A Game of Squash(es)

All of the squash plants have the ability to pollinate the other squash plants. For this reason volunteers can be a lot of fun. Saving seeds if more than one variety is planted is futile. Good gardening practice says that all volunteers should be pulled like a weed as they may harbor pests or disease. That would spoil the fun.

Last year there was a volunteer squash that turned out to be a patty-pan. It was the most productive squash plant in the garden. This year there are 4 volunteers. One of them could be from a dropped butternut seed. The other three are total mysteries. Only 1 plant has produced a female flower that looks like a squash. That one appears to be a spaghetti squash, but the truth will not be revealed until it is picked and cut open.

The little zucchinis are about 5” long now and 1 is getting ready to drop its blossom. Most summer squashes are better small so they are picked when the blossom drops unless it gets knocked off by accident. Winter squash should be left until they reach full maturity in order so that they will last well in storage.



David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/