FARM GIRL'S CORNER - butternut squash

  

FARM GIRL

Hi! I’m Farm Girl. I help Uncle Mac in the garden and around the shed and things like that. Uncle Mac really likes to get a jump on the growing season but even I was surprised when he called me the other day.

“Farm Girl”, he said, “Git your bony ass over here I’ve a mind to do some plowin’!”

“Oh Mac, you silly man, I told him, we can’t do any plowing it’s the middle of winter!”

But he talked me into it and do you know he was right? We plowed from eleven in the morning until two in the morning the next day; it was amazing. I haven’t participated in a plow fest like that since homecoming night my senior year at Texas A & M! I do not know where the old bastard gets the stamina! Must be all the fresh veggies…

REALLY BIG BUTTERNUT SQUASH

But today on Farm Girls Corner I'm going to tell you about one of the crops that was a huge success in last years garden, "Really Big Hybrid”, a strain of butternut squash. “Really big” well describes this 10 to 15 pound whopper butternut squash, which is not only huge and prolific, it is full of tasty seeds and keeps spectacularly if you just store it in a cool but dry environment.

And it is so easy to grow! Just plant the seeds in well turned, compost rich soil, about an inch deep. Wait a full three weeks after the last frost to plant, these squash abhor cold weather. Allow three feet between each plant and its neighbor; these are vigorous, fast growing vines. They will try to grow outside the garden fence, do not allow it, critters are out there, awaiting their arrival.

MISTER BEAR

When the vines are beginning to flower, hitting them with fish emulsion spray is a terrific idea. (Apply fish oil emulsion only on days when the wind blows toward that neighbor you are not crazy about. It smells awful.) Other than that, they need little in the way of soil additives or fertilizers with the exception of the compost already mentioned.

Do water well when the tiny squash begin to develop and thereafter until harvest, these are thirsty veggies and need water to achieve maximum size and weight.

The seeds for this crop came from the Jung Seed Company, but they do not seem to be carrying the seeds this year. This is unfortunate, these are excellent squash, and the best butternuts we’ve had here in the garden for 40 years. So fire up your search engines, and add these wonderful vegetables to your list, they are worth the search.

And as always, thanks for viewing Farm Girls Corner!