I don't grow pumpkins. I don't really do Halloween. But at this time of year there are lots of pumpkin like alternatives ripe for harvest just now.
The obvious alternative is squash. I told you last time that they were suffering in the colder snap, so last week it was time to harvest. I've grown two types this year; the traditional butternut squash and a green type called Marina Di Chiogga. The latter I have never grown before and is one that we'll probably treat like a pumpkin in the way we cook it.
As you can see, we have a good crop of butternuts too. And the thing about squash is that they store so well. One of my fellow allotmenteers was telling me he had only just eaten his last 2019 grown squash, just as he was harvesting his 2020 ones. The true all year round vegetable!
The same cold weather that has seen off my squash has also finished the courgettes, but not before I have taken one final marrow-like one before the slugs get to work on it.
You will see below, that final courgette/marrow in the company of my first cabbage of the season. That's the way of veg growing, as one crop stops another one gets going!
The cabbages (as well as all the other greens) have been netted ever since they were planted out as seedlings. They were planted out with a boost of lime and calcified seaweed and the combination of protection, together with soil improver, has yielded some very healthy looking plants, which hopefully will turn into a decent crop. The pumpkin like size of the first cabbage, is a testament to that netting protection, with cabbage white butterfly caterpillars not getting in from above and to a certain extent the slugs not attacking from below - that latter fact possibly also being down to the dry early summer period we had, which gave my pretty large indoor (conservatory) protected seedling plants time to establish when planted out (too dry for slugs!).
There are hopefully plenty more cabbages (green and red), as well as kale, purple sprouting broccoli and especially sprouts to come. Last year sprouts were nowhere to be seen, this year there have been probably more sprout plants survive than any of the brassicas I've grown this year - and I've no idea why, that's the joy (or not) of grow your own!
Continuing the pumpkin like harvest theme is another new success for me this year - swede.
Although you might think they are a root vegetable, they actually have more in common with the brassica family. So, the fact that they have succeeded this year because I have treated them as part of the brassica patch (netted and supplemented), is a lesson I have learnt for the future.
So there you go. No pumpkins this year but still plenty of veg to hollow out and make into lanterns...or in my case just to eat!
Happy Halloween. #growyourown #marinadichioggia #butternutsquash #cabbage #swede #halloween
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