My Garden
My Garden
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Post #91 - July 19th, 2007, 10:23 amGood call, gleam...Found this online:5. Q. Why won't my squash set fruit -- they bloom and the blooms fall off?
A. Squash have male and female blossoms on the same plant (monoecious). The male blossom is borne on a slender stalk. The female blossom has the swollen embryonic fruit attached at its base. The blossoms of both sexes are open and fertile only during the morning hours of one day. During this time pollen must be transferred by bees or by a person using an artists paint brush or Q-Tip, the female blossom will close without being fertilized, the squash will not enlarge and in a few days it will drop from the plant to the ground. The male blossom may open a second day, but the pollen will no longer be fertile and the blossom will close, wilt and drop from the plant that day or the next. There are many more male blossoms than female blossoms on a squash plant. There may be 3 to 4 male blossoms opening for several days to a week before the first female blossoms open.
8. Q. My squash has been producing plenty of male squash blooms which I have been eating as fast as they are produced. This Italian delicacy, fried squash blooms, is prepared by harvesting partially opened blooms, coated by dipping into a water-flour batter, browning in hot olive oil with a garlic clove (optional) added and serving with lemon. However I have not harvested any squash fruit. What could be the problem?
A. The problem is that you are eating the male bloom before the female bloom (the bloom with the small squash attached) can be pollinated. If you are removing the male bloom in a "partially opened" condition, pollination by insects can not have occurred and no squash fruit will be produced. You can't eat the blooms and have your squash too!!\
IIRC, I gave you the light-green pattypans - another fair warning, they are notoriously difficult to find when they are best as they blend in almost completely. A couple years ago, they were getting away from me regularly until they were UFO-sized (which still eat well, as long as they don't get hard outside, they're just impossible to eat whole)
Some pix I found on Flickr:
Female:
(the yellow one is perfect for picking, but in the back you can see a female flower with just a bump)
Male:
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Post #92 - July 19th, 2007, 10:28 amFrom an evolutionary standpoint, it seems quite odd to have more males than females. Jeez, that's not even intelligent design.
At any rate, I think I get it: the challenge is to not pick the males before they've had a chance to pollinate the females -- though how one determines that is beyond me. My garden is full of bees (yay), so I'm hoping they're doing their job."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #93 - July 19th, 2007, 1:23 pmYou could probably eat most of them as long as you leave one or two - I'd imagine the abundance of males is why they are a delicacy.
Or you could just go to Dona Lolis for a quesadilla...
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Post #94 - July 19th, 2007, 10:05 pmHi,
Looking deep into the jar you know instantly these are Pattypan Squash, though the label tells a slightly different story:
Regards,Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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Post #95 - July 19th, 2007, 10:09 pmC2, those look great...as do those bacon-wrapped dogs you posted.
I had some pattison (sic) fresh from the garden for dinner tonight...also great."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #96 - July 26th, 2007, 8:47 amIn an effort to defeat the gustatory whims of local varmints, I've been picking tomatoes just as they start to color -- they finish ripening on my sunny porch.
Question: is there anything wrong with this practice -- or, conversely, is there any value in letting tomatoes ripen on the vine?"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #97 - July 26th, 2007, 10:45 pmIt may be just my opinion... but tomatoes are always better when left on the vine to ripen. Even a tomato that could use a day or two more on the vine.
They will take longer to ripen off the vine (in my experience). Do you know what kind of varmints are going after the tomatoes?? Sometimes, it's hard to let those first few that are almost ready go.... but when it gets to the bumper crop, leave them on. Should be enough for critters and your own enjoyment.
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Post #98 - July 26th, 2007, 11:20 pmmissvjw wrote:They will take longer to ripen off the vine (in my experience). Do you know what kind of varmints are going after the tomatoes?? Sometimes, it's hard to let those first few that are almost ready go.... but when it gets to the bumper crop, leave them on. Should be enough for critters and your own enjoyment.
I'm in no rush.
I think it's coons and possums. Maybe a rat or two. Squirrels always a possibility.
I will definitely leave them on longer when there's a tidal wave of them."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #99 - July 26th, 2007, 11:33 pmHi,
If you do choose to ripen off vine, then you can slow ripening by leaving them in the open air. You speed it up by leaving them in a paper bag. Tomatoes give off ethylene gas while ripening that allowed to build up in the bag will encourage ripening.
Regards,Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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Post #100 - July 27th, 2007, 12:04 amCathy2 wrote:Hi,
If you do choose to ripen off vine, then you can slow ripening by leaving them in the open air. You speed it up by leaving them in a paper bag. Tomatoes give off ethylene gas while ripening that allowed to build up in the bag will encourage ripening.
Regards,
The Wife put them in the sun on the back porch. After they're off the vine, does the sun matter? Sounds like maybe no."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #101 - July 27th, 2007, 6:00 amDavid Hammond wrote:Cathy2 wrote:Hi,
If you do choose to ripen off vine, then you can slow ripening by leaving them in the open air. You speed it up by leaving them in a paper bag. Tomatoes give off ethylene gas while ripening that allowed to build up in the bag will encourage ripening.
Regards,
The Wife put them in the sun on the back porch. After they're off the vine, does the sun matter? Sounds like maybe no.
My Grandparents put their picked too early tomatoes on a southern exposure window for maximum light. I learned all this about ripening tomatoes off the vine long after they died. Another thing is not to refrigerate them until they are ripened, because that shuts off the ripening process.
U of I Extension has an interesting article on tomatoes that also covers tomatoes destined for market or for commercial canning. Picking your tomatoes early has flavor issues as well:"Exposure to sunlight is crucial for sugar production in tomatoes," said Nelson. "Picking mature green or breaker stage tomatoes reduces their time in the sun, and reduces the levels of sugar in the tomatoes.
You will also find this article on tomatoes a worthwhile read and reference.
Regards,Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
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Post #102 - July 27th, 2007, 6:12 amYou all have convinced me to try changing my ways. I've been happy with the tomatoes I've been picking early (though well into breaker stage), though I will try letting them stay on the vine longer just to see what happens.
Here, however, is one thing I'm still not clear about. C2, both articles say ""Exposure to sunlight is crucial for sugar production in tomatoes. Picking mature green or breaker stage tomatoes reduces their time in the sun, and reduces the levels of sugar in the tomatoes." But how about if you put breaker stage fruits in the sun as your grandparents did. Doesn't the sugar production process continue even when they're off the vine?"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #103 - July 27th, 2007, 6:22 amBut how about if you put breaker stage fruits in the sun as your grandparents did. Doesn't the sugar production process continue even when they're off the vine?
When you pick the fruit early, you are also taking it away from the plant who is feeding and providing optimal ripening conditions. You could experiment and provide us the results: eat a vine ripened tomato as opposed to one ripened on the window or in the bag. You could do this with three brothers from the same plant who are at approximately the same stage. Add another brother and throw him into the refrigerator.
Better living through science!
Regards,Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast
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Post #104 - July 27th, 2007, 6:28 amThere would be value in a side-by-side comparison of a tomato fully ripened on the vine and one plucked at breaker stage and left in the sun to ripen. I'm pretty sure one put in the refrigerator would suffer -- though I'm not fully certain why refrigerators rob flavor."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #105 - July 27th, 2007, 6:48 amHI,
I think you consider the refrigerator as a control, because it will likely be at the same point as when you plucked them all from the vine. Later it can fried green tomatoes, if there is any left.
I would choose them all from the same plant, because I believe you are growing several varieties.
Have fun!
Regards,Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast
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Post #106 - July 27th, 2007, 12:49 pmFinally got out to my plot with a camera:
You can see the damage done by the bunny, who, as a nontraditionalist, is leaving the carrots and celery for the beets, where barely a few ravaged leaves remain:
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Post #107 - July 30th, 2007, 1:55 pmCathy2 wrote:But how about if you put breaker stage fruits in the sun as your grandparents did. Doesn't the sugar production process continue even when they're off the vine?
When you pick the fruit early, you are also taking it away from the plant who is feeding and providing optimal ripening conditions. You could experiment and provide us the results: eat a vine ripened tomato as opposed to one ripened on the window or in the bag. You could do this with three brothers from the same plant who are at approximately the same stage. Add another brother and throw him into the refrigerator.
Better living through science!
Regards,
This afternoon, I discovered a very good reason NOT to pluck breakers off the vine and let them ripen in the sun: the tomatoes cook. The Wife is now making sauce of several beauties that were near ripe when I picked them but cooked to splitting glop in the hot sun.
Lesson learned: let the little bastids ripen on the vine, shaded and secure until needed."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #108 - August 2nd, 2007, 9:54 amBunny population explodes in suburbsI warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew it all, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little bunny, isn't it? Well, it's always the same. I always tell them...Run Away! Run Away!Last edited by Mhays on August 2nd, 2007, 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post #109 - August 2nd, 2007, 10:08 amMhays wrote:Bunny population explodes in suburbsI warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew it all, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little bunny, isn't it? Well, it's always the same. I always tell them--
The bunny baby has no fear of people. I will be standing less than three feet from the little guy, and he will just chomp (on grass) mindlessly. We have discussed this, and I try to instill in him (her?) a healthy suspicion of people, but no luck.
Hammond"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #110 - August 2nd, 2007, 10:08 amWell, we have had fewer wabbits showing up in our back yard, due to our beagle-mix Annie... however, I caught Annie in the back of my veggie garden munching on the cilantro, knocking over tomato cages, etc. I put up 18" wire fence which frightened her for a couple months, but her short legs are hurdling over them adequately now, darnit.
On the harvest front, small quantities of Rutgers tomatoes are ripe, along with numerous jalapenos, and the bells are just below tasty stage (I like to have most of them go to full red or yellow or what have you, but a couple early greens can kick up a salad). I was gone for a week and nobody else picked cukes, so I have pickling-type cucumbers three inches across and eight to ten long. De-seed & peel them & they're delicious.What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang
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Post #111 - August 2nd, 2007, 3:02 pmI tried to have mine arrested, but the nice police officer who happened to be ticketing cars at the garden patch had no sympathy for me at all, despite the fact that Baby Killer Rabbit was smiling up at me with beet greens dribbling off his chin...Hassenpfeffer, anyone?
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Post #112 - August 4th, 2007, 2:05 pmPattypans, in my experience, have been cute little bastids, having the circumference of a silver dollar, pretty tiny as squash go. So when I found the first great white pattypan in my garden, I thought it was a mutation (was there nuclear material in my backyard?). Then I found a few more. Here's how they compare to the little ones (kazoo and Oaxacan dream creature included to provide a sense of scale).
Now, my question: did I simply allow these squash to grow (when I should have picked them earlier) or are they rather a "big" variety of pattypan. Hope this isn't too naive a question; I've never farmed pattypans before, so their ways frighten and confuse me.
Incidentally, this morning, I sliced one up, fried it in Plugra, s/p, and it was pretty good."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #113 - August 4th, 2007, 6:47 pmThis was what I meant when I said UFO size; go ahead and slice it up - they still make a great gratin or grill well as long as they're not hard.
I think it's a combination of two things: they grow extremely quickly, and they are perfectly camoflauged by the squash stems - so if you forget one when it's dime size, it may be football-size before you notice it again. It's less of a problem with the yellow and dark green varieties.
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Post #114 - August 4th, 2007, 7:11 pmMy friend, that big mamma jamma of a squash is simply crying out to be casseroled:
SQUASH CASSEROLE
1 box cornbread mix
1 pkg "Mexican" cornbread mix--I'm pretty sure jiffy used to make one but I can't seem to find it north of the mason dixon line-- just use regular cornbread mix and add some sauteed jalapeno to taste if you can't find it.
2 sticks butter, melted
2 cans cream style corn
6 eggs, slightly beaten
6-8 small squash, thinly sliced
1 lg onion, thinly sliced
3 t olive oil
2 t butter
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb sausage, browned and drained
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
In a large skillet brown sausage until done; drain and set aside. In the same skillet add olive oil and butter until bubbling, add squash and onions. Add seasoning to squash (salt and peper to taste and maybe a pinch of garlic powder) and cook for 8-10 minutes.
While squash is cooking, in a large bowl add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add squash mixture and sausage to cornbread mix, stirring well.
Pour into a large casserole dish and bake for 40-45 minutes.
I often make this sans sausage and almost like it better that way--but with the sausage it's basically dinner, as far as I'm concerned. I like to use chicken sausage these days to cut down on the fat a little-- an "andouille" style marries well with all the other spices. I mean, there's already two sticks of butter in there so you clearly don't need much more fat to lubricate things.
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Post #115 - August 4th, 2007, 9:21 pmMhays wrote:This was what I meant when I said UFO size; go ahead and slice it up - they still make a great gratin or grill well as long as they're not hard.
I think it's a combination of two things: they grow extremely quickly, and they are perfectly camoflauged by the squash stems - so if you forget one when it's dime size, it may be football-size before you notice it again. It's less of a problem with the yellow and dark green varieties.
Ah, yes, now I receive your meaning. They did grow remarkably quickly, going from golf ball to Chicago softball size in probably 48 hours of humid heat. Now that I know what I'm dealing with, this is no problem at all...in fact, I found the flavor more pleasant, the texture more dense and interesting than the average zuke, and next year...I will eat more of the male blossoms (which really are very easy to identify, now that I have the eye).
Thank you kindly, bananasandwiches, for the casserole recipe. I will pass along to the responsible party (i.e., The Wife).
Hammond"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #116 - August 5th, 2007, 9:09 amNichols was selling pints of the baby ones, with a box of larger ones on the side that appeared to be rejects - it surprised me a bit when the 'spouse requested the big ones. I agree - they seem a lot less watery than other squashes in this family.
Glad they're doing so well!
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Post #117 - August 5th, 2007, 10:15 pmSo, squirrel varmints have been eating tomatoes, but that’s normal, and I had so many, why not share, I thought.
Then, they started messing with me. Not content to leave half-eaten tomatoes on the ground, they actually perched one on the fence, like the severed head of malefactor on a pike outside a medieval English town.
Coming home this afternoon, my daughter witnessed two squirrels fussing over this one; she said, when she spotted them, one of them dropped to the fence, flat, as though trying to hide, knowing it was doing something very wrong.
But I left the half-eaten tomato up there, figuring it was a fluke.
Later this afternoon, they put another one up there. A yellow one. This is psycho. This shall not stand. I didn't want this. This is war.
To defeat the squirrel, I must think like the squirrel.
Bring it, bushy tail.
Hammond
PS. When I went out in the yard this evening, I spotted my friend the bunny. He was looking at the tomatoes, clearly getting ideas. They're making this personal. They want a war, they got a war."Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #118 - August 5th, 2007, 10:26 pmDavid Hammond wrote:Later this afternoon, they put another one up there. A yellow one. This is psycho. This shall not stand. I didn't want this. This is war.
To defeat the squirrel, I must think like the squirrel.
Bring it, bushy tail.
Hammond
PS. When I went out in the yard this evening, I spotted my friend the bunny. He was looking at the tomatoes, clearly getting ideas. They're making this personal. They want a war, they got a war.
Famous last words, David. What if the animal kingdom in your neighborhood reads LTHforum? They will surely have read how you dealt with the raccoons. To paraphrase George C. Scott in the movie Patton, "Hammond, you bastard, I have read your post!" The animals go off clucking that nothing really will happen in this war of words.
Cathy2
"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast
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Post #119 - August 5th, 2007, 10:32 pmCathy2 wrote:David Hammond wrote:Later this afternoon, they put another one up there. A yellow one. This is psycho. This shall not stand. I didn't want this. This is war.
To defeat the squirrel, I must think like the squirrel.
Bring it, bushy tail.
Hammond
PS. When I went out in the yard this evening, I spotted my friend the bunny. He was looking at the tomatoes, clearly getting ideas. They're making this personal. They want a war, they got a war.
Famous last words, David. What if the animal kingdom in your neighborhood reads LTHforum? They will surely have read how you dealt with the raccoons. To paraphrase George C. Scott in the movie Patton, "Hammond, you bastard, I have read your post!" The animals go off clucking that nothing really will happen in this war of words.
Well, I do hear them talking outside my window right now, strategizing, no doubt, about how they plan to drive me nuts with their shenanigans...but reading LTH? C2, really, I don't think so. All due resect, that's crazy talk.
Hammond"Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
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Post #120 - August 6th, 2007, 9:03 amOnce again Romi (the dog) has started to steal my tomatoes. I once again neglected to prune, so I have this mongo plant growing through the fence and over it and around it, and green tomatoes hanging off. So Romi just reached up and grabbed one. The darn dog won't play with balls or other toys, he has to play with tomatoes? He tried to bury it next to one of my plants (he's wildly inefficient about this, for which the azalea thanks him - see pic below for another instance of inefficient toy burial).
So I pushed it back over the fence as much as possible, and at least one branch cracked but didn't totally break (I'm hoping enough of it maintained so the tomatoes on there don't die).
I can't even hate him, because of course he's my boy.
Here's the evil beastie himself:
Leek
SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
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