Saturday, July 11, 2015

Cucurbitaceae Conumdrum

While most people are posting pictures of their massive bounty of zucchini, I, alas, have not a single one.

Paul had planted a shitton (yes, that's a technical term) of summer squash seeds over a month ago and maybe one of them germinated.  And even that one is struggling to hold it's own.  I think it had two flowers; both male, of course.

So we reseeded with a few more and they aren't doing very well either.  I suppose I can say the excessive rainfall has put a damper on their growth, or it could be that even my mere presence is making things want to die.

The older plants in the tires were doing well until just a few days ago.  This morning I went out and saw the evidence of the evil Squash Vine Borer.  I did some surgery on two of the main vines and removed the bastards and I'm hoping that the vine will recover.  We'll see.

But even though our squash harvest is going to be squat this year, the cucumber harvest has been excellent.  Apparently the cucumber plants don't mind the recent deluge and whatever bug that normally would eat cucumbers hasn't found them yet so they are growing like crazy.  We have to go out and pick them every day or we'll end up with cucumbers the size of a Volkswagen.  It's amazing how quickly they grow:
Cucumber on 7/10/15 at 8:05 am
Same cucumber on 7/10/15 at 8:19 am
So to say that we've got cucumbers coming out of our ears wouldn't be that much of a stretch.  I've got sweet & sour cucumbers in the fridge and had a bowl for breakfast:

Cucumbers that Paul canned & transformed into Dill and Bread & Butter pickles:

Cucumbers in the sink:

And even in my purse:

Because you all carry produce in your purse all the time, right?  You never know when you're going to get a hankering for a crisp, refreshing, homegrown cucumber!

9 comments:

  1. You never know when you're going to get a hankering for a crisp, refreshing, homegrown cucumber!

    So that's the story of why you keep them in the purse eh?

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    Replies
    1. Only you, PP, would come up with that....only you.

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    2. Let's see if you get the quote.

      "I think vegetables can be very sensuous, don't you?"

      What can I say I am a product of my era. :)

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  2. Ha! My lemon cukes willing be coming on soon, but no others. The bugs always get them. I try to buy local and this year I'l be making lots of pickles!

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  3. I carry homegrown cucumbers in my purse, too. But only so that I can foist one (or six) off on unsuspecting people I run into. 'Course, that won't be happening around here for a while yet. What I wouldn't give for one of your lovely cukes right now. Love 'em, I do.

    Bee-yew-tiful pickles Paul has put up. This is a pickle year for me, too. I only plant pickling cucumbers every other year and then make enough to last two years. For some reason, I love making pickles so the two year supply is no hardship for me at all. Paul's make me eager to start mixing up some of that good brine!

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  4. No squash here either, I didn't get any in due to the rain. My neighbors started to grow but they are not maturing. I have a couple of tomatoes but they just don't turn red, everything is drenched. Today was the first warm sunny day we have had, almost like there is no summer (St Louis area)

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  5. Wanna count how many times I've had squash in my purse to give to my co-workers? You're always good for a laugh CR...

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  6. Thank you for sharing about doing surgery on your zuc's. I did that on our pumpkins one year (and it worked brilliantly) but my whole family gave me such shit about trying so hard to save a plant. Congrats on the cuke haul!

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  7. Now, if that was a zucchini, I would be happy to be foisted upon. Looks like cukes are one of the few good crops I'm going to have this year!

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