Melon Massacre

Actually I mean squash...my spaghetti squash that is! The weather has been so warm and the squash, melons and cucumbers have been taking advantage of all the sunshine. We've been getting several 8-10" zucchini squash from our two plants and had 5-7 spaghetti squash growing and thriving. That is, they were thriving until the neighborhood rabbit came to visit and ate each and every one! Next year, we will need to put rabbit-proof cages around each squash when they are still small and bitter, when the rabbits aren't interested yet.

"Cucumbers, squashes and melons are all in the cucurbit family of plants, Cucurbitaceae, which also includes gourds. Most of them make long vines, but there are some that do not. They look very similar as seedlings, but as they begin to flower and make fruit, it is easier to tell them apart in the garden." (https://homeguides.sfgate.com/identify-squash-melon-plants)

The squash have been super fun to plant and grow from seed. It took approximately 90 days for the seeds to mature. Spaghetti squash requires warm soil that is well-drained and fertile. According to Cornell University, you should harvest spaghetti squash when its color has changed to golden yellow and always cut from the vine rather than pulling and leave a few inches of the stem attached.

Ultimately the eating of all of my spaghetti squash didn't end up being a huge loss because "we had the perfect storm of weather conditions this summer to contribute to a severe infection of powdery mildew on squash, specifically butternut and spaghetti squash. The squash leaves with mildew died back, exposing the fruit to sunscald." The rabbit just harvested all the squash before the sun had a chance to do any damage to the fruit...at the garden we call it wildlife tax...and it is inevitable:)

Read more at Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/powdery-mildew-in-squash

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/squash/growing-spaghetti-squash

All in all, It was a wonderful growing experience. Be sure to tell us how your experiments are growing.

Happy healthy eating and continued good growing!

#beginninggardeners #veggievirgins #gardennerds #communitygardens #organicgardens #spaghettisquash #cucurbits #veggiemagic