Pumpkins and Zucchini Plants

The plants that are doing really well in the garden right now are the pumpkins and the zucchini. Not that they have produced any fruit yet, but they are nice and healthy looking.  The pumpkin plants are growing like crazy and taking over everything.

It's even growing up the picket fence.

And attaching itself to the planter holder.  The pumpkin sends tendrils to hold onto everything!  I have yet to see flowers emerging from the pumpkin plant.  I really can't wait to see an actual pumpkin forming.

The zucchini plants are in the same bed as the pumpkin.  There are lots of male flowers, but no female flower so far.  The seeds of these green zucchini plants were given to me by Charlotte, of Char's Gardening.  I have 5 plants growing, I hope it will produce lots and lots of squash for us.  I love zucchini!  I'm hoping to have enough to freeze.  Do you freeze zucchini?  If so, do you have to blanch it first, or do you just shred it raw and stick it in the freezer?

Grow Pumpkin Grow

The one plant that is doing really well in the garden are the pumpkins.  These seedlings were given to me by my cousin.  She didn't know what type of variety this pumpkin is, but that it is a Japanese variety.  Upon Googling "Japanese Pumpkin" I'm guessing that it is a Kabocha, this type of pumpkin is commonly used in tempura.  Yum!  My cousin says it's very sweet and tastes a lot like butternut.  Yum, I know, I'll like it already!

I have 5 plants in the garden bed.  For some reason, one of the plants is super small compared to the others.  See the small one on the top right corner?  They were all planted at the same time, I wonder why the other one is such a midget.

Plants from my Cousin

When I saw my Cousin Bo at her nephew's birthday party last month, she surprised me with seedlings that she started from seed to plant in my garden.  She gave me Chinese Yard Long Bean seedlings in a milk carton.  I love that my family re-uses food containers for pots just like I do!   These beans are slender and long, usually growing about a foot and 1/2 long.  Being of Chinese descent, I grew up eating these beans, they are delicious stir fried with black bean sauce.  YUM.  If you are wondering what these beans look like, there is a lovely photo of these bean plants on the header of  Erin's blog at Garden Now, Think Later.  Reading her blog, I know that she loves these beans as much as I do.  Unfortunately, shortly after planting these beans, we were hit with hot, hot weather following but rain and more rain.  Of all these seedlings, only 4 survived.  I asked my dad if he could go to the Chinese market to buy more seeds, and he gave me a whole new packet.  I direct sowed those into the ground, I hope they start sprouting soon.

Bo also gave me seedlings of pumpkin, I'm not quite sure what type of pumpkin these are, so it will be a bit of a fun surprise for me as they develop fruit. 

I planted the pumpkins into one of the raised beds.  The pumpkin plants are doing well, each of the seedlings are putting out true leaves.

A close up of the pumpkin plant.  I hope these are tasty pumpkins, I would love to can some pumpkin puree to use for future pumkin pies!