We’ve Got A Gourd Thing Going On
September is squash season! At least in my garden. The zucchini and yellow summer squash have found their groove by this time of year and are churning out new fruit at an almost alarming rate. Meanwhile, we are mere days away from harvesting our first pumpkin, butternut, and acorn squash. It truly is no wonder that squash, in all of their glorious golds, yellows, and oranges, are the quintessential poster child of the autumn harvest.
Squash, Cucurbita pepo, were one of the earliest crops to be grown domestically. Now grown across every continent except Antarctica, we can trace their origins back between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago, to where they were first cultivated by Native Americans. The more than 100 kinds of squash are largely divided into the two main categories of summer squash and winter squash.
What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?
Squash Bees
Squash bees are squash flower experts. They evolved alongside wild gourds for thousands of years and followed their journey northward as they spread across the Americas.
They specialize in collecting the Cucurbits heavy pollen and their gathering schedule emulates that of the squash blossoms, which open before sunrise and fade in the heat of the day. While other bees may also visit the squash blossoms, none are as proficient as these dedicated buzzers.
Pesticides and tilling pose a considerable risk to these solitary bees, who make their solitary homes underground. You can help them by growing squash, practicing no-till gardening, and reducing or eliminating pecticide use.
Let’s bee friends!
Squash bees are not aggressive and pose no danger, as they do not have a stinger.
Summer Squash
Summer squash grow quickly and produce early. Their soft skinned fruit is consumed young, before the seeds have fully matured. These include the many kinds of zucchini and yellow squash as well as the scalloped and pattypan squash. Summer squash are more tender, cook quickly, and tend to be lighter in flavor than winter squash. They are delicious fried or sautéed and they make an excellent complement to pasta dishes.
Winter Squash
The winter squash tend to have more of a vining nature and take longer to grow. These fruits are left to mature until their skin has hardened. When cured by the sun or indoors at 80-85 degrees for one to two weeks after harvesting, winter squash are able to be stored for several weeks or even months, making them a dependable staple throughout the winter months. Though some winter squash, like acorn squash, are not hardened by curing and should be left to fully ripen until vines begin to die back.
Winter squash include pumpkins, butternut, blue hubbard, pink banana and kabocha, to name a few. Their fruit tends to be denser and may take longer to cook but has a toothier bite that holds up in dishes. They are a great choice for vegetarian dishes. I love them roasted or pureed for soups and curries.
Gourds
Gourds can be lovely. Gourds can be useful. Gourds can be instruments or birdhouses or sponges. Gourds may be many things but tasty is not one of them. Not all gourds are of the genus Cucurbita, but they are all plart of the family Cucurbiteacea. While cultivating Cucurbits for their aesthetic natures may have come second to subsistence farming, we humans have a partiality for things that amuse and delight us.
When left to dry completely, many gourds become completely hollow. Their dried skin becomes extremely hard and woody but holds its original shape. With nothing remaining inside save their seeds, these gourds are transformed into a percussion instrument similar to a maraca. The hollow cavern left behind in the birdhouse gourd is an ideal size for birds to nest in when a bird-sized hole is added to the belly of its dried shell. The dried fibrous structure of the luffa gourd can be used to make natural sponges.
A: Squash
While squash plants tend to be large and sprawling, they are easy to grow and often produce prolifically. Vertical growing can help maximize space and make harvesting easier. With so much variety and so many uses it’s no wonder Cucurbits are such a popular choice for home gardens.
