Blue Hubbard Squash are growing!
Even though it is snowing and cold here in upstate NY today, my thoughts run to spring. We are so ready for it after our long hard winter. I went upstairs to water my seedlings this morning and found many had sprouted. I will transplant them into their own pots soon. Keeps me focused on my garden. I wrote about starting my seeds in this post, Starting Seeds Today on March 18th. They are coming up and look good.
My Hopi Pale Gray Squash 2010
Except my own saved Hopi Grey Squash seeds have not showed their face yet. Now these seeds are heirlooms and I thought they would start with no trouble. Maybe they need more time, or............
Hopi Gray Squash Seeds 2010
I recently read on Jackie Clay's blog that you are not supposed to plant any squash seeds within a mile of each other. Now I don't have that much room on my whole property let alone in my garden. It makes me wonder about people with next door neighbors who have gardens. Many people grow winter squash. She had much more detail on it on her blog but it makes me see I really need to do the research on saving seeds and planting heirloom seeds. If you follow my link to her blog, scroll down to the area where readers ask questions. She tells you there about saving squash seeds (it might be hard to get past the pictures of her beautiful log house though!).
Broccoli Seedlings
It disappoints me that I shouldn't be planting that many different kinds of squash in one garden. Does that mean that I can't grow various types of pumpkins and squash? Or is that the conditions for only the heirlooms? I have some that are not heirlooms. I was going to be using them up before I discontinued them completely from my garden. I guess I will learn as I go with the heirlooms and saving my seeds.
Hubbard Seedling Popping Up!
How is your seed starting going this year? My friend Marlene, the writer of an awesome blog called Marlene's Many Hats posted her seed starts for her Wordless Wednesday post this week, Look at her zucchini..........wow! Way to go Marlene!
Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
8 comments:
Oh Kat, isnt it wonderful to experience the circle of life? All this growing and blossoming around us. My peas just peaked. My lettuce and onions are doing fine. I am content with my little veggie garden.
Yes Paula! The spring time brings excitement into my every day life. Nothing is the same every day. I haven't even been able to plant my peas yet. You have such a longer season than I do. Not too far south and not too far north.
Awwww Katlupe.....thanks for the plug! My seedlings are growing fast and so fun to watch! They make me want to plant more! However I think I should probaby start small. Growing things has not been one of my strengths.
Any thoughts on how big my sprouts should get before I put them in the ground? I am such a newby! :)
Marlene, in my climate I have to "harden" them off by setting them outside in the day time at first. Doing that for about a week or so. Not sure about your climate though since it is not this cold. I usually wait till their stems look sturdy enough to survive the transplanting. Put one or two in and see how they do.
Thanks for the input Katlupe! I think I will give them a bit more time and then get them used to the outside. :)
Katlupe-
If you are interested in saving seeds and you want them to produce plants true to type (like the plant that produced the seed) you must either grow only one variety at a time from each species or you need to learn a few easy seed saving techniques that will require a bit of commitment.
I recommend that you buy or borrow Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth.
Thank you for that recommendation! I need that book and will check Amazon for it. I do want to master the seed saving for my garden.
This is old thread..
I'm just planting my grey Hopi out today.
Along with Stella blue Hubbard, Tokyo blue Hubbard and the French pottimaron Hubbard.
I will keep seed from all 4 and also make 6 cross lines from the four parents.
If you wake up at dawn, before the insects can fly, you can breed a male flower to a freshly opening female of your choice
Then put a little stocking sock or organza bag over the female flower so she can't be fertilized again by an insect.
This way you don't have to grow them do far apart, but can breed them truly.
All the best
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