Fenton Friday: Thrilling Squash

This week, we got some good rainstorms, but it has also been very hot and humid -- with a typical mid-to-late summer Bermuda High weather pattern.

The Squash 'Thriller' has a few fruits ready to harvest (see photo above) with several more developing on the vines. I hope to have enough at once to enter into the Montgomery County Fair in a few weeks. This is the time of year when I'm really crossing my fingers that the timing works out so I can submit some decent entries.

I'm picking Okra about every other day. The Eggplant 'Fairy Tale' had several fruits about to drop today, so I gathered them up too. Now I have to figure out how I might use them in a recipe. Suggestions? 

The rest of the plot is coming along well including the Beans, Peppers, Cucamelons, and Tomatoes. I also cut more bouquets of Dahlias, Gomphrena, and Lisianthus.

The Zinnias in the Pollinator Strip are now blooming, so the thinning we did last week really helped. 

I pinched back the flowers on all the Basil plants again to encourage them to become fuller. 

I'm struggling with Morning Glory vines and weed trees (mainly Mulberry and Catalpa) that are unrelenting in our plot. The more I pull and cut these off at the base, the more they just keep coming back twice as big. I tried putting overturned buckets on them, but they still seem to find the light. We are not permitted to use chemical interventions and digging never gets all the roots out. Any advice?

What are you growing and harvesting in your garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 15th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog).

Pumpkin Plant Profile

 

Pumpkin Plant Profile

Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are a summer squash that is used for a fall decoration and baking pies.

They are native to North and Central America. They are hardy to USDA zones 3 to 9.

Pumpkins are easy to grow from seed. Wait until the soil has warmed to 65 degrees in the spring and then form a mound of soil and plant 3 seeds in the top of it.

If all three seeds emerge, you can thin them to the strongest one or two seedlings. I place a small wire cage on top of the seedlings until they are several inches high to protect them from birds plucking them out.

Pumpkin vines need lots of space to sprawl and should be planted in full sun. Spread straw or other mulch around the mound as the vines expand to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture.

They need consistent watering of 1-2 inches per week. Fertilize them weekly.

Avoid overhead watering which will wet leaves as humidity breeds mildew.

Another tip is to make sure your vine grows away from your pumpkin, so your pumpkin will not grow over the vine and snap off the stem.

When you see a pumpkin forming on the vine, put a piece of cardboard or thin board underneath it so it doesn’t sit in moist soil and rot. This also helps discourage mice and other creatures from chewing a hole and moving in.

If you are looking to grow a giant pumpkin, you need to source seeds for the Atlantic Giant variety. You then need to start with soil preparation in the fall, by preparing the soil with compost and testing the soil conditions to see if they need amending

Smaller varieties of pumpkins can be grown in containers and trained on a trellis. They do not require the heavy watering and feeding that the large pumpkins do.

To harvest a pumpkin, wait until it reaches its mature size and fully colors up and the stem starts to harden. Then cut the stem about 3 inches above the pumpkin. Then set the pumpkin in a sunny spot to cure for about 10 days before storing it in a root cellar or basement.

Pumpkins: You Can Grow That!

 

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Video and Editing by Ellen Isaacson

 

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If you liked this video, we think you will like these other Plant Profiles:

~ Cucumber Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/07/plant-profile-cucumbers.html

~ Collard Greens Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/12/collard-greens-plant-profile.html

~ Radish Plant Profile

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/04/plant-profile-radishes.html

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GardenDC Podcast Episode 212: Pumpkins and Squash

In this episode, we talk with food historian and author Dr. William Woys Weaver, about pumpkins and squash. The plant profile is on Closed Bottle Gentian and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events and this week's garden tasks in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on Purring Among Petals from Christy Page of Green Prints.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support.

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 152: Heritage Seeds

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/06/gardendc-podcast-episode-152-heritage.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 25: Heirloom Tomatoes

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-26-heirloom.html

This episode is archived at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/episodes/Pumpkins-and-Squash-e2ovs66

SHOW NOTES: 01:10 - Welcome William Woys Weaver, internationally known food historian and author 01:32 - William talks about his childhood gardening experience 02:15 - William discusses his memories with his grandfather 03:08 - The reintroduction of the Fish Pepper 03:55 - The Roughwood Seed Collection 05:21 - William describes the geography/growing conditions of his area in PA 06:27 - Climate change is affecting gardening 07:04 - William goes over the basics of squash/pumpkins 08:56 - What are the best conditions for storing squash? 10:52 - Eating squash at their green stage 12:33 - William gives his thoughts on pruning squash vines 14:16 - Ideal conditions for growing squash, and advice for someone who’s never grown squash 18:17 - William and Kathy discuss hand-pollination 20:38 - William talks about squash needing a lot of water 21:21 - How can drought affect the flavor of squash? 23:23 - Squash seed saving techniques 26:38 - How can you prevent heirloom pumpkins and squash from crossing? 29:28 - William talks about the Boston Marrow Squash 31:30 - Pumpkin pie vs. Squash pie 32:15 - Long Island Cheese Pumpkin 33:34 - Delicata Squash 34:44 - Finger Squash 36:24 - Hubbard Squash 37:33 - Patty Pan Squash 40:17 - Squash as an art form/decoration 41:13 - William discusses the Cybling Squash 41:56 - Quaker Pie Pumpkin 42:20 - William shares some of the harder-to-grow squashes 43:54 - Are there any squashes you can grow in a shady garden without full sun? 45:17 - William discusses the Turban Squash 47:03 - Should you wipe down your squash with a light bleach solution for storage? 48:15 - Any final favorite squashes of William’s? 48:54 - Where to buy heirloom seeds from William? - https://www.seedways.org/ 49:43 - Final advice from William - Grow squash as an arrangement for your dinner table and look for the warty squash 52:08 - Closed Bottle Gentian Plant Profile 53:18 - What’s new in the garden this week? The toad lilies are starting to bloom 53: 37 - Garden tips of the week: Proper way to pick an apple and symptoms of aster yellows 54:16 - Ladies in the Landscape scholarship 54:55 - Upcoming local gardening events: Ujamaa Fall 2024 Workshop & Convening and 2024 Eco-Savvy Gardening Faire 56:31 - A story about Purring Among Petals 59:07 - Thank you for listening! Become a supporter

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Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Interview Edit and Show Notes: Zachary Intrater

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

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Savory Sunday: Butternut Squash

Guest post by Shelby Smith

    Want a recipe that’s flavorful, can be paired with anything, and gets you in the mood for the fall season? Anything with Butternut Squash is the way to go. Butternut Squash is one of the most versatile foods to prepare. Squash can be made into both savory meals and used in desserts. It can be used in stews, soups, baked, sautéed, or steamed. It is great as a main course, side dish or an addition to another recipe.

    I used a small butternut squash from the Fenton Community Garden in Silver Spring, MD,  to make Parmesan and Rosemary-Butternut Squash Gratin. This recipe is crunchy, buttery, and can stand on its own. This recipe is inspired by Betty Crocker.

Cooking prep: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 Butternut squash (2 lbs)

¼ cup butter or margarine

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary

¼ cup Progresso™ panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Peel, halve lengthwise and deseed squash. Cut into ½-inch-thick slices and arrange with slices overlapping slightly in a greased/oiled 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Season the slices with salt and pepper.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter/margarine over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic and rosemary; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft and butter is infused with garlic and rosemary flavor. Do not let the butter brown.
3. In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese and 1 tablespoon of the garlic rosemary butter mixture.
4. Brush squash slices with remaining butter mixture. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the squash slices.
5. Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced with fork. Increase oven temperature to 425 F; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Sprinkle parsley and more cheese, if needed, over top before serving.

The end product should come out crunchy and golden brown. The squash gets infused with the garlic and rosemary making the taste rich and flavorful. This meal is also versatile because you could pair it with any meat or mix it with pasta.

Also you could add some sliced zucchini and mushrooms to make it a hardier dish. You can substitute the dairy with olive oil to make this a vegetarian option. If you cut the squash into slices you could eat these like fries.

This is just one of the many dishes made with butternut squash. Squash is a good source of vitamins, has little to no fat when raw, and can stay fresh for a couple of weeks before using. This recipe can be your next side dish at Thanksgiving or just a quick meal on a Sunday evening.

"Savory Sunday" is a new weekly blog series with seasonal recipes from the garden.

About the Author:

Shelby Smith is a senior double major in multi-platform journalism and film studies at the University of Maryland College Park. She was a sports copy-editor for a campus publication called Unwind Magazine and a writer at The Campus Current newspaper at Anne Arundel Community College.