tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post1597999595134855035..comments2024-03-24T11:10:13.186-04:00Comments on The Gardening Me: End of Season Review - SquashMargarethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-28550833231218712402016-02-06T14:52:07.677-05:002016-02-06T14:52:07.677-05:00Thanks Phuong - it WAS amazing, harvesting those h...Thanks Phuong - it WAS amazing, harvesting those huge (for me!) squash. I actually have a nice big pot of butternut squash soup in the fridge right now - so good!<br /><br />I had heard of spinosad but didn't really know much about it. I've done a quick search and it doesn't look like it's readily available here, which is often the case, even with organic pesticides (we don't have Sluggo either). I've been using netting to keep the SVB out, removing it in July, by which time they are done laying eggs. Since I've started doing that, I haven't had any SVB issues. And moschata varieties like butternut and Tromboncino have stems that are much more resistant to SVB, so I don't even have to bother with netting for those & have not had a problem so far.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-81676019488678669592016-02-06T13:26:06.526-05:002016-02-06T13:26:06.526-05:00It does look like the straw bales really work, a w...It does look like the straw bales really work, a worthwhile experiment. And congratulations on your gorgeous winter squash, aren't they such a pleasure to harvest?<br /><br />We get squash vine borers as well. Have you ever tried using spinosad? It worked for me albeit unconventionally. I didn't use it last year because of making baby food from the garden even though its supposed to be organic, but it did work previous years.Phuonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07658691564062044986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-59964806337235850192016-02-06T11:15:15.694-05:002016-02-06T11:15:15.694-05:00I've heard of things (and not always veg) disa...I've heard of things (and not always veg) disappearing from plots...it's so sad that you never got to enjoy your squash.<br /><br />I haven't tried patty pan squash BUT it was on my list for this year and the seeds actually arrived yesterday. Very excited to give it a try.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-21288793336605092002016-02-06T11:09:58.657-05:002016-02-06T11:09:58.657-05:00The perennial bunching onions I grow are not the s...The perennial bunching onions I grow are not the same as Egyptian onions. I'll give you a bit of a rundown on how each type.<br /><br />For the perennial bunching onions, you start off with seed that you sow in the spring. You can get an early start by sowing them indoors, but I think that sowing them outside once the ground is workable is the easiest method. The bunching onions increase by dividing at the base (i.e. as each individual onion grows, it will split into 2 onions. Then those will split into more onions, and so forth.) You simply harvest a few onions whenever you need them and leave the rest to continue to multiply. No messing with seeds needed after you sow them that first time.<br /><br />Egyptian onions are somewhat different - these form tiny little bulbits at their tips(like tiny baby onions) and as the bulbits grow, the stem bends towards the ground. When they eventually touch the ground, the bulbits will root and form more onions. These onions also divide, so that the clump will get bigger as time goes on. I grew Egyptian onions many years ago, but can't recall how I harvested them or how they tasted - I seem to remember them being quite large though. I hope that helps, Nancy! Looking forward to seeing how you get on with them this spring.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-63275974586580924472016-02-06T06:16:54.185-05:002016-02-06T06:16:54.185-05:00Your butternut squash look brilliant. I grew some ...Your butternut squash look brilliant. I grew some last year but we never got to taste them as they completely vanished. I wonder if someone had taken them, we were so short on time last year that our trips to the allotment were very irregular, perhaps someone thought the plot had been abandoned and helped themselves. Have you tried patty pan squash? They're so prolific and we really enjoy them. They're quite large plants but they don't tend to sprawl as much as winter squash does.Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17436932004631816039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2884216770926932676.post-21464376268676747032016-02-05T22:55:39.590-05:002016-02-05T22:55:39.590-05:00Hi Margaret, I have decided not to grow any squas...Hi Margaret, I have decided not to grow any squash except zucchini. I wanted to ask more questions about the Bunching or Egyptian onions if you don't mind. Do you eat some like green onions and then leave some for seeds? Do you then replant the seed or does it just burst and replant itself. Thinking about digging a little spot by the driveway to put some. Thanks. NancyCozy Thyme Cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03933769393226611441noreply@blogger.com