Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Summer Squash in Winter? Inconceivable!

Vizzini:  
"Inconceivable!"  

Inigo Montoya:  
"You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means."

The Princess Bride rang through my head as I gazed out my window and down into the raised garden.  It was totally and completely inconceivable.  We've had temperature dipping below 29 degrees!  Nothing, and I mean nothing, with the word 'summer' in the name should survive those temps.

Inconceivable!

But there it was.

winter summer squash

A small summer squash was growing in my raised garden bed in the front yard.  In the fall.  In freezing temperatures.

So... how?!

I haven't the slightest clue.  Well, that's not entirely correct.  I signed a petition, then planted 2 seeds a few months ago in a silent show of support for a couple living in the city of Drummondville in Quebec.  They had been told by the Municipal Council that their entire edible landscape in their front yard had to be ripped out, because it was in violation of the city's code.

Their garden, by the way, is gorgeous.

Since then, the municipal council has reversed its ruling, and the Beauchamps household has been able to keep the edible garden.  Thank goodness!

And my seeds continued to sit in the garden bed, neglected.  But then leaves fell from the trees in my yard.  Many, many leaves.  They covered the bed.  Naturally, they provided protection.

Then winds came.  Some of the leaves blew away, but not many.  Just enough to allow light to come through.

Then there was a bit of rain.  The soil was moistened, and the surrounding leaves kept it moist.

And then?

Well... then mother nature took over and let the squash plant sprout!  Now that I know it's there I'll have to figure out a way to give it added protection.  The plant is healthy, and you can see more flower buds below the topmost bloom.

Can I call that a bloom, yet?  Or is it still just a bud?  Hmmm...

If it survives, I'd get my first fruit in the early days of winter, or in the tail end of this fall.  Summer quash in winter...  I think I could be happy about that!

Now to get to work keeping it protected!




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