Winter Squash are Taking Over

The winter squash have really taken off in the past few weeks.  Almost immediately after I weeded thier bed thoroughly, they exploded into new growth.  I have lost sight of the path that once existed between the well defined rows of squash plants.

 

 

On the end closest to the rest of the garden are the pumpkins.  These plants have been pumping out pumpkins like there is no tomorrow.  There are two that are definately deep orange and about a dozen dark green fruits that are getting bigger every day.

 

 

The acorn squash are next down the line and these plants are growing like mad as well.  They have pushed their way into the melon bed and are slowly shading out everything around them.  I am happy to say that I no longer really need to pull weeds in this bed.

 

The delicata squash start off the rows in the next bed down.  Some how I think I must have some sort of cross because these fruits are pumpkin shaped with the colors of a delicata.  Hope they taste good because there is alot of them and they are big!

 

The last type of squash in the row are butternut squash.  These plants seem to be off to a rough start and have lagged behind all the other plants in the bed.  I'm not sure if it was due to weed stress, water stress, or heat stress.  Maybe a little of each.  This section of the garden was also a little harder packed, so the roots may have had some trouble establishing themselves.  In any case, these plants will surely catch up to the rest in a few weeks and I'm sure they will top off the bumper crop of winter squash we will be harvesting this fall.

 

This bed originally belonged to the peppers.  Now the right side of the bed peeks out from behind the screen of squash leaves.  The left side will not be far behind.  I have tried my best to guide the running squash vines to grow between the peppers, but in the end I think they will just take over that entire side of the garden.  I had no idea that these plants would grow so well in a bed that was ammended with nothing.  Next year I believe I will devote an entire section of the garden to squash to let it roam free the way it wants to.