Friday 29 September 2017

Gete-Okosomin Squash 29th September 2017


I just had another peek..I cant believe how fast this is growing now ...this is looking good and I may well get some seeds to be sharing at the end of the year .


It seems that these Squashes do much better if given some support and if they get damaged in the slightest , will quickly rot . So don't touch them or you will soon see thumb prints .


 I am impressed at how vigorous and healthy this plant is ..with no sign of the mosaic virus that other Squashes and courgettes often get here in the U.K.


I would like to know from other growers of this , if the immature fruits can be eaten ?
 I  don't want to waste food , surely they must be like courgettes/zucchini ?
        I'll share the seeds when they are ready .
 Let me know if you're local and interested in trying it .
                                        Happy Harvest everyone !


Mummabear in the Greenhouse...

                                                     Eriocactus Magnificus
This was such a little thing when I first bought this from Mr Pilbeam of Connoisseurs' Cacti many years ago ..maybe twenty years ago . Mr Pilbeam still has a great website and plant list if you're interested.... http://www.cactus-mall.com/connoisseurs-cacti/  .
 Anyway today I am delighted to see that she not only has a flower , but a nice cluster of babies all around her .


                                I love it's large and cheerful lemon flower .


Autumn Equinox Important Visitors


 I,ve been feeling a bit poorly this week with a bad cold and toothache ....so I,m a bit late with my Autumn Equinox post .
  We are one of the few places left in Cornwall , where you can still see fairies !
You have to sit very still for a long time and be very , very quiet ......


                    .....if you keep very ,very quiet......then you may also hear them sing .
                   I was delighted to get a couple of photos to share with you !


 Our grandson came to stay with us for the weekend and brought Parc Eglos School Helston Chester Bear with him . Chester Bear is sometimes allowed to go home with children who have been very ,very good in class all week .


 He enjoyed walking round the garden .. like a teddy bear  ...especially walking around Grandma's labyrinth ...


                                     ....oh ...well ..he did get a little bit dizzy !


                         Then into the greenhouse to see all Grandma's plants .


           Did you know that Bears can climb ? Oh ! Teddy ! Do be careful !


He climbed up to see Harry's Runner Bean Plant ..the one he brought home from school for the Summer holidays .


                    Chester Bear admiring Grandma's Gete -Okosomin Squash !


                                        Cornish Piskie watching all the fun !

Tuesday 19 September 2017

Gete-okosomin Squash 19th September update


The sun shone warm up in the blue sky, after a chilly sunrise . Plenty to be done up in my veg garden , but I wanted to show you how the Gete-okosomin Squash plant is doing today .


It is escaping the keyhole enclosure ! Leaping over the chicken wire fence , scrabbling into the labyrinth .


 On the other side it clambered over the fence and here it is , scrabbling up and into a Hydrangea bush .

             The flowers are still coming , both male and female and lots of fruit !


I have raised some of the best ones up on to slabs of rock , a stool and even a chair .
 It was climbing up that tree to the right in this photo ...but I decided to take some cuttings , to see if I can get them through the Winter and get an even earlier start next year .
I doubt it, but I,ll give it a go anyway . Has anyone done this ?


Can anyone tell me how big these have to be to guarantee viable seeds inside the squash ?


 A couple of beautiful fruits still growing on the vine resting on  a stool , to keep away from the slugs and snails . I am surprised at how the slugs are so attracted by the pollen and the tasty flower petals..and I wonder if the slugs are part of the natural pollination process ?  I wonder how the slugs actually get into the flower centres , the stems being so hairy/prickly , but they certainly do, I keep finding them there !


Gete - okosomin scrabbling into the labyrinth ! By the way , the rabbits don't seem to be interested in eating it ! Maybe I didn't need all that expensive chicken wire after all !


 Here are the cuttings I took two days ago , maybe a little wilted and I did find a slug trail in there  , so I have put down slug pellets . I could not find the slug !


                                                Can you see that slug trail ? 
 This takes me back to the beginning .......remember that broken seedling stem ?

I am really hoping to get lots of seeds to share out and if these cuttings make it , I will have a good early start next year .
 The weather is becoming more and more Autumnal here , I hope we get a couple more weeks before I harvest these beautiful Squash fruits .

One more question ...can the small Gete-okosomin squash that don't make it to full size be eaten as zucchini /courgettes ? Does anyone know ?

 The weather was beautiful , sunny and warm this afternoon , not even the slightest breeze and we enjoyed coffee and chocolate ice-cream down at Poldhu Beach .


          Tomorrow's weather forecast ....yep ..clouds are already gathering .
           Rain coming for tomorrow in Mullion ...oh those slugs will be so happy !

Birdie is back !


I am so happy ! Birdie has returned after about a month . I am overjoyed to see my little feathered friend again .


More good news ... she appears to have new feathers growing on her head  . (Zoom in )
  Poor thing  , she lost her feathers about a year and a half ago , I didn't think she,d make it through last winter , but she did .
   She looked exhausted after raising her two chicks . I have not seen the two youngsters , they must be off and away on their own life story now . I have not seen the adult male either .
I am having a busy few days up in the veg garden , planting Autumn onion sets Senshyu , weeding around leeks,n,kale and generally having a good old tidying up and preparing new beds for next season ......so I expect Birdie will be following me around .
What else .....oh yes....I,m moving all the more tender plants in to their winter sheltering zones now ....I have to dig up the Ensete red leaved Banana plant..not looking forward to doing that , it has grown so big !
 What else..oh yes...The Gete okosomin is still doing fine . Will give an update in next post .
What else...oh yes...I am going to fix our fence that is swaying about in the slightest breeze ...concrete fence repair post , bolts ,shovel , hacksaw , drill .....
What else...oh yes...the Swallows ....they are still here . I,m sure they will be off soon though , it is getting chilly at night now .
What else..oh yes..my flu jab is booked for 30th Sept at the health centre...have you had yours ?
  O.k. well , the sun is shining again here in Mullion..I,m off out to play in the garden !
           Have a nice day !