First Fruiting

 It's not all bad news. Plants that I held back in the greenhouse are happy and even the outdoor tomatoes are looking as if they may survive/recover. Now that we have warm sunny weather everything is fluffing out with considerable exuberance. I've planted out three types of corn today - already a foot high - sweet Swiss and Mezdi and Rainbow popcorn. 

Naked Seed

Sowed broad beans 'Aquadulce Longpod' yesterday and continued garden clear-up in sunny 16°. Also liberated the seed from 'Lady Godiva' squash. Not a very impressive take at 2/3 of a pint ...

Squash 2020

I put a question mark beside Zucca Mantovana because it doesn't look like what it oughta. It's either a sport or some mis-labelling has occurred somewhere. Not exactly a bumper year but I'm blaming lack of rain for all ills this year. Scabby potatoes, stunted beets that ran to flower, tiny miserable corn cobs, ...

Pickled

Yesterday I dealt with some of my cucumber overload - 5 x 1 litre jars of sweet and sour ...

... made with some love, spices and half a packet of GurkenDoktor.

Curly Cukes

Coming thick and fast now... Telegraph and Longue de Chine

June Already

And that day of rain in April was it. There was a promise of rain yesterday which didn't materialize. So watering has been an almost nightly activity. Collected the first handfuls of snow peas and giant Tayberries. Small tomatoes forming on 'Peasant' early variety and tiny little cucumber beginnings are visible. And I can never get enough of marvelling at tendrils...

Meruhen Kabocha

Just split open my only Meruhen Kabocha squash. Beautiful thick dry dark orange flesh. A tip-top fruit which tonight will be cooked with chestnuts, rice, sage, and butter. A recipe found on the internet.

Annual Group Photo

A total of 53 lbs. of squash here. The big green hubbard up top is a 20 lb. monster, the picture doesn't do it justice.

Squash 2018

The line-up for this season - Green Hubbard, Patisson Orange, Queensland Blue, Cream of the Crop, Chirimen, Blue Banana, Anna Swartz (Hubbard) and Gourd Gigantique! This photo is already one week old, they now have true leaves and demand to be potted on. Then I need to find space enough in the garden for their exuberance.
And here is the last of last year's just roasted.

Squash 2017

Well, the crop of 2017 (minus two Canada Crooknecks that we've already eaten) doesn't exactly make my chest swell with pride. Though the Violina Rugosa front and centre is a fine thing.
Still, there's always next year ...

Cucumber Numbers

Here are half a dozen that need eating now. That's about 6 and a half feet of cucumber. And there are a dozen more near this size on the vines. And I've already eaten or given away at least another half dozen ...
I put 4 vines in the greenhouse and 2 outdoors. That's 4 feet of cucumber from each vine - so far. There are still more forming.
Now, I've got this recipe for cucumber sandwiches from an old book my mother gave me when I left home called 'New Dinners for All Occasions' by Elizabeth O. Hiller, 1920. "Pare 1 slender cucumber, cut in slices crosswise the thickness of a silver dollar. Marinate with French dressing. Let stand in a cold place 15 minutes. Shape thin slices of white bread in small rounds a trifle larger than the cucumber, spread with mayonnaise, cover half the slices with a slice of cucumber, cover with remaining halves, press edges and sprinkle top side with paprika."
If I make the thickness of a silver dollar to be roughly 1/8 inch, then these 6 will yield me 624 such sandwiches.
Note to self for next year: Get a pickling variety, a later variety that stores, and perhaps just 2 in the greenhouse.

An embarrassment of cucumbers

Solstice Stocktaking

On this, the hottest day of the year (so far) - 32° - a look at how things are progressing. I was late sowing - April 10th for tomatoes, courgettes, squash and cucumber. But even so, cucumbers are ready to cut now, courgettes just a few days away and black cherry tomatoes have formed and will ripen in another couple of weeks I guess. Early riser beans are 6 feet up the poles and charlotte potatoes are in bloom behind them. The corn is as high as a pygmy goat's eye and there is lettuce aplenty and still pickings of chard and kale from last year. No rain in sight so lots of watering to be done...

Sectioned

Just eating up the last of last year's squash. After a two and a half month winter sojourn on Toronto Island I've spent the past few weeks playing catch-up in the garden. Trays of seedlings are now coming along in the green house and most of the beds are weeded. Not so many weeds this spring due to the lack of rain, and I'm already siphoning grey water into the rain barrels. Oh, maybe it's too soon to start moaning about dry weather.

Swell

Pollinators at work on a male flower (c) and female flower (r)

The recent warm weather has kickstarted the squash. The vines had been rampant and lots of tentative fruiting, but finally some look determined to go through with it.
'Anna Schwartz' Hubbard on the left, 'Black Futsu' moschata (top) and 'Oregon Sweetmeat' (bottom)

Smashing Pumpkin

This splendid pumpkin is a Golden Delicious although it isn't teardrop shaped as they normally are. But just look how thick the flesh is, a very small seed cavity! I've found a website which has a few hundred varieties to choose from - KCB Samen . I may have to find a bit more space in the garden next year for a couple of Yuxijiangbinggua.

Squash 2012

One grand-daddy (21 lbs.) and a whole lot of under-achievers!

Comparing Apples to Cucumbers

"Young broods of swallows come out. Cut 171 cucumbers; in all 424 this week. Sweet moon light!"
Gilbert White in The Natural History of Selbourne September 10 1791

Cucumbers were late in coming this year but now abound and they are all mine to eat as him-indoors won't touch them. As for texture and crunch, 'Suyo Long' could be likened to a McIntosh (Boy Scout) apple, 'Kyoto 3 Foot' a Granny Smith, 'Hmong Red' a Cox Pippin and 'Kaiser Alexander' an Egremont Russet.

Back on the Menu

Ratatouille!

Another Ho Hum Harvest

For pottage and puddings and custard and pies,
Our pumpkins and parsnips are common supplies,
We have pumpkins at morning and pumpkins at noon,
If it were not for pumpkins we should be undoon.

Pilgrim verse circa 1630

A Mammal's Notebook

"My only nourishment consists of food that is white: eggs, sugar, shredded bones, the fat of dead animals, veal, salt, coco-nuts, chicken cooked in white water, mouldy fruit, rice, turnips, sausages in camphor, pastry, cheese (white varieties), cotton salad, and certain kinds of fish (without their skin).
I breathe carefully (a little at a time) and dance very rarely. When walking I hold my ribs and look steadily behind me.
I sleep with only one eye closed, very profoundly."

Erik Satie 'A Mammal's Notebook'