This is what I had for dinner last night. The first patty pan squash of the year and the last of the beets.There was only one which was a good job because it was just me for dinner. Stuffed with sauteed garlic, chopped squash, yellow peppers a little ham and cilantro. Topped off with parmesan cheese. Beets were just dressed with some pomegranate vinegar and citrus olive oil. Orange and beets go so well together. Yummy. It was a timely meal because today I went out to look and see how many more squash were in the offing.
Good job I did because the squash vine borer moth has been at work. In fact it may even be multiples. I removed 37 eggs! I have perfected my technique using a small knife to scrape the egg and then squashing it on a smooth stone. I have never seen so many on one plant before , but that would go along with the huge number of caterpillars we are seeing this year. These moths have wintered over in their pupal stage in the soil to emerge and lay their eggs before disappearing back into the soil at the end of the season. I am going to call this one my trap crop, which I started earlier in the greenhouse. I have several others, started in the ground, and growing under netting, which I hope will foil the moth. Nevertheless I will be out there every day on my knees looking for those eggs. No housemaids knee for me, only gardeners' knee.
Hi, Jenny ~ Looks delicious! Sounds like you have the egg squashing down to a science. :)
ReplyDeleteI had 3 strawberries and 2 juliet tomatoes yesterday....it is a start.
Your dinner is beautiful and sounds delicious! I think I've given up on growing squash. The squash vine borers win.
ReplyDeleteAmy- Tomatoes already! that has to be a record.
ReplyDeleteIris- Don't give up. All you have to do is cover them during the day with a row cover, except when flowering or get down on your knees.
Delicious & beautiful. And good idea on knife and trap crop.
ReplyDeleteYour dinner looks delicious. I am going to try my hand at growing beets this fall. My husband and I both love them.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this photo of the vine borer eggs. I will be down on my knees searching for vine borer eggs TODAY. Vine borers got all of my squash, zucchini, and cucumbers last year. I haven't done the row cover thing yet, but I may have to if they get to my crops this year.