Growing Squash, Pumpkins And Zucchini

Growing squash, pumpkins and zucchini (a.k.a. courgettes) is rewarding if you have enough room in your garden. The plants are rather demanding in terms of the space that they need but you can harvest many delicious examples from one plant so most gardeners find them a very rewarding vegetable crop.

Squash, pumpkins and zucchini are all members of the same plant genus, Cucurbita, along with cucumbers, watermelons and gourds. They grow on vines. Technically they are fruit, not vegetables at all. However, they are often treated as vegetables in the kitchen.

Growing Squash

Squash is a wide term that covers many different fruits but zucchini is a type of summer squash which will be covered later in this article. Therefore, under this heading of growing squash we will consider only winter squash such as butternut squash, acorn squash etc. Although these are called 'winter squash' they are grown in the warm season and harvested only a little later than zucchini.

A sunny corner of the vegetable garden is a good place for growing squash, pumpkins and zucchini. You can train the vines to grow out of the vegetable bed so that they do not take over too much of your precious composted soil. If you have more than one plant, they should be at least two feet apart, depending on the variety.

Water them regularly but do not allow the ground to become waterlogged. Harvest them when the vines that they are growing on start to become dry and shriveled.

Growing Pumpkins

Pumpkins are native to North America which is part of the reason why they have become so strongly identified with American traditions like Halloween and Thanksgiving. They will grow pretty much anywhere in the States except for Alaska. They prefer slightly acidic soil, pH 6.0 to 6.8.

Pumpkins like warm weather. In most climates you can plant in June or July for harvest in the fall. They like a certain amount of water but not too much. If the ground is too wet, the fruit can rot. On the other hand if the soil is very sandy or there is not enough water, the fruit will not grow well.

Growing Zucchini Or Courgettes

Zucchini is a summer squash thought to have originated in Italy. It is less sweet than pumpkins and most winter squashes and belongs to a different family in the same genus. The name 'zucchini' is used in North America and Australia and comes from the Italian (plural in Italian, but used for both singular and plural in English). The French name 'courgette' is used in all other English-speaking countries. Both 'zucchini' and 'courgette' mean 'small pumpkin'.

Zucchini are very easy to grow and often produce bumper crops for home gardeners. The flowers can be eaten and make a wonderful garnish for salads. If you do pick the flowers, you will have fewer fruit. This can be an advantage if you tend to have a glut of zucchini each year.

One or two starter plants is enough for most gardens. You can grow them from seed and plant out as seedlings. They should have three months of frost-free growth outdoors when daytime temperatures are warm but not scorching hot.

Zucchini can grow to 2-3 feet long but they are usually harvested at around 8 inches when immature. If left to grow too long they become more fibrous and the seeds become harder.

Growing squash, pumpkins and zucchini relies on good pollination. This is naturally done by bees but if the bee population is not numerous in your area, you can help it along by hand pollination. Insufficient pollination will result in fruit that does not develop properly.

If You're Collecting, Ebay Selling is for You!

If you or someone you know is interested in collecting, EBay selling is something you need to get familiar with!  Ebay is a huge Internet site that allows people to sell or buy at auction almost anything you can think of.  There are very few restrictions on what you can buy or sell.  Are you fond of antique toasters? Bicycles?  Vintage rhinestone jewelry?  Stuffed toys?  Elvis memorabilia?  Whatever you are collecting, Ebay selling will probably have what you want.

Ebay is essential to know about if you are enthusiastic about your collecting.  For instance, if you collect a particular type of antique or vintage dishes, such as Fiesta, you can search Ebay for exactly the piece you need to complete your set.  In addition to finding the exact item you are looking for, there is a possibility you'll get it for a great price as well.  That tangerine colored pitcher might be yours for a song.  You just have to look.

Collecting is one thing, but what about when the collector gets more items than he or she can store?  What if they inadvertently collected duplicates of the same item.  Or what if you just have stuff you don't want anymore?  That's where Ebay selling can help.  You can list your item on Ebay, and another collector can find it and make a bid.  Ebay is a great way to recycle unwanted used items and make a few dollars as well as helping you with your collecting.  Ebay selling is not hard to learn, either.

For just about every item you can name, someone somewhere collects it, and they are probably searching Ebay for what they want.  So whatever you are collecting, Ebay selling can help you generate the money needed to add items to your own collection while getting rid of things you don't need.  In addition, you can be gratified to know that the item you didn't want, like the bikes your kids have outgrown, or your vintage clock, was exactly what some other collector was seeking.

Just like collecting, Ebay selling can get almost addictive.  It's a fun hobby that many people are discovering.  So where do you go if there's something special you are collecting?  Ebay!  Selling, you'll find, is almost as fun as collecting, so be sure to try it, too.  Remember, too, that Ebay can not only help you complete your collections.  It can also be a source for the things you need for other hobbies, interests, and needs in your life.

Growing Broccoli In Your Garden

How easy is growing broccoli in your garden? If you have a suitable climate, it should be no problem at all.

Broccoli is a cold season crop that grows well in cool and temperate climates such as USDA zone 3-5. If you have a warmer climate, try it by all means, but you may not have such a good crop.

Broccoli comes in two main varieties. The popular kind with large green heads is called calabrese. This is the type that we will consider when we look at growing broccoli in this article. The other kind, which has smaller purple or white heads, takes much longer to grow and must be planted in late spring for harvest the following spring.

Planting Broccoli (Calabrese)

Broccoli plants can grow to 3 feet tall, so choose a site for growing broccoli plants where they will not invade or shade other plants. They will like some sun but they do not need to be in full sun all day. Crop rotation is very important to avoid disease, and you should leave 3 clear seasons before growing broccoli or another crop of the brassica family (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) again on the same site.

You can plant broccoli seeds directly in the garden around 4-6 weeks before the usual last frost date. In cold climates, cover the area with cloches for 2 weeks before planting, as well as after. If you are in a warmer climate, plant around March.

When the seedlings appear, thin them to 9 inches apart.

Calabrese does not appreciate being moved as a seedling so it is better to plant directly into your vegetable beds or use a container that they can stay in until they are well established.

Growing Broccoli And Harvesting

Once the seedlings are thinned and established, you can add compost to the surrounding soil from time to time. Water it in but do not let it touch the plants.

Weed around the growing broccoli plants frequently or cover the soil with a weed deterrent mulch or fabric.

Like all of the brassica family, broccoli can be attacked by pests including aphids, caterpillars, mildew, clubroot and cabbage root fly. If you identify any of these on your plants, take action immediately. Some can be treated with products from the nursery, others are more serious and you must dig out the plants and get them right out of your garden. Caterpillars can be picked off and squished or released far enough away that they won't crawl back.

Harvest when the flowers are budding and green, before they turn yellow or open. You can either snap or cut the stalks.

If you have a large crop you will want to freeze some. Broccoli freezes well. Cut the head into spears and blanch them by boiling for 2-3 minutes in salted water. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes, patting them dry with absorbent paper, and freeze right away. Freezing is a great way to get the best out of growing broccoli in your garden.

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