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.
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.
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 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
KW-26 Are cucumbers and melons pumpkins?
Additionally...if you want to make a traditional balsamic vinegar, then you will need 7 barrels of different wood and all progressively smaller...moving some of the vinegar from a larger to a smaller barrel annually until you reach barrel 7...then store somewhere for another 5 years before the first taste test....or you could just buy some!
Did you shave the pigs or do they just naturally lose their winter coats?