The Gardens on Spring Creek

Winter squash previously grown in the Garden of Eatin' What’s Blooming: Winter Squash and Pumpkins by Mary Miller, Community Garden and Outreach Coordinator, Gardens on Spring Creek With leaves changing and the first hard frost behind us, the season of winter squash and pumpkins is upon us. The array and diversity colors, shapes and sizes of winter squash is stunning, and the taste, texture and color of the flesh of the different squashes is equally diverse.   While many people are familiar with the most popular varieties of butternut, acorn, delicata and spaghetti squash, there is a dizzying number of other excellent varieties.   Let’s dive into the wonderful world of winter squash – also known as hard squash.   Botanically, pumpkins are the same as winter squash, though . . . . we know as a pumpkin when we see it!   Members of the cucurbit family of crops include summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins and gourds along with winter squash.   H...

  What’s Blooming:  Preserving the Harvest by Selena Kunze, Horticulturist, Gardens on Spring Creek           With the first dip of nighttime temperatures in late summer, vegetable gardeners start wondering when the “big harvest” will happen. Tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers) cannot survive frosts (32-36 degrees) without protection. Root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets) and cold crops (kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower) can handle frosts, and some even become sweeter after a frost or two. So, when should you harvest?  If a short-lived frost will be followed by a couple weeks or more of nighttime temperatures in at least the 50’s, you can cover tender crops with old bed sheets, floating row cover or newspaper for a night or two. If nighttime temperatures are forecast to remain in the 40’s or lower, it is generally a good time to harvest tender crops because they won’t be growing or pr...