Market Farming

[Alliums <garlicgrower AT earthlink.net>]

Hi, Folks!

I toss my squash seeds in areas of the garden that aren't used much -- I 
like seeing what comes up and the plants tend to either thrive with no care 
at all or succumb the minute the cucumber beetles hatch -- natural 
selection at its finest! ;-)

Besides some amazing pumpkins this year (definitely will re-sprinkle those 
seeds), I'm getting the most amazing varieties of acorn-like squashes.  I 
know to pick the green ones when the belly turns bright orange, but when do 
I pick the green/white striped squash or the orange/green striped squash or 
the bright yellow acorns?  None of these have orange bellies!

I never grew those varieties on purpose it's too easy for the vine borers 
to get them (some of them are almost completely eaten through and yet the 
plant keeps chugging along just great!) so I'm rather clueless as to know 
if they are ripe or not.

(Yes, these experiments have also given me some squash so hard, I'm 
considering them gourds -- I've got a funky orange/green one that came up 
in my tomatoes and an absolutely GORGEOUS mini-pumpkin-like (only solid) 
white squash with gold stripes down the ribs -- it's harder than most 
gourds I've seen, so they will probably never rot and I'll never get the 
seeds out, but if I knew what I had done, I'd definitely try for that one 
again!)

Thanks for your help -- so far, everyone is storing great!

Dorene

Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden

A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA  19460