There was no storm or wind, this zucchini just really outgrew her space and she toppled out of the bed and onto the ground. I don't think the stem was severed, and she'll be fine, she's just hanging out in the pathway now. Actually, this same thing is about to happen to the zucchini on the other end of the bed. I can see how this would be a downside to raised beds, especially ones 12 inches high like mine because on the ground, these things could sprawl everywhere without the danger of cracking the main stem, however, not enough of one to make me change my mind about how crazy-awesome raised bed gardening is and it also brings me to my purpose here:
I may not be able to grow much, but I can grow the fool out of zucchini!
Only a lonely squash and cucumber to add to the mix, but I can always seem to grow enough zucchini to feed a small state. My friends, what veggie are you guilt riddenly proud of? It's time to lay aside your humility and share your gardening ego boosting crop!
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I cannot grow zucchini to save my life. Maybe it has something to do with my veggie garden being in the shade;)
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska
Phew! For a moment, I thought we had a casualty on our hands...
ReplyDeleteHmmm... Being as this is only my second year, but I'm counting it as my first really "educated" year, and my garden is so stinkin' small, I can't say I have an ego boosting crop yet... Probably last year's okra (nom), and this spring's lettuce, since they survived and provided more than a handful of a crop. LOL
I don't have one yet. I am hoping to one of these years though!!
ReplyDeleteIf I were to write a dummy's guide to gardening, the crop at the top of the easy list would be kale. I can't seem to keep up with the harvest. Sure the cabbage worms make a play for it but they're not too tough.
ReplyDeleteGood to know about the zucchini. Maybe I'll stake it as it gets bigger. Have you given any of your zucchini away? By august, they 3e like the "fruit cake" in the gardener's giving world. No one wants them!
Okra and green beans. We're overun with them each year.
ReplyDeleteI think potatoes and garlic, since it seems many people "outside our little blogger circle" think they are very difficult or don't understand how, so I always get ooohs and ahhhhs over all the alliums hanging all over my deck! Things like "you can GROW that?" which makes me laugh because all I can think of is , "yeah, and it tastes even better than the stuff made in the garlic factory"... but I hold my tongue LOL!
ReplyDeleteMy kids recently discovered they love zucchini in stir fry. So I decided to plant some this year. Everyone keeps telling me that it will grow out of control. Well, I bought two plants from the local nursery and they both died. I bought another and it looks puny. I finally decided to plant a few from seed and so far they look good. We will see but it is already so hot here and it is only mid-June. I think I have two crops of craziness this year. Okra and tomatoes. I have about 40 plants of okra (harvested first pod yesterday) and 18 tomato plants. But, hey, my husband and I grew up in South Louisiana and all my family wants is lots of gumbo!!
ReplyDeleteHope to post next week for Harvest Monday!
We've given about 10 zucchini away so far. I've got two or three more I'm going to harvest at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteMy squash still looks puny. It's so funny how the zucchini will grow like gangbusters, but the squash is lazy.
I've been known to grow a few tomatoes and a head or two of lettuce ;-) Zucchini never does well for me, although I'm good at butternut squash.
ReplyDeleteChard does very well for me at least usually. I'm hoping tomatoes will be my good crop this year, but every year it is something else. One year it was cucumbers, but not last year. I couldn't grow enough to can more than three pints.
ReplyDelete...and they are just delicious! We just had some with our dinner. Yummmm...
ReplyDeleteI square foot garden, but the squash and cucumbers and melons are left out. They have their own space nearby. :)
ReplyDeleteZucchini Candy
ReplyDelete10 cups peeled diced zucchini 1/2 inch cubes ( I use "worms" about 3 inches long and 1/12 inch thick and wide. The little dice would be good in muffins, though.
3 cups water
2 pkgs. unsweetened Koolaid
2 1/2 cups sugar
Peel zucchini, dice or slice, removing seeds. Mix the liquid syrup together. Add zucchini. Bring to a boil and them simmer for 25 min. Drain. Put on dehydrator trays. Dry 14 hours at 125 degrees. Turn pieces over and dry another 4 hours. This will feel dry and not sticky when done. Store in jars or other tightly sealed containers.If you dip in sugar when you turn them, they will be more like "gum drops" on the outside.
You can do the same thing with the zucchini but use 48 oz. pineapple juice, 2 T. pineapple extract, 2 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice.
WOW! And to think I was planning on pulling everything today. Looks like they may be staying in a bit longer to make this.
ReplyDelete