Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Name That Squash


I can't figure out what kind of squash I have here. When I bought the plant, the woman at the Farmer's Market told me it was a yellow crookneck. They start out yellow - see the small ones on the left - but then they turn green like this one. They never get dark green like a zucchini and eventually they turn sort of a light tan. I let one get pretty large, then picked it and cooked it. It didn't have any seeds in it and had absolutely no flavor. My Grandparents were farmers and Grandma once told me that if you plant any kind of vine plant (squash, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins) near each other you won't be able to save the seeds for next year, because they cross-pollinate. So, maybe that's what the woman at the Farmer's Market did and this is a watercumber or a cucumelon. I'm really disappointed because I love me a mess of yellow squash cooked in butter with a Vidalia onion!

On the other hand, I'm finally getting some ripe tomatoes. I was getting impatient because they've been sitting on the vine for about 3 weeks with no sign of ripening.

When I remembered what Grandma said about the squash, I also remembered that she said you won't pick a ripe tomato before the 4th of July. I guess she was right! Why am I channeling my grandmother? Probably because I've been spending so much time outside instead of in my studio. Still no jewelry making going on.

1 comment:

twenty pound tabby said...

The squash looks like a cross between a yellow summer squash and something else. Crook necks bend. I've learned you can never save the seeds off squash unless you hand pollinate them and then cover the flower to keep it from getting pollen from somewhere else. They cross pollinate extremely easily.