Squash surprise

Plants are truly the craziest things. I've been watering two enormous pots of squash plants all summer. They continually have tons of blossoms, but I've never seen a squash on the plant.

Yesterday I watered again after work (it's been brutally hot here this week) and to my total shock, I saw this little guy growing:



The plant had turned itself a bit because of some wind and suddenly I noticed THIS:




It had been growing there all along! My plan for tomorrow's dinner is some stir fry with homegrown squash. It looks like there are more where this guy came from...

Sleepy squash blossoms

I love how these squash blossoms really look like they're in the fetal position... sleepy and waking up slowly as they grow.

The squash race.

Here's an interesting study: plant four healthy squash plants in two different pots (one green, one blue) and put them on opposite ends of the garden. See which one grows faster.

Blue bin squash: for a while, this one had the most blossoms. But other than a little growth, these guys are still roughly the same size that they were when I moved them outside.



Now take in the green bin squash. I wonder if Chris has been adding something magic to them when I'm not looking.





It's a race for a squash... I'll keep you updated.

Around the garden this morning...

I just ate a bunch of pea pods in a stir fry this weekend and these guys are already big enough to eat.

More and more leaves growing on the squash, which had a rough transition outdoors.

With the purchase of my Gardenia, I had a new container to fill. A couple of random cucumber plants now call it home.

The Gardenia loving its first morning at home.

Lessons learned in a garden

1. You can never grow enough basil.

New basil nursery in toilet paper rolls.

2. Environmental changes can cause plants to freak out... but once they get used to it, new (stronger) growth comes out.




3. There are going to be windy days. If you don't grow a strong stem, you're in trouble.

Sunflowers

4. New growth will use old growth for structure.

New sugar pea sprouts use older vines for support.

5. Gloxinia is a crazy, awesome plant.

Gloxinia mega-blooms.