KW-26 Are cucumbers and melons pumpkins?

Kinda. In the same way bees and ants are wasps.

As you know, from classics such as the Pirate 6-Bed Rotation system, the vegetable garden is divided up into six areas which I still obstinately refer to as quarters. The last of these quarters to get planted out is generally the pumpkin break.

Here come the beans. From now on, I will be having fresh green stuff from the garden every day until the snow and ice comes at the end of October. This week, we shall be cracking on with peas on our plates

Now, this year, I’ve had a couple of problems with my pumpkins.

(at which point we might as well clear up the title - pumpkins are winter squashes and winter squashes are Cucurbita in the family of Cucurbitaceae. Cucurbitaceae - the gourd family - has over 900 different species, a huge number of which are edible, and includes winter and summer squashes, loofahs, calabash, cucumbers and melons. And watermelons as well. So no, cucumbers and melons are not pumpkins, but they are all gourds. )

You kinda want to put your pumpkins out when they have at least two proper leaves, the biggest problem with them being they are so damn tasty to anything with a mouth, and you want them to have at least a fighting chance of surviving a bit of a nibble. Well, mine keep getting eaten. As soon as they get a start, they grow so quickly that nothing’s going to do them any serious damage, but in that week or so between planting them out and them getting comfortable with their new home and kicking off the green leaf growing habit, you might have a problem.

I am determined to take better care of my tomatoes this year than ever before. So far, we appear to be doing ok

At the rate mine are going (and by going, I mean down the gullets of snails, slugs, frogs, locusts and everything else that is having a gnash), I’m in for a lean pumpkin year. I think I shall cover them with plastic bottles.

Why didn’t I think of that earlier? D’oh.

I have had some potatoes already. I shall be having some more.

I also learned how to make Balsamic vinegar this week. The basic recipe is:

• Make vinegar

• Put it in a barrel

• Wait 25 years.

Say whaaaaat?

I guess I’m going to need to manifest some pretty oak barrels from somewhere…

Until next week. Pray for rain.

Love

Your Pirate Ben x