The squash appear to be Zucchini but...
Posted on 07/29/2011 5:22:39 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Good morning gardeners. This past week here in East Central Mississippi has been great, weather wise. There have been numerous and very beneficial pop-up T-storms almost every day, which have helped keep the temperatures down and my garden watered.
I hope TS Don will give some relief to those of you in drought stricken Texas. Forecasts are for it to dissipate in about 36 to 48 hours after landfall.
If you are a gardener or you are just starting out and are in need of advice or just encouragement please feel free to join in and enjoy the friendly discussion. Our Freeper community is full of gardeners, each with varying interests and skill levels from Master Gardener to novice.
I hope all your gardens are flourishing.
Something ate my mature Bell Pepper Plants: Squirrels and Rats.
Wael, not the whole plant. Just most of the branches 3/4 of the way to the top. Plants are three feet plus high.
Bob Webster, our local weekend San Antonio gardening guru, answered a caller’s question, what’s eating his pepper plants? Without hesitation or more than minimal hedging just to be safe, he was adamant. If leaves and branches disappeared during the day, the culprits were squirrels. If they disappeared over night, rats did the deed.
We do have a healthy squirrel population which at this time of year increases with the Spring litters. But, my damage is done at night, so rats it might be.
Anybody have a pet safe solution?
Our cat has caught two rats in the past two weeks along with two rabbits as well.
As I’m no canner, I freeze veggies. I wash, cut off the stem and bud end of my yellow squash. I use my trusty slicer and slice the squash about 1/8th inch thick. I freeze them and they turn out quite well. I also freeze my tomatoes, whole and use them in the fall & winter & spring in chili soups and casseroles. I freeze corn on the cob.
Lady Bender sautes her squish in butter but you could use olive oil plus she may add a little garlic. She says not to over cook them...
I would just wash them slice them and fry them in butter, a pinch of olive oil, salt & pepper. In fact, I’d slice some quite thin and freeze for later use. They would make an impressive presentation on a dinner plate. They look wonderful.
Your reply caused me to realize something. Our feral and domestic cat population seems to have disappeared. I see few to none roaming about day or night.
We do have jack rabbits but haven’t seen one in a long time.
Over the last few years most of the open areas where both feral cats and jack rabbits flourished have been developed for residential and commercial building. Very little open space left.
If I did not fear for its life as a play thing for our mixed breed Dachshunds, I’d sure adopt a cat! Too bad the Dachshunds are not nocturnal.
The squash appear to be Zucchini but...
LOLOLOL! You and Twain have no way of knowing how close to the truth of my situation your story is! As a matter of fact, I once read that Twain’s (Clemons’) daughter (who lived next door to him as an adult) kept a very close eye on him because of his predilictions for very young women...There is a parallel there too, unfortunately.
Gorgeous. What time is dinner? I’ll be over as soon as I get rid of the piano tuner!
That’s a good idea. (Saving some for later in the freezer.)
I’d have about 80 days: expected first frost sae October 20-30 here in USDA Zone 6B.
At that size they make a gorgeous edible ‘bowl’. I cut off an end and scrape out the squash meat. Mix that with other veggies, mushrooms and perhaps some ground meat or sausage, and stuff the hollowed out squash. Bake them off or freeze them for later. Top with some shredded cheese before serving.
Good to see you again. How is your garden doing?
Very Nice AFTR.
I can picture these lovely squash, sliced from the stem end to the bottom, sauteu’ed with a stem of sage, a slice of garlic browned with butter with a “splash” of olive,salt & pepper, wilted. OH MY. Then the browned butter “splashed” over mini “smashed” potatoes and a lovely steak.
I was thinking the same thing, when I first posted. They look so yummy. I wonder how they would do as a scraped pot filled with mini potatoes, cubed steak, onions, garlic? Oh those morsels (squash) sound interesting.
Ok, I’m feeling much better about the barrel pickles. They did not taste like what I was expecting, but apparently it was my expectations that were off. I gave some to my neighbor who is from Philly. They said they taste just like the jewish deli barrel pickles from Philly. So all is good. Its a different taste for me, and it’s growing on me. I kept a little over half the batch for me. Gave my neighbors the rest.
Also, I made 2 half gallon jars of hot garlic dills today. really loaded up on the peppers, garlic and dill. They should be really good in a few months. They will be the last pickles for me this season. I have 23 quarts in storage and another 4 or 5 quarts in the fridge. Any more cukes this year will be donated to co-workers or the local soup kitchen.
Thanks for the update. Are you planning a family?
Planning a family? No, already got one. A 2 and half year old son, and an 11 week old baby girl. Those cravings are over.
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