Growing Squash on a Garden Arch

I chose two varieties of winter squash that are easy to grow, early fruiting, with good flavour: Anna Swartz Hubbard - long keeping, and Burgess Buttercup - best flavoured. Both are heirloom seeds, i.e. non-genetically modified, and available online from heirloom seed sellers. The fruits will produce viable seeds to sow the following year.

I started the seeds in small pots in my sunny bay window in May, moving them to larger pots. I transfered them to this small greenhouse in June:

By July they had grown so vigorously they began to obstruct the path so I put up an arch to support them. It cost only £6 online, and has done a good job:

It is helpful to weave jute string across the spaces:

My squash arch is a major attraction for local bees. In this flower, there are four bees all feasting together:

This method is ideal for small garden spaces, including balconies and patios. Where containers are used, make sure the containers are large. You can grow squash around windows, fences, or trailing along balcony railings. There are smaller varieties of winter squash more suitable for balconies, such as Rolet or Munchkin. You are not limited to winter squash. Try summer squash, or runner beans. Other space saving ideas include wigwams, trellises, netting, or spirals.

When harvesting winter squash, leave a two inch length of stem, where possible, as this lengthens the keeping time. I am pleased with the first fruits : )

© 2014 Martha Magenta


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My Organic Garden in June

My Garden in June

I love to grow herbs and vegetables in my garden. I encourage others to do the same - it is healthy, and also it helps to break away from big agri-business. Increasingly, giant companies like Monsanto and Syngenta control us via food. As a consequence, the bees are dying, and we are becoming fat and unhealthy through a dependency on mass produced fake food.

Nasturtium.

Feed the bees with flowers.

Nowadays I only buy heirloom seeds, that is, natural seeds that are not genetically modified, or FI hybrids. Heirloom seeds produce fertile seeds that you can keep to plant the following year, like these mangetout peas:

Mangetout

Cucumber

Sweet Pepper

Courgette (zucchini)

Butternut squash

Winter squash

Strawberries

Romaine lettuce

Purslane, rocket & cutting celery for salads

Tomatoes

Cats snuggling under the blackcurrants

I have many herbs, for cooking, healing, and for feeding the bees. The queen of all herbs in my garden is sage, and the bees love the flowers:

Sage

Thyme, chives & oregano

Rosemary

Selfheal

Lavender & bay

Lady's mantle

Herb Robert, valerian & blackcurrant sage

Flat leafed parsley

Curly parsley

Coltsfoot. (The pot contains campanula & forget-me-nots)

Borage

Feverfew, lemon balm & vervain

This lovely fern has grown in this dark, damp corner of its own accord. This is my feng shui health corner, so I take it as a good sign. But look back there at the rhubarb - it is spindly, which probably means it needs to be divided:

Always leave a wild bit at the bottom of the garden, so the fairies and foxes can visit you ;)

© 2014 Martha Magenta

Animal Rights Links


Vegan Recipe & Cooking Links


Herbal & Garden Links


Martha Magenta's Poetry Links


General Topic Links