Saturday, August 17, 2013

Volunteer Squash Garden from Compost Pile + Help Us Identify Mystery Squash Growing!

This Summer we had all kinds of goals, but it turned out that we were a lot busier than expected!
One of our goals was to plant raised bed gardens throughout the yard and try to become mostly self sustainable, as far as produce goes.
This didn't happen.
We did, however, have a volunteer garden, which I lovingly refer to as our
Free Spirited Garden. :)
{this is also what I call our flower bed in front of the house that runs wild & free with weeds galore... mainly because I have no time to bother with it!}



BEHOLD!


As you can see, it has grown up the fence and over the other side into the easement next to our home. We plan to donate all that grows on that side to the neighborhood once they are ripe & ready to be picked.

Just a couple of months ago we were excited to notice a sprig or two of something sprouting out of our compost pile in the corner of our yard.
At first we thought it could be a potato plant, and then we were sure it was a pumpkin...
Every day we would go out back to see if we could tell for sure what it could be.
The anticipation was exciting and it quickly became a sort of a daily hobby! 
It soon became clear that we have ourselves, not one, but a few different kinds of squash plants growing, among other volunteers that sprouted in the center of the plant.

There's Tomatillos, Potatoes & who knows what else growing in the very center.
We've enjoyed a squash or two here and there already, but it was just a couple days ago when we harvested our first FULL basket.

Abigail loves to run outside and help Daddy!


We know for sure we have some Acorn Squash, which is simply divine straight out of the oven... 
Buttery-like, creamy, goodness.
There's probably some Butternut in there as well, and at least a couple of other volunteers too.


But we are not sure about one of them....
Perhaps you can help name this one??

We figure it is a cross between two or more squash, because we have no memory of eating something of this nature!

It's "knotty" and a bit ugly! LOL
I'd think we would remember purchasing and eating something like this.

Can you identify it by chance? 

We would like to know what it is so that we know when to harvest it. 
We did pick one of them, but it was way too soon.

The ones over the fence are turning a bit green now, so we're thinking they have a little while to go before they are ripe. 

Your thoughts are welcome! :)



7 comments:

  1. I need to take your advice next year and start a garden. My neighbor has one and it's right up against my fence and it's doing so well. She often gives me cucumbers and tomatoes, but I just love the idea of having my own garden. I never would have thought I'd be that way.

    And those squash look awesome!

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    1. You should! Simple container gardens are great and easy to do. You should consider composting too! You'd be amazed at how much LESS garbage you throw away by turning it into the best soil you could have! :)

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  2. Love your Free Spirited Garden, Amanda! It's not a crookneck squash is it?

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    1. It has that bumpy texture like one but it doesn't have the curved, or "crooked neck" part of it. I don't remember but it could be quite possible that maybe we ate some Crookneck Squash at some point and maybe it crossed with another squash due to the bees cross pollinating. LOL Who knows! This entire experience has been a fun experiment. :)

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  3. I think it is Crookneck cross Acorn squash. I have the same volunteer in my compost this year.

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  4. The same happened to me ..a plant just appeared in my rose bed .. after I put some of my homemade compost on it! I have grown three lovely squashes and am delighted.. but sorry, cannot find a name for it!

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