N&C Midwest: January & February 2023

Hello!  I am in the midst of fog, warmth, and coming cold…

Allowing myself to try to plan for 2023!  Looking forward to growing some new varieties, and trying to get some things.  I thought I was growing things like beets, and other things.  I wasn’t.  Bad labeling….

For the first time, I will grow hopefully (?) butternut type squash.   I’m super excited.

Replacing my old legacy boxes with a 4x4–RIP, you did great, legacy boxes.  You got me started!

Plans everyone?

Butternut squash! I'm not in your Region but Canadian Crookneck Squash has a long, meaty neck in addition to the hollow bulb part.

So I’m growing Butterscotch Winter Squash, and Tetsukabuto Winter Squash (basically to pollinate but it sounded great).  These are new to me.  The only winter squash I have ever grown is Delicata!  

I’m excited!

Happy New Year!!!

I am also in the planning stages SR and I am SOOO excited! I am going to grow both of the winter squash that you mentioned. It's going to be awesome!

I am looking forward to growing some paprika peppers to make homemade paprika powder  I am also going to try a few new tomato varieties. I am going to try Cherokee Purple and Thornburn's Terra-Cotta (free from Baker's Creek).

Just got done with my first batch of winter sowing. A variety of flowers that I had laying around. Hope it works! LOL

I know you already share a lot. There might be worldwide food shortages. Good year to Donate the squash.

That's a real pity. I never tasted a butternut squash until in my 40s or 50s? There are still winter squashes I have not tried, like your Cushaw. For some reason, growing up further south a bit, we just didn't have these varieties back then. My son has been cooking acorn but when I tried it, it was fairly tasteless so I haven't been in the habit.

My grandparents grew up eating rutabagas but they are also not great to me.

The only winter squash that I know many people will eat is spaghetti squash. That's probably because of their use as flour-free spaghetti in Italian dishes. Others just butter it with salt and pepper.
Maybe it's a Californian thing. ?

First off:  this is a very interesting thread!  

JAM23–I am very excited about trying these new varieties, especially in a newish space.  I think I am gonna put my winter squash (large ones) in the ground.  They just don’t seem to get enough of anything in containers.  Oh!  And Cherokee Purple are my absolute FAVE tomato!!!!!  

Soose—Agree, I don’t think I tasted any winter squash other than Acorn until my 40s??  We always put butter and brown sugar in them and baked the acorns in the oven.  I wonder why we didn’t see more varieties—probably because I didn’t garden much or grow them.  Acorn are at the grocery.  The stores have gotten much better about offering a better variety recently.

OG—that surprises me about not being able to give them away!  It’s free food!!???  And yummy healthy food at that.  They do make great compost however….lol

Sanderson—It is a Cali thing to go all keto on us with the spaghetti squash, but growing it is right on because it’s super expensive to buy!  In Ohio, we buy spaghetti.  The noodle.  Lol

Oh how I wish I lived closer - I LOVE winter squash.. soup, saute in a hash, roasted.. etc.  I freeze extra portions as I'm only 1 person and don't want to waste any.   I can't grow in containers and my apartment patio is full (sadly)

I've started planning what I'm growing, and may get a greenstalk to increase my production - but I'm maxed out. 

 Onion, leek, celery, parsley, cilantro and celriac are all started and just up. I'll have extra seedlings as usual.
 
Happy planning everyone!
Nancy

nrstooge, is it possible to get or share a small community garden plot?  Not really necessary, but just a thought!  What do you do with celeriac?  Is this new!?  Interested to hear!

we do have one, but the plots are 10x10 feet.. not large and folks get things stolen all the time as it is near a walking path (no fence) - there is also a long waiting list.   Location isn't the best from me either.  I have to hold out that the universe will provide.  

In the meantime, I'll be happy with what I have.

I understand all too well about not having enough space to grow all the things you want to. I am also having to come to terms that I have limited space and need to appreciate what I do have. Maybe someday I can have the huge garden of my dreams but for now, need to see how I can maximize what I do have! LOL

Scorpio Rising wrote:nrstooge, is it possible to get or share a small community garden plot?  Not really necessary, but just a thought!  What do you do with celeriac?  Is this new!?  Interested to hear!

 I forgot to answer on the Celeriac - sorry.. it is a root crop, and a LONG grow, but it is used in soups, roasted, made to fries. etc.  it is like a cross between potato, celery and parsley in flavor and is under-rated IMO.  More popular in the UK than here but I'm intrigued by it.  There are so many wonderful flavors/things we could grow here, but don't.  Why?  Perhaps because how this are was originally settled?

I've recently tried a cauliflower pizza crust. Never been a huge fan of cauliflower, though it's a nice addition to veg mixes -- with dressings, dips, in soups or roasted veg, etc.. . But I think I need to learn how to make these cauliflower crusts, and for that I am thinking I'll try more enthusiastically at growing some cauliflower.

I’m looking into celeriac, I usually have good luck with root vegetables!  Plus I like them!  

I am also looking at artichokes.  Perennial, large, but I do like to eat them a lot!

OhioGardener-those look so amazing! 

I was planning on making some zuppa toscana soup this weekend with some frozen kale from last season. LOL

Going through my seeds to see what is probably not viable at all, what I just have too little of to matter, etc.  Thinning to start.  Then will plan and order anything I ran out of, although I think I did a pretty good job of replacing as I went.  

But, I have said that before!  

Strange cold windy weather here.  Perfect planning weather.  My aerogarden is putting along with the herb packet.  3 visibly up; basil, dill and parsley!

It’s very interesting, OG!  I do a really bad job of labeling.  Not sure, but I blame turning the plantings….

What.?