After having my herbs mowed down to the ground for the SECOND TIME THIS SEASON I am suddenly feeling a lot more sympathetic towards the fairytale witches who curse anyone who messes with their gardens.
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The beginning of the Season of Abundance (or, as Homegrown Handgathered likes to say, "dealing with the abundance")...
It seems we've planted too many cucumbers. Is there such a thing? Maybe. We're a few weeks into the harvest now and are close to reaching a hundred pounds of them. The only way to avoid drowning and/or sleeping in a bed of them is to spread the love to friends and family.
Besides cucumbers, there's blueberries for pie, squash for roasting, cabbage for sour kraut, and much more. Gourds and okra and tomatoes and squash and eggplants... Hopefully it will never end 🤞💚
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This poor unfortunate soul. This zucchini’s not very healthy to begin with but she managed to put out a couple flowers, one already in bloom. And now she’s flooded. Poor thing can’t catch a break. I kinda feel bad, I was well aware that this is a flood zone prior transplant. That water’s been there for more than 48 hours. I’m very curious if she’ll survive
17-jul-2023
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Halloween Countdown Day 4
The curse of the Toxic Squash!
My 2023 pumpkin harvest includes Winter Luxury pumpkins, Patty Pan squash (Cucurbita pepo), Autumn Crown (C. moschata), Crown Prince, Candy Roaster, Hubbard, Ute, Turban, and Uchiki Kuri (all C. maxima).
A pumpkin patch is a wholesome Halloween sight, but there is evil lurking in the domain of squash… Toxic Squash Syndrome! Squash can develop unusually high concentrations of a naturally occurring toxin called cucurbitacin E. This toxin is a tetracyclic terpene whose smell and taste repel insect and mammal pests.
If humans consume too much cucurbitacin, they can suffer excruciating symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, and hair loss over a period of several days. Fortunately, it is easy to detect the toxin before consuming an unknown squash. Simply lick the raw squash pieces after the fruit is cut up. If they taste bitter, do not eat! It is important not to eat the bitter squash because poisoning can result from a small amount.
Wild squash species have higher cucurbitacin E levels than domesticated squash. The eldritch ornamental squash with bizarre shapes and patterns found in fall home décor were bred for looks rather than culinary use, so they have the wild squash genetics for high cucurbitacin E production. Other types of toxin-loaded squash and gourds, such as Calabash and Colocynths, are sometimes grown for ornamental use. People may consume these unusual squash due to ignorance, or experimentation with traditional medicinal uses of these species.
Toxic squash syndrome can be prevented by only eating squash from reputable sources, such as supermarkets and home vegetable gardens where there is no chance of cross pollination with wild squash species. The progeny of ornamental and edible squash may look like edible squash, but they contain the dangerously high levels of cucurbitacin E. If the only squash in the local vicinity are edible domesticated squash varieties, the seeds should be safe to save and grow for next year’s harvest. However, bitter squash can be caused by harsh environmental stress so always taste before cooking. Make sure your Halloween pumpkin soup and pie is a treat not a nasty trick!
#katia_plantscientist #pumpkinpatch #toxic #squash
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