N&C Midwest: September 2020 !

**Scorpio Rising** 9/1/2020, 10:03 am

Can you believe it’s September already? What a crazy year 2020 has proven to be. So many scares, changes to lifestyles, health concerns...but the gardens do grow and occupy our time as always!

Did some more clean up, and trying to find some space for fall radishes and maybe a try for some fast maturing squash (per OG’s experience, we shall see!). I would like to put the squash in the cold frame just in case...space is at a premium in there (Swiss chard is huge!).

What else is going on for y’all?

OhioGardener 9/1/2020, 2:04 pm

September already? Can't be, it just can't be. Time is moving so fast. The 22nd will be the first day of fall.

Yesterday we canned 8 quarts of tomatoes, 7 pints of Yellow Cherry Tomato Preserves, and froze 12 quarts of green beans. Today I made 48 bacon wrapped cheddar cheese filled Jalapeno Poppers, and froze most of them.

The bush beans are done, and out of the garden. Put the Cold Frame on the bed after cutting the beans off and removing them, and will be planting the winter lettuce and spinach in it in a couple weeks.

OhioGardener 9/1/2020, 7:30 pm

The Sweet Banana Peppers are coming on heavy now. This seems to have been the Year Of The Pepper. We have been overrun with Jalapeno and Bell Peppers in addition to the Banana Peppers.

**Scorpio Rising** 9/2/2020, 10:22 am

OhioGardener wrote:The Sweet Banana Peppers are coming on heavy now. This seems to have been the Year Of The Pepper. We have been overrun with Jalapeno and Bell Peppers in addition to the Banana Peppers.

Same! I am leaving them on to turn colors, since there are so many. I feel like if I pick them the plants will just keep going!

OhioGardener 9/2/2020, 10:35 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:
Same! I am leaving them on to turn colors, since there are so many. I feel like if I pick them the plants will just keep going!

Ain't that the truth! The more I pick them, the more they produce! I gave a large bowl full of them to a neighbor who pickled them. She gave us a pint of them, and I can't wait to try them.

**Scorpio Rising** 9/7/2020, 1:20 pm

I just beat a storm into the garage! Gave up and picked peppers, tomatoes, the last 3 strangely shaped cukes, last 3 beets and a couple Sakatas Sweet melons. Pulled the cukes in the cold frame, as well as the perpetual spinach—huge plant! Needed to make some room and better ventilate the frame. Thinned the Swiss chard too.

Need to amend before planting the radishes, and a try at the summer squash in the cold frame! Peppers still coming on strong! I have enough anchos to make at least one or two chili relleno casseroles (new recipe) and freeze.

Also pulled Dragon tongue beans. They were over, but loved them!

Gonna throw some of the Yukon Gold into the dinner mix tonight, whatever that ends up as!

OhioGardener 9/7/2020, 4:51 pm

Pulled the beets today, and canned 8 quarts of Pickled Beets. Picked 48 Jalapeno Peppers, and made 15 half-pints of Jalapeno Mustard. Picked the Kale and Swiss Chard, but don't know what we are going to do with all of it.

OhioGardener 9/9/2020, 8:22 pm

The Cushaw Squash are about ready to harvest. We have 8 of them this year, and they are all huge.

**Scorpio Rising** 9/10/2020, 8:54 pm

OhioGardener wrote:The Cushaw Squash are about ready to harvest. We have 8 of them this year, and they are all huge.

Nice! Did you grow Red Kuri this year? Both of mine failed, but they were in containers. I think they needed more?

OhioGardener 9/10/2020, 9:25 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Nice! Did you grow Red Kuri this year? Both of mine failed, but they were in containers. I think they needed more?

I planted Red Kuri this year, but the SVB killed both plants. Unfortunately, by the time the plants got killed, it was too late to start some new ones.

The winter squash and pumpkins are very heavy feeders of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. So I'd guess that growing them in containers would require pretty frequent feeding.

**Scorpio Rising** 9/10/2020, 10:23 pm

OhioGardener wrote:I planted Red Kuri this year, but the SVB killed both plants. Unfortunately, by the time the plants got killed, it was too late to start some new ones.

The winter squash and pumpkins are very heavy feeders of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. So I'd guess that growing them in containers would require pretty frequent feeding.

I planted 2 Red Kuri in my big containers...they looked great initially, Really big vines trailing everywhere! But I’m sure they succumbed (like all my squash did this year) to the SVBs. I am going to re-locate The squashes to the beds for a year or 2; that usually buys some time.

I also believe I failed them from a nutrient standpoint. But the SVBs were super bad this year. Last year I was awash in squash (lol) but not 2020...

OhioGardener 9/11/2020, 9:04 pm

Still picking a lot of Sungold tomatoes every day - that is a 3 quart container nearly full. Along with a few Rutgers and Yellow Brandywine.

**Scorpio Rising** 9/12/2020, 12:05 pm

Question: If I am not planting anything in a bed/container for fall, amend now or wait for spring? Seems like it might leach away?

OhioGardener 9/12/2020, 12:37 pm

I amend mine in the fall with the things that do not leach away - Azomite, Humic Acid, and Compost - then either plant a cover crop or heavily mulch with straw or leaves. Then in spring I add worm castings and more compost.

**Scorpio Rising** 9/12/2020, 2:59 pm

OhioGardener wrote:I amend mine in the fall with the things that do not leach away - Azomite, Humic Acid, and Compost - then either plant a cover crop or heavily mulch with straw or leaves. Then in spring I add worm castings and more compost.

Helpful! Thanks, OG.

I think I wrecked one of my legacy boxes mowing...got caught on a corner and kinda came apart. I will see how it winters. I knew I was on borrowed time with all of them; plus they aren’t in a good spot. I need to see how many SF are in there, because if I take one out, they are all going.

I will need to keep the MM though....they are nice and deep, and about 1 1/2 feet deep. Math!

OhioGardener 9/12/2020, 3:31 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote: Math!

My minor when I was pursing my engineering degree! LOL

Only have to remember there are 27 cu ft in one cu yd. So, 4'x8'x1.5' = 48 cu ft = 1.78 cu yd. Very Happy

**Scorpio Rising** 9/12/2020, 10:15 pm

OhioGardener wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote: Math!

My minor when I was pursing my engineering degree! LOL

Only have to remember there are 27 cu ft in one cu yd. So, 4'x8'x1.5' = 48 cu ft = 1.78 cu yd.

noooooooo!!!!!!!! N&C Midwest: September 2020 ! 1280598131

**Scorpio Rising** 9/14/2020, 8:40 pm

My last zucchini....bittersweet! Stir fry with my garlic, one of my onions, and some Hillshire Farms garlic chicken sausage—very tasty!!!!

I will miss them—but I do have some frozen shredded...summer is slipping away, guys!

OhioGardener 9/16/2020, 6:47 pm

Picked most of the Cushaw winter squash today. The biggest one weighed 23.4#, and the smallest one weighed 18.7#. They need to age for a couple months, and then they'll be ready for delicious winter eating. The DW already promised a couple of them to neighbors. Not sure how many of the others we will keep - that is a lot of squash for two old people....

**Scorpio Rising** 9/16/2020, 8:40 pm

OhioGardener wrote:Picked most of the Cushaw winter squash today. The biggest one weighed 23.4#, and the smallest one weighed 18.7#. They need to age for a couple months, and then they'll be ready for delicious winter eating. The DW already promised a couple of them to neighbors. Not sure how many of the others we will keep - that is a lot of squash for two old people....

That is a lot of food! Is this the first year for your Cushaw, OG? Wonder what they taste like?

OhioGardener 9/17/2020, 9:17 am

This is our fourth or fifth year growing them, don't remember exactly. But, we never had more than a couple at a time before. They went overboard this year! Smile

A number of years ago we were at a garden show and a guy had a big Cushaw as part of his display. We had never seen one before and got into a conversation with the guy how to grow and eat them. He told us to take that one home with us, and we did. We have been hooked on them ever since!

The Cushaw can be either baked like a Butternut or Hubbard, and has a very similar taste. It can also be pureed and used just like pumpkin. It makes an excellent squash pie, which tastes just like pumpkin pie.

For a fun article on Cushaw squash, check out this article by "The Novice Chef", Cushaw! How to clean it and how to use it!

**Scorpio Rising** 9/18/2020, 11:31 am

Good read—thanks, OG. I was super mad that I lost both my red kuri vines. Next year I am throwing them on my big old compost pile and watching them grow!

OhioGardener 9/18/2020, 3:22 pm

I hated losing my Red Kuri this year, too! But, fortunately, we got a lot of Butternut and Cushaw winter squash, in addition to a couple Acorn. Had more summer squash than we could eat, and we are starting to get summer squash from the late season planting.

We have a "light frost" warning for tonight, so I picked some of the bell peppers to be chopped and frozen. The Chocolate Bell Peppers will be used in salads.

**Scorpio Rising** 9/18/2020, 5:07 pm

It wasn’t a great squash year here, but I blame the SVBs and my lack of moving the plants around.

I did get several Delicata—which is one of my faves! And patty pans, zukes. Melons did really well....and other stuff has basically done well. So can’t complain at all!

OhioGardener 9/20/2020, 1:01 pm

Think it might be Squirrel Stew time.... This critter was digging holes in my raised bed to bury its walnuts. When I chased it out, it went to the tree to dare me.

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