My last post showed pics of my garden on 3rd January, including my new patch of pumpkin, zucchini and watermelons. This post shows pics taken of them 10 days later, compared to the previous ones. It's amazing how fast they grow at this time of year; being heat lovers they need things to warm up before they really get going. Yesterday it was 28 degrees in the shade here! Today is only slightly cooler. Perfect squash and watermelon growing weather!
The patch - 3rd Jan. Crown pumpkins in the left row, middle row 3x zucchini and Sugar Baby watermelon. Right row a Pink Banana Jumbo hybrid I'm experimenting with.
13th January - just 10 days later!
The only thing extra I've given the plants, other than some watering from time to time, is a spoonful of dolomite under each plant a day or two after the first pics were taken. This is to ensure adequate calcium to prevent blossom end rot when the fruit begin developing. Dolomite lime is high in both calcium and magnesium; it is a soil conditioner, helps break down organic matter, and encourages strong plant growth. I would have sprinkled it on the compost before laying the weedmat, only I didn't think of it at the time. So I added it later, one dessertspoon into each planting hole and well watered in.
Now for some close ups :-)
Now for some close ups :-)
Crown Pumpkins
 |  |
Zucchini
 3 zucchini (I have two more in the greenhouse, and 2 in the front garden) |  Hardly look like the same plants! Unfortunately strong winds 2 days ago broke off the growing tip of the middle plant - hopefully it will grow more in another direction. |
First flowers 11/1 - there are only female flowers on the plants so far, so they won't be pollinated unless they are visited by a bumblebee or similar who's also visited other suitable male pepo flowers nearby. Only one sex of flowers early in the plant's growth is normal with all cucurbit plants.
Watermelon (Sugar Baby)
 |  |
Pink Banana Jumbo Hybrid Experiment
I'm hoping these crosses will produce the sweet orange flesh of the PBJ, with a smaller size - we just don't need 10-16kg pumpkins any more!
 |  |
Can't wait to see what they look like in another few weeks!
RSS Feed
