2006 Pumpkin Gallery

[Kea]

Hi Supersprout.
The answer to your question is they are all grown from kaboucha squash bought at the supermarket. Some are quite obviously a cross between Crown prince and Kaboucha. Which particular varieties of kaboucha squash they are i don't know, there is a bit of variation. The biggest weighed just over 3Kg....and I think I've mentioned that one a few times! Most are between 1.5- 2Kg....I know it doesn't seem big to all you people with orange monsters but I grew them to eat and these are the best to eat!!
I used the two damaged by Glyphosate (another story mentioned elsewhere)  as additional halloween lanterns. They were affected by the spray and were deformed and brown inside and had a horrible smell, they looked fine on the outside.

[Grandma]

I have one more grandson - another lovely lad - and yes they've grown a lot in a year! Not surprising when you see the amount of fresh fruit and veg they can put away!  Although they're not really 'useful' in the garden yet, they do enjoy watching things grow and helping with the picking. On one 'picking' day the other little boy asked what was growing in a big tub. "Potatoes", I told him. I found him a bit later gently parting the top leaves. "You're not going to have many potatoes this year, are you?" he asked. Needless to say, although the spuds were far from ready, I just had to up-end the tub to show him how potatoes grew! He was tickled pink and, I'm told, enjoyed eating the poor little babies!

[triffid]

((Grandma)) that is such a sweet anecdote! 'Gently parting the top leaves' indeed...

How old is this angel of yours?

(My big boy is seven, which is why I'm starting to get all nostalgic for these sort of 'little boy moments'...    )

[Grandma]

Yes, precious moments! Enjoy them! The two lads pictured are aged six and seven, the 'spud kid' is eight now - but I think he was about 5 at the time.

[triffid]

Still lovely at those ages. No stubble and hormones for a few years to come 

Apart from Small Triffid (the seven-year-old) I'm also lucky enough to have Tiny Triffid, my gorgeous golden-haired daughter, who's three-and-a-half.

Despite being half the age and size of her big bro, she's in many ways more grown up and independent than he is! 

[Grandma]

You may well find Tiny Triff will be more useful in the garden too. My daughter was always ready and willing to wield a spade or lug a watering can, my strapping son....as much use in the garden as a clump of ground elder!!

[chocobed]

  Wow. All the inspiration I need to really go for it next season. Have grown butternut and summer squash this year plus usual marrows, cucumbers and such. Will be going for the crown prince and a few crook necks now!

Choco

[Kea]

I finally got around to eating my 3Kg squash last weekend as I've been working my way through some of the smaller ones. It was a great disappointment as they say 'biggest is not always best', most of the smaller ones have had great flavour and texture, the big one has lots of flesh but very average flavour and a watery texture which is a bit slimey. Some of the others have been a lot worse but many more modest sized ones have been so much better. I haven't kept it's seeds for growing this year.

[keef]

Wrongness found on internet