Bernie and don’t plant squash in our garden. Bernie does not care for squash – although he recently told me he does like Acorn Squash. Geez, the things you learn after 20 + years of marriage. At any rate, he doesn’t particularly care for squash and I’ve learned that people who grow squash are usually eager to share it, so I count on the generosity of others to supply a fresh squash once or twice a year to satisfy my taste for it.
So, when a volunteer squash sprouted up next to the tomatoes this spring, I was pretty darn happy to have just one little ol’ plant that would likely produce plenty of squash for the one person that eats it around here. I figured it was a seed from some Zucchini Bernie’s mom and dad gave us a couple of years ago. I remembered throwing the ends of the Zucchini in our compost pile, and we used the compost pile in the garden this year.
As time went on, this squash really started getting big. It began sprawling outside of the raised bed it was rooted in, and before too long it choked out the vegetables I had growing in straw bales.
This wasn’t especially upsetting to me because I’ve been very disappointed in my experiment with straw bale planting – but that’s another story for another time. The squash plant began to bloom and I began to get excited to finally see what the heck kind of squash we were growing. And this is what we’re growing:
OK, so all you squash experts out there – what the heck kind of mutant squash are we growing around here? And will it stop spreading or do I need to call the National Guard?
I ran out of gauze wrap, so I cut up some scrap material to make the wrap for Duke’s leg. This morning I wrapped it in baby blue bunny print fabric.
Fortunately, he’s so fat he can’t see his feet. Unfortunately, all the other chickens are laughing at him. He hasn’t spoken to me all day.
Bee Free,
Penny
Tags: squash
That thing is HUGE!!! You’d better watch your back, you remember that move Attack of the Killer Tomatoes? This “squash” looks like a sequel!!
Duke kind of looks like he’s rocking the 80′s bandanna look. That’s probably why he’s not talking to you.
Jocelyn – Dang straight! That plant is down right scary. If you don’t hear from me for a week or two……
Actually, I think my friend Charlotte just identified it. She gave me a bunch of pumpkins last year for my chickens and I put the leftovers in the compost bin. I think that dad gum thing is a monster pumpkin plant! I’ve never grown pumpkins – I don’t eat orange stuff. But my chickens will love it if that’s what it turns out to be!
And yea, Duke does look like he’s rocking, doesn’t he? But I KNOW he hears the other chickens laughing……
Yep. I was gonna say pumpkin, too. Look how healthy and strong that plant is, tho. Pretty, orange pumpkins….cuz we all know how much you like to eat orange stuff.
Tell Duke that I love his cast. Can I sign it?
Frugalmom – Blech, blech, blech! Orange stuff! Yea, that plant is happy. Figures – the one dad gum thing I could care less about hogs all the nutrients in the soil. But I gotta see this through to the end – I mean whatever it is certainly WANTS to live!
And Duke said yes – he would love you to be the very first to sign his cast. And while you’re here maybe you could help Bernie “take care of” all those spare roos running around this joint. Hey – don’t look at me! I’m just relaying Duke’s message. When shall we expect you?
Penny, Tex reminded me the farmer next door to us had all kinds of colors of pumpkins, So maybe it is one of them. I will make shore to get you a few more if he gives me some.
Aw, I *love* the baby blue bunny print. I think he pulls off the look quite nicely. Poor guy.
Regarding that green thing you’ve got taking over your yard, I think you should scratch Duke’s name into the side and, as it continues to grow, his name will get bigger and bigger. THAT will make him feel better. And it will show nasty Bobby Lee who the REAL boss around the farm is, don’t you think?
Charlotte – if it’s from one of his, can you even SEE his house right now??? Poor guy might need some help!
Farmgirl – Ohhhhh, I like that! I’m going to do it! And then I’m going to tote Duke in his baby blue bunny cast up there and show it to him. And then I’m going to tote Mr. Reign of Terror up there and show it to HIM. And then I’m going to post a picture in this blog. And then I’m gonna sleep pretty darn good.
I think you mights have an acorn squash. If it turns yellow then I win. But pumpkin would make more sense, since you can trace it’s possible origin.
Although if it is an acorn and it just showed up, that makes it really scary (insert Twighlight Zone theme song here).
Oh, poor Duke. I just hate that he is having such a time.LOL As for your squash, we do like squash so you would think I would experiment a little but no I just plant the plan old crook neck every year. I have no idea what kind you have there but it looks good to me.
Katey – I know – whatever it is already is a little scary to me! I’m going to bet some sort of hybrid mutant thingy. The shape is kinda weird. Whatever it is, it looks like we’re going to have plenty of it!
Trixi – It seems like Duke is destined to having a hard time. I don’t know what it is with that boy…. And if you really want to experiment a little, I can send you some seeds from this mutant plant!
“Since I don’t eat orange things” LOL!!
I think Duke is man enough to pull off a bunny themed wrap.
I agree with you CeeCee – Duke is secure in his manhood
LMFAO@Dukes new footwear……
We had a courgette plant a few years back just start growing in the middle of our lawn LOL it must of been from a bird poo dropping or something, we have no idea, but we let it grow and had loads of courgettes from it…..
I seriously think Im gonna try and get an allotment next year to fulfil my need for growing things, our tiny garden is so not enough…… well, thats if Im up and proper on me pegs by then, and even then with 2 dodgy knees it will be a struggle, but such is life lol
x
Marmy – OK, I admit it. I totally had to look up “courgette”. French word for zucchini? Bet your neighbor LOVED seeing it in the middle of your lawn each day
Maybe we can start a seed swap for flowers and veggies!
I know this is an old post but I’m curious if you found out what it was.
Looks like a heirloom pumpkin but also looks like a butternut squash crossed with a pumpkin. We have friends who had plants do that and had pumpkins shaped like that and the flesh was a lighter orange.
Hi Laura – as it turned out, it was some type of pumpkin! We got two off of it, and they were both quite large, but one was HUGE. I remembered that a friend had given me several pumpkins to feed the chickens the year before and I believe that one of the seeds ended up in the garden. I have never intentionally planted pumpkins, so that’s all I can figure. Thanks for stopping by!
Glad the mystery was solved. Thanks for updating. I am loving your blog.