When I got home from vacation I found one huge zucchini. My zucchini was under a row cover, but I had hand pollinated this one before I left. I grated the whole 3 pounds of it and froze most of it in 1 1/2c batches. The rest was made into zucchini bread. The recipe I use is
based off one from Allrecipes. Mine is pretty modified from that one though. and lacking blueberries, it was just plain zucchini bread.
Zucchini Bread
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 c vegetable oil
- 3/4 to 1 c applesauce
- T vanilla
- 3/4 c white sugar
- 1 c brown sugar
- 3 c shredded zucchini
- 1 1/2 c white flour
- 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
- 1 t salt
- 2 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 2 T cinnamon
- 1/2 t each of allspice, nutmeg, ginger
- 1/4 t cloves
Bake at 350F for 50 minutes.
While I was gone the cucurbits really took off. The melon patch wasn't climbing as usual. I had to tie up some of the vines. I hope it gets the idea.
The cucumbers had started to climb, but they had also started to climb up the row cover over the zucchini and were marching across the path to the corn and squash patch. I tried to rein them in. For the ones in the path, I just chopped them off. I think using the tomato cages for cucumbers is going to be a mistake. The foliage is so thick I just can't find anything in there.
And as you can see some of the cukes are almost ready to pick. It will be a challenge finding them all. So far Calypso is just ahead of Cross Country. And boy does Calypso put out cukes. There are so many flowers on it.
Of the winter squash, the Tetsukabuto is taking over. I planted this on one side of my 16' long bed and a butternut on the other. This one is already all the way to the end. I'm trying to keep them running between the corn and out of the paths. My biggest worry is that it will overtake the butternut and smother it. Can you imagine a squash that can out grow a butternut by leaps and bounds?
It is supposed to need a pollinator - a C. moschata, which is the butternuts I've got planted. The butternuts haven't bloomed yet. This one obviously bloomed when I was away and now there is a squash. Will it turn yellow and fall off? That would be my guess. There is another one about to bloom, but again the butternuts haven't put out any blossoms yet. I hope they do soon as I want squash this fall.
Bread looks yummy. My zucchini didn't germinate well this year so not sure what I will get but still have plenty shredded from last year in the freezer. I had a terrible time with germination from the seed I got from Fedco.
ReplyDeleteYUM! My favorite way to use zucchini now is as zucchini pizza. The ones in the stores here look terrible, which I didn't expect given they'd be growing in gardens now.
ReplyDeletethat bread looks great as does your garden
ReplyDeleteI grow Tetsukabuto also. If it's that big it was probably pollinated - got any gardening neighbors? The squash bees might have helped out. And yes, they do run. I've seen them set a squash every 3-4 leaves.
ReplyDeleteYes I do. I was wondering about that myself, but I didn't want to get excited about a squash that might fall off.
DeleteVery nice. Your squash and cucumbers are so lush!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks very very happy! This dry hot weather has been really hard on the garden here.
ReplyDeleteI have harvested a couple of zucchinis so far. If we have a good crop, I'm definitely going to make some zucchini bread. I haven't had it in years.
You have a jungle out there. The squash and cucumbers look very happy to to vine out and take over the garden. I can't wait to make zucchini bread. Yours looks so good.
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice problem that your things are growing so well! I didn't know there was a squash that would overtake butternut! Nancy
ReplyDeleteI have hiding cucumbers too. A good problem to have, but it can be irritating. Everything looks great, and I hope you get your squash pollinator. Couldn't bees be bringing in pollen from elsewhere?
ReplyDeleteYes it is quite possible the bees are bringing in pollen. There are lots of gardeners in the area. I'm not sure if they are growing any butternut family plants, but maybe. I don't want to get my hopes up though. So many times I see a squash baby start then fall off.
DeleteYour zucchini was really appreciating. The way you prepared it was also great.
ReplyDeleteI grow my cucumbers in a vertical row which I find helpful for finding the fruits. I do like the look of that cucumber you have forming - nice and nobbly.
ReplyDelete