What did you do in the garden today?

[pennyJo1960]

Tell me you did not kill it ? it will be back. JMHO

 

[MACCanadianCoop]

Sure is... I have a plant that grows like crazy ... I have to trim it heavily to keep it from taking over

Mine's just a wee baby

 

[MACCanadianCoop]

Tell me you did not kill it ? it will be back. JMHO

Who me? No of course not

 

[Sally PB]

Regarding squash cross pollinating...

There are 4 species of squash: moschato, maxima, pepo, and mixta. If the varieties you have are of the same species, yes, they will cross.

So you need the Latin name of each kind of squash, so you know what species it is. It should be on the seed packet.

I have only grown butternut, which I know is moschato.

 

[Sueby]

On tonight's episode of TJ's farm...

I was checking on the Littles in the main coop when I heard my ducks raising a ruckus. I peered towards the duck pen and noticed all the ducks, including a sitting duck hen, were running around in circles and going bonkers. I felt my heart lurch and took off for the duck pen. I intuitively KNEW what I was going to find before I even got there.... I was right. A GIANT Western Ratsnake was in the process of unhinging its jaw to eat one of the sitting duck hen's eggs. I grabbed a metal post and smacked it. It came at me and then diverted and went under the duck coop.

About this time, my husband came home from work. I yelled for him and told him there was a snake under the coop. He went to change out of work clothes into shorts. Came back out with my daughter, a snake lover, in tow. I told them both that the snake was giant... At least 4 - 5 ft long and black. We all started poking around under the coop with poles. They saw the snake and said it was small. I said NO WAY! It's giant. They managed to scare it out from under the coop... It was 18" Max and grey. Somehow it got away and we couldn't find it after it came out from under the coop.

I told DH there's NO WAY that was the snake I saw! So he went and got a car jack. We dug out the coop enough to get the jack under it and jacked it up. Sure enough, ANOTHER snake sticks its head out from under the coop. It was the one I chased under there. I brought my DH his welding gloves and he managed to catch it with my daughters help. They put it in a tub, drove it FAR away from here and released it.

View attachment 3149863


BTW, this (bleep) is over 6 ft long

No, no, no, no, no. Just NO. I do not like snakes! I know they are good, I wouldn't kill one. BUT NO. They have no arms or legs!

We have plenty of snakes here, we have the highest population of Timber rattlers here but thankfully they are shy. DH saw one & a dead copperhead. JUST NO.

 

[Sueby]

Regarding squash cross pollinating...

There are 4 species of squash: moschato, maxima, pepo, and mixta. If the varieties you have are of the same species, yes, they will cross.

So you need the Latin name of each kind of squash, so you know what species it is. It should be on the seed packet.

I have only grown butternut, which I know is moschato.

I'll have to look. I plan to hand pollinate under the bug netting so I was just wondering if I can use a male flower for different plants.

 

[Sally PB]

I'll have to look. I plan to hand pollinate under the bug netting so I was just wondering if I can use a male flower for different plants.

Interesting. I've read about hand pollinating squash (it's not too hard, but is kind of "fiddly"), but I've never done it. Since DH and I both love butternut, that's all I've bothered to grow. If we want something else, we buy one at a farmer's market.

 

[knobhillfarm]

Water, water, and more water. It’s so hot this week in Alabama! I was able to harvest some zucchini, squash, jalepenos, and a few large green tomatoes to fry. Hand pollenated some corn as well. Sure do wish my okra would kick into high gear with this hot weather, but it’s still lagging behind.

 

[Iluveggers]

So question about snakes. We have these babies only. Are they dangerous to chickens? It’s some little gsrden snake type. I like them in the garden for mouse control.

 

[Sueby]

Kabocha is a maxima.
All the others seem to be pepo.

Good to know, thanks @Sally PB