02 Jun - Squashes & Sweet Corn

It's been tough making decisions about the weather over the last week. While I'm pretty sure we aren't going to have any frost now, squashes tend to sulk a bit if it's on the cool side. However, I've had a number of my squashes outside in pots for ten days now hardening off. They are beginning to get a slight yellowish tinge despite feeding so it was either pot them on or plant them out - I chose to plant them out.

Firstly, out went two pumpkins which are well established. This year I've planted them in the strip down the edge of my plot that I cleared over the autumn (see Nov 16 2013 post). This strip used to have fruit in it but cooch grass just took it over so I moved everything out and cleared the roots. Despite the odd weed sprouting up, it has remained remarkably clear - planting the pumpkins here will help as their verdant growth will suppress weeds. (Below - pumpkin planting with a chicken audience). 

As a family we aren't overly keen on pumpkin though the process of collecting seed year after year has developed a pumpkin with a milder, nuttier taste that works well when roasted. Somewhere along the line I'm wondering whether the pumpkin has been crossed with another squash. Anyway, I like to have a pumpkin on hand for Halloween. The original variety, a few years back now, was Jack O'Lantern and they produce very large plants as you can see below.

Next I planted the courgettes - I've five strong plants but only decided to plant four as they will provide more than enough for us. There is a chance I might actually remove one plant if they all develop strongly as they can be so prolific. When the BBC website had its gardening forums I remember a new allotment holder writing how they had planted forty (40) courgette plants, not realising how many courgettes each plant could produce - you could supply a major supermarket with forty courgette plants.

Right at the start of June I planted my Sweet Dumpling winter squash - these are splendid little squash with a lovely flavour. I grew them for the first time last year and the family loved them so I've planted a load this year in the hope of a bumper crop. Winter squash are useful because they keep well into the new year. My only reservation is that I'm using saved seed and they could have been crossed with something else so I might have a mutant on my hands this year.

As squashes trail around everywhere, it can be difficult to see where the actual plant is anchored in the earth which can be a pain when trying to water or give a liquid feed. This year I've buried an upturned plastic bottle with the bottom cut off next to each trailing squash. This will ensure that water and feed go directly to the roots of each plant and will hopefully help protect against stem rot which most squashes are prone to.

Lastly, in the past week, I've planted out my sweet corn, Incredible F1. They have really developed well in the deep root trainers, gaining thicker stems than I've seen when planted in pots. The roots were established in the trainers and it was definitely time for them to go to the plot. That's my last bed full now with lettuce, sweet corn, sweet dumpling, courgettes, French beans and runner beans. I'll be adding a few more lettuce in the spaces where I'm picking them but it's mainly a matter of waiting for the crops to develop.

That's it for now - bye from me and next door's chickens ...