeds from Winter Squash since they can easily be cross-pollinated. According to the seed package, you must have at least 100 yards between varieties to insure they don't cross-pollinate". Note to self, I need more acreage.
I am going to wait one more week and then bake up one of my greenies. I will let you know how it tastes.
Enjoy the fruits of your labor!!
Hey Val...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply...Good information! Thanks for doing resaerch as well...I am the same way...I kinda get "On a Mission" sometimes. Will the seeds from the orangetti only produce orangetti or can they cross as well back to a yellow or green ? (Wish I paid more attention in genetics 101) I will definitely be going to the link you provided...Thanks for that as well. The thinning of leaves seems to be allowing more sun and a few of the "whiteish" ones seem to be getting a bit more yellow. But Green is green so far.
I mean I am thinking and tasting "watermelon" when I look at these babies. Hehehe! The biggest thing I have heard outside here is let them stay on the vine to ripen. Biggger is Better in spaghetti squash. I harvesting my zuchinni a bit smaller now. I must now investigate if all the greenies are on the same vine. Details to follow to supplliment this pollination deal. 100 yards?
Thats the whole community plot! lol. Note to myself ...Need more Acerage. Cant wait to hear about your greenie...
Ciao
In His Grip,
Rich
Hey Val...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply...Good information! Thanks for doing resaerch as well...I am the same way...I kinda get "On a Mission" sometimes. Will the seeds from the orangetti only produce orangetti or can they cross as well back to a yellow or green ? (Wish I paid more attention in genetics 101) I will definitely be going to the link you provided...Thanks for that as well. The thinning of leaves seems to be allowing more sun and a few of the "whiteish" ones seem to be getting a bit more yellow. But Green is green so far.
I mean I am thinking and tasting "watermelon" when I look at these babies. Hehehe! The biggest thing I have heard outside here is let them stay on the vine to ripen. Biggger is Better in spaghetti squash. I harvesting my zuchinni a bit smaller now. I must now investigate if all the greenies are on the same vine. Details to follow to supplliment this pollination deal. 100 yards?
Thats the whole community plot! lol. Note to myself ...Need more Acerage. Cant wait to hear about your greenie...
Ciao
In His Grip,
Rich
Holy zucchini. I'm impressed with what you've got growin' on.
ReplyDelete