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Squash It! . . . Growing, Harvesting, Storing and Eating Squash

What is squash, and why grow it?

Number 1 reason to grow anything for me, is always nutrition, number 2 reason is level of difficulty to grow, and my number 3 reason is its functionality. Win on all counts with squash, and the variation available is literally from A to Z: Acorn Squash to Zucchini. There are hundreds of types of squash, ranging from the classics like zucchini and pumpkin to the just plain weird. If you’re a relatively new gardener, I highly recommend sticking with some tried and true varieties like zucchini, spaghetti squash or butternut. Once you have some success, start to branch out trying to grow types you’ve never grown before.

There are two basic groups of squash: Summer and Winter. The difference essentially boils down to their harvest stage.

Summer squash can be planted directly outdoors by seed, although they’re often started a couple weeks ahead indoors. It grows in a cylinder type plant with the fruit coming out from the middle area. The fruit begins to develop within about 50 days after planting outdoors (so about mid July).
The flavour and texture are mild, with both the flesh and the immature seeds eaten together. Beginner gardeners are sometimes tempted to let zucchini grow bigger, but they are much tastier and tender when picked young and immature – averaging 6 – 8 inches/15-20 centimetres long. And the more you pick when they’re young and tender, the more the plant will continue to produce. Letting one go for weeks to reach the size of a canoe, signals the plant to stop producing. So you may win the award for the biggest zucchini but you waste the entire season on something that didn’t even taste good.
While young zucchini is often cooked, it is also often eaten raw, and it has a relatively short shelf life – best eaten within a week of picking.

Winter squash has hard, thick skin that are not eaten, and the flesh has a denser texture, with more distinct flavours between types. While all winter squash have unique tastes, I would describe the general flavour over all, as sweeter than summer squash, with a nutty hint. To me, they taste like ‘autumn’. The texture of the flesh is firm and very dense, sometimes to the point of being difficult to cut with a knife. The hard, thick skin that is also difficult to cut with a knife, protects the squash and gives it it’s extra long shelf life.

Is squash good for you?
YES! Winter squash is packed with essential nutrients including vitamins A, B and C. The fiber helps with gut health, and other nutrients can contribute to a decreased risk of certain diseases and improved blood pressure.

Before planting: Choose a spot that gets LOTS of sun.
Squash plants are heavy feeders so mix a generous amount of aged manure or compost into your planting area (roughly 50% of the existing soil).  

It’s best to get a jump on the season by starting seedlings indoors, but beware: seedlings can get very big and lanky so don’t plant in the house before three weeks before you expect to plant outdoors. Starting squash from seed is easy.   Make sure you have a warm spot set out – above 20 degrees C is ideal. Or set your tray on top of a heated matt. Using a soil-less seed starter (soil-less) mix, plant 1 or 2 seeds in each starter pot.

Keep the soil-less mix moist and the seeds will germinate in about a week.   Give them as much light as possible and they’ll grow quickly.   Once the seedlings are 2 weeks old transplant them into an all purpose plant soil. Keep in a very sunny window or under the lights and continue to keep moist. Squash roots are delicate and the plant will go into shock if they’re disturbed. Transplant very gently, so as not to disturb the roots.

TIP: Since winter squashes need up to 110 days to maturity, it is best that they are grown as transplants in our northern gardens.
TIP: Leave a fan blowing on your young seedlings as they grow in the house to help to grow heartier plants and to reduce some seedling diseases. Research has shown that stem diameter can be increased by providing seedlings with constant air movement from an oscillating fan.

I’ve read recently that zucchini should do well in big containers. I’ve never tried that, but I am inclined to do so this upcoming growing season. I have a couple of big planters on my patio, and I have a trough in a nice sunny location. I love planting indeterminate tomatoes in it as it has an arbour, but in the interest of rotating crops, I’m always looking for an alternative. The advantages it seems, are that their roots stay warm and I can better control the watering. Taking the time to work some compost into the trough (or pot) would be important, as squash does best on organic material. Of course a layer of mulch on top is always recommended, whether in the garden or in a container.

Plant seedlings outside after all danger of frost is past, and the soil is warm. Ensure they have full sun. Plant in well-draining, compost-rich soil. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy, water regularly. To encourage fruit production, plant pollinator-attracting flowers like cosmos nearby to increase visits from bees and other insects.

For smaller squashes or in limited spaces, consider vertical gardening using an arbour or a string trellis.  Winter squash will take more than their fair share of room in the garden, as they send out vines, so plan for that. For years I’ve had mine grow vertically, tying the vines to an arbour or trellis that is strong enough to hold heavy fruit. Growing vertically eliminates the need for a lotta yardage in your garden – perfect for a backyard garden.

*Did you know?
the difference between a squash and a gourd is that only that the squash is edible and the gourd is pretty much decorative. The outer skin on the gourd is too thick to make it practical.

Caring for Squash in the Garden
Watering: Provide at least one inch deep of water per week, especially during hot, dry periods. 
Fertilizing: Some recommend feeding squash plants with a balanced vegetable fertilizer or compost tea every few weeks, particularly as they’re fruiting.  Personally, I’ve never done this as I start with a good compost base, but I’m thinking I should look into a supplement during the growing season.
Pollination: Squash needs pollinators to produce fruit. Plant pollinator-attracting flowers like Salvia, Cosmos or Borage among your squash plants to increase visits from bees and other insects. 
Mulching: Apply a thick layer of mulch – I use straw – around the root zone to help conserve soil moisture.

TIP: Cutworm prevention – If you’ve had cutworm problems in the past, place a collar around your seedlings right after transplanting. Make collars out of toilet paper rolls, or any plastic container such as a yogurt container with the bottom removed. Insert the collar at least 5 cm / 2 inches in the ground to prevent cutworms from feeding on the stems of your seedlings.

High Yield and Productivity
Summer squash plants are known for being substantial fruit producers, with one or two zucchini plants being capable of yielding enough to feed your household and share with friends and neighbors.  Think of all the zucchini jokes you’ve heard. If you haven’t had that experience of squash producing abundantly, don’t despair. Simply try again. And again. If you’re not getting enough zucchini, you may have a poor pollination issue. Hand pollinating your female flowers, will help.

* Did you know?
Squash are fruits – actually BERRIES. Botanically, a berry is a fleshy fruit that develops from a single flower and contains two or more seeds. It is characterized by a soft, fleshy pulp and thin, outer skin, so with this definition – berries include bananas, grapes, tomatoes, pumpkins and watermelons. Raspberries, black berries, strawberries and cherries, – are not.

A butternut squash plant should be able to yield 4 good sized fruits; other winter squash should yield similar amounts. Squash produce both male and female flowers on the same plant, but if the summer is too cool it may only produce males, which don’t yield fruit.   Not much you can do about a cool summer. Female flowers have a distinct squash shaped bulge on its stem.  

Remember that while it may be that zucchini is famous for producing an overabundance of fruit, if you don’t pick it continuously, instead leaving a few zucchinis to grow way too big, this will send a signal to the plant to stop producing. You’ll actually be sabotaging your own success.

TIP: Remember to record what and when you plant. It’s helpful to draw a map to help you track planting locations and success each year. This information is important to properly rotate your crops, but also critical to being able to learn from your experience. What went wrong? what did I do right?

Harvesting

Summer squash is picked when its still immature – while the skin is tender and smooth. Many believe the perfect eating size is 6-8 inches, and it is generally eaten without peeling. The most well known summer squash in Alberta is ZUCCHINI, but while all zucchini is summer squash, not all summer squash are ‘zucchini’.


Other varieties of summer squash are: crookneck squash, patty pan squash, and the doppelganger of zucchini – called ‘yellow’ squash, some call it yellow zucchini.

Winter squash is harvested fully mature, after a long growing season. The skin should be hard and not easily punctured with the thumb nail (don’t try too hard as that’s pretty counter productive). Cut the squash off the vine, leaving a generous portion of the stem attached. Harvest before a heavy frost, but most squash can handle a light frost well. Some say that a light frost increases the sugar content, but my counsel is to not to ‘play ‘chicken’ with the frost, you have too much to lose.

Winter squash has separate male and female flowers. The female flower requires pollen in order to produce fruit, but the pollen can come from other compatible species. Pollen is moved by insects such as honey bees, bumblebee, hoverflies, ants and others. If you’re wanting to protect a heritage seed source, then you will not want cross pollination between neighbouring plants.
Here is an example of cross-pollination: If you grow acorn squash in the garden and it is pollinated by a nearby zucchini, this year’s fruit will still look like an acorn squash. But if you harvest the seed from that squash, the seed will contain genes from both the zucchini and the acorn squash. If that seed is grown next year, the resulting fruit will look very different – with a combination of characteristics of both parents. This is called a hybrid.

How to Save and Store Seeds:
Harvest seeds from full-grown older squashes because their seeds will be fully mature. Carefully cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Wash seeds well in clear water to remove as much of the stringy flesh and slime as possible. Spread on a dish towel and allow to dry completely. Drying can take a week – depends on the humidity in the air.

* Saving squash seeds can be kinda tricky because there are always cross-pollinating with other nearby plants. See footnote 1
How do garden vegetables cross pollinate? see footnote. 2

Vegetable seeds can keep for several years if you store them properly. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Moisture, heat and light can cause seeds to sprout or rot.

Storing winter squash

If the fruit is fully ripe, hard skinned and blemish free, you should be able to store it in slightly less than room temperature conditions for 3 – 5 months. Make sure there are NO injuries on the skin – as those will be the ‘spot’ where decay will begin.

Yes, I know, you have a friend who says they store their squash till the following summer. I too have such a friend. There will always be those who insist that’s a good thing. It’s not. We’re talking about FOOD, not building material. As with all our food, we should want to eat it when it’s still highly nutritious. The nutritional value, texture and flavour (there is an important correlation between texture, flavour and nutrition), will degrade over its storage life – so the older you stretch it, the less the quality – in every single way. Plan to use winter squash within 4 or 5 months from harvest for best taste, texture and nutrition. That brings you up to February. That’s considered a long time – so be reasonable.

How to save and store seeds:

Vegetable seeds can keep for several years if you store them properly. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Moisture, heat and light can cause seeds to sprout or rot. Place your seeds in envelopes or make your own envelopes out of foil or waxed paper. Label with name of the seeds and the date (month and year) you harvested them.

* TIP: Once completely dry, place your envelope inside an airtight container.

Here’s an interesting tip I recently read about. To help keep sees dry, place a tablespoon of dry powdered milk in a paper towel or piece of cloth, secured with a twist tie of piece of string. The powdered milk they say, will absorb humidity and keep seeks dry inside an airtight container. I might give this a try this year. I’ll let you know what I think later.

Eating IN-the-season

If you know me at all, you know I’m all about eating IN THE SEASON. Enjoying fruits and vegetables while they are at their very best, “in-the-season” – means eating as much as possible IN the season in which they were harvested, providing their most nutritious offering. Ideally – fresh raspberries, cherries, peaches and watermelon early to mid summer. Fresh tomatoes from July through about November. Fresh apples and plums from mid August through the late fall. Cabbage in the fall and winter. Winter squash from late summer / early fall to January / February.
For years, we’ve been trained by supermarkets to think we deserve to eat anything we want, any time of the year. But there is a price to that kind of entitlement. We don’t need to eat everything – ALL the time. We can do just fine without watermelon or FRESH tomatoes in the winter, and without squash in the spring. Personally, I have no desire to eat pumpkin pie in the spring. That just seems all kinds of wrong to me. Some things are meant to eat in the winter – like winter squash. With both summer and winter varieties of squash, we can enjoy a regular harvest of ‘zucchini’ throughout the warm months and store winter squash for months of delicious, healthy eating during the colder times when other vegetables are not so available. 

What we cannot eat fresh IN-the-season, we preserve in the best ways available. This is “preserving the excess”.

PRESERVING

Storage Conditions:
Proper long term food storage of winter squash is in a cool, dark, DRY place. This will help preserve the nutritional value too. Some winter squash can keep longer than others. For instance, pumpkins and hubbard squash can last longer than acorn squash. Generally ‘long term’ is considered anywhere from 2-4 months)
Keep your squash in an area will you will see it often, and off the cement floor. If you tuck it away where you seldom see it, you’ll forget about it and at best, you’re apt to miss the signs of decline.

What are the signs of decline?
A squash past its prime will begin to show signs of spoilage. You’ll see soft spots and perhaps mold on the stem. This simply means you’ve waited a little too long, so USE IT NOW! before its too late.

FREEZING:
Squash doesn’t lend itself well to fresh freezing. I have found that the texture gets watery and very undesirable. But if you roast it or steam it in the oven it freezes very nicely.

method 1 – steaming:
Cut winter squash into wedges, and place on baking dish cut side down. Pour about an inch of water in pan, and bake in 375 degrees F oven till fork tender. Depending on what kind of squash it is, expect it to take between 45 minutes to an hour. Its ready when tender to the fork. You may need to add a little more water from time to time.
Allow to cool on counter till you can handle it, then scoop out of the shell and place into a freezer container. Label and date. Freeze up to 3 months.

method 2 – roasting:
Cut squash into wedges, put on baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and any preferred seasoning. Bake at 375 till charred, soft and tender to the fork. Allow to cool on counter, then remove the flesh from its shell (I use an ice cream scoop), and place into a freezer container. Label and date. Freeze up to 3 months.

method 3 – roasting:
Peel squash and cut into cubes, place on baking sheet, lightly drizzle with oil and sprinkle seasonings. Toss to coat and bake in 375 F oven till fork tender. Cool, then place into freezer container. Label and date. Freeze up to 3 months.

Does it go bad?
Sitting in the freezer longer than 3 months will decrease quality significantly. The longer its frozen, the poorer the quality. But no, it doesn’t “go bad”.

Eating winter squash

Winter squash can be roasted to use in salads or served directly on your plate. They can also be made into soups or stews. Who hasn’t tried pumpkin pie? Or pumpkin loaf (like banana loaf), or muffins. One of our favourite cookies in the fall is pumpkin cookies.

This time of year we in my house like pumpkin chowder, pumpkin scones, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie of course, pumpkin dip with gingersnaps, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin & meatballs over rice, . . . . If you haven’t found a way to enjoy squash – you couldn’t have tried very hard.

If you have a favourite recipe, please share it with me below in the comment area.

Making baby food with winter squash
Baby food can be easily made at home. Doing so allows you to take advantage of fresh and seasonal, locally grown fruit or vegetables as well as control the ingredients. You can also adjust the food texture or consistency to whatever stage your baby is at.
Winter squash is highly nutritious and its smooth texture makes it easy to dilute with water if necessary, or not if the baby is a little older. It is naturally sweet and appealing.
As with all baby food, don’t prepare more than you need for a day.

My personal favourite winter squash for eating is Butternut. Hands down it beats all others in my opinion, so it’s no surprise that its most of what I cook. And my favourite way of preparing it is to ROAST it in the oven, usually in cubes. The variations are endless.

Roasted Butternut Squash in cubes

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tablespoons olive oil + 1 more
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper. This may be a lotta pepper for you, so if you’re not a big fan of black pepper, go ahead and reduce by 1/2.
* seasoning variations (see below for suggestions)
* optional: fresh chopped rosemary – goes with most other flavours

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Generously wipe two large baking sheets with up to a Tablespoon of olive oil in each pan.
3. Place the squash cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, then sprinkle with salt & pepper and additional seasoning combination of your choice (see below). Toss to coat, then divide between the two baking sheets. Spread the cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
4. Place the pans on two separate racks in your oven, for about 30 minutes, turning squash over with a spatula half way through, and rotating pans.
5. Continue baking the remaining 15 minutes or until the squash is tender to the fork.
6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh rosemary. Serve warm.

Roasted Butternut Squash in wedges

1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lb)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves (plus a few more whole leaves to top)
2 Tablespoons coconut sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh walnuts

Directions:
Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out seeds with a spoon, and discard. Cut each half into 3 wedges. Toss the squash wedges with the oil, nutmeg, salt, pepper and sage (both chopped and whole) until well coated.  Arrange flesh-side up on parchment-lined baking sheet with the sage leaves touching the wedges.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until the flesh is easily pierced with a knife.  Sprinkle coconut sugar and chopped walnuts over squash and return to the oven for another 8-10 minutes or until wedges are golden and caramelized around the edges and the walnuts are toasted.

Serve warm or even room temperature. I even like it straight outta the fridge.

seasoning suggestions for roasted squash:

* Cumin (my usual go to): 1 Tablespoon cumin powder, thyme and oregano: 1 T of each
* Cinnamon Roasted: 1-2 T of pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
* Sage roasted: ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg. ½ teaspoon your salt of choice, ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper (or half that amount if you’re inclined to do so, 1 T dried sage leaves crumbled, 2 T coconut sugar, 2 T chopped walnuts

Curried Pumpkin Soup

– a hearty delicious way to use leftover jack-o-lanterns –
in large sauce pan, sauté over medium heat till onions are translucent:
2 T butter
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced

Add:
6 cups peeled and cubed fresh pumpkin
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup orange juice
2 T curry powder
Bring to a slow boil and simmer till pumpkin is soft and tender.
Puree in batches in blender, then add
1 cup sour cream
Warm thoroughly but do not boil. Serve warm.

based on Patti Shenfield’s Pumpkin Chowder

4 cups cubed potatoes
2 medium carrots sliced
1 stalk celery chopped
1 onion diced
1/2 green pepper diced
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup water
3 T flour
1 + 1/2 cup pumpkin puree OR a 398 ml can (14 oz)
1 + 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups water + 1 cup whole milk
grated cheddar cheese
Directions with variation suggestions at the bottom:
1. In a heavy soup pot, combine potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, peppers in the chicken broth. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add butter.
2. Mix 1/3 cup water and 3 Tbsp flour till smooth and pour into the soup pot, stirring frequently.
3. Add pumpkin, salt, pepper, parsley, sugar and 2 cups water. Reduce heat and cook on low till vegetables are tender – about 30 minutes, stirring once in a while to prevent scorching.
4. Stir in milk.
5. Serve in bowls with garnish of grated cheddar and chopped parsley.
May serve as is – a vegetable soup, or puree in blender before serving as a cream soup.
Or puree a third of the soup, leaving the remaining chunks for texture.
* I’ve added a quart of home canned tomatoes with 1/4 cup tomato paste – and the results were terrific.
* I’ve used freeze dried potatoes, onions, celery, peppers and cheddar – even freeze dried butternut squash instead of onions.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This kind of ‘recipe’ is using what you’ve got on hand. It may never be exactly the same twice, but it will always be delicious.

the ingredients I used in this batch:
1 butternut squash – washed, cut in half and cleaned out
2 onions
5 potatoes – cut in big chunks
1 large sweet potato – cut in big chunks
5 large carrots – cut in big chunks
3 peppers (red, yellow or orange) – cut in half (stem and seeds removed)
whole head of garlic with top cut off, or in individual cloves
1 Tbsp each: cumin and paprika
1 tsp each: salt and back pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 quart vegetable broth
1 19 oz can coconut cream (560 ml)

Into a large baking dish, put:
1 butternut squash, cut side up, scored crisscross with a sharp knife.
Add onions, potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers and garlic. Don’t bother peeling anything, just make sure they’re all clean.
Drizzle with olive oil
Add seasoning. Don’t be afraid to add your seasoning of choice. Try a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger.
Bake in 350 degree oven about an hour, till fork tender. Add a few minutes if necessary.
When fork tender, remove from oven and allow to cool.
Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the softened flesh with an ice cream scoop and put everything (in different stages) into a good strong blender, using vegetable broth as the liquid. Puree. The only peel you’re gonna discard is the squash and the garlice if you used the whole head. Pour each batch into a saucepan as it is done.
Once all the vegetables are pureed, gently warm up over medium heat. Add any remaining vegetable broth, and as a last step, pour in coconut cream that has been stirred if necessary.

Serve with sourdough bread toasted. Enjoy.

Dorothy Beck’s Pumpkin Cookies


– I got this recipe in 1983 from my friend Dorothy Beck. It became a favourite in our house on chilly fall and winter school days. A nice soft tender cookie. Makes about 5 dozen.
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups cooked pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 T cinnamon
4 + 1/2 cups flour
2 cups raisins
* 1 cup chopped nuts – your choice, optional

Directions: Preheat oven 350 F.
1. In mixer, cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time till thoroughly mixed.
2. Add pumpkin and beat in completely. Set aside.
3. Sift together all dry ingredients and set aside.
4. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture one cup at a time, mixing well with a spoon.
5. Half way through flour addition, add raisins and nuts, stir in.
6. Finish adding flour.
7. Drop cookie dough by teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet – either greased or use parchment.
8. Bake in 350 degree oven till done. Probably 15-20 minutes? Check frequently. Cookies are done when they spring back to the touch.
Cool slightly on pan, then using spatula, place them on a rack to cool completely while you re-use the pan to make more.

Patti Shenfield’s Pumpkin Loaf based on the recipe in her book FLAVORS OF HOME

1/2 cup butter melted or your favourite cooking oil
1 cup pumpkin mash
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp of each: cinnamon and ginger + 1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup chopped walnut
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In small mixing bowl combine oil, pumpkin puree, sour cream, vanilla and egg. Beat until smooth. Set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl sift dry ingredients together, and make a well in the middle of it.
4. Add wet ingredients and still around till all is moistened.
5. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. .
6. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a tookpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Can be used for muffins instead. of cake
Can add chocolate chips.

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Syrup Glaze

3 cups unbleached flour
1 T baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon each of ginger and nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
sift all the dry ingredients together

1 cup COLD butter cut up
Using two forks or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients. Don’t get too carried away and make the pieces too small. Course like whole rolled oats is fine enough.
Set aside.

mix liquid ingredients together (*hint: have them cold):
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream OR kefir OR plain yogurt OR sour cream OR buttermilk
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Line a cookie sheet with parchment (a baker’s best friend).
Preheat oven to 400 F. Put your rack in the centre of oven.

Pour liquid ingredients into the sifted dry ingredients, and gently mix by folding, only until all moistened. Don’t over stir. Sprinkle a little flour onto the counter and dump out the dough onto it. Gently mix with hands only until you’ve created a ball. Divide into two equal smaller balls and place on either end of your parchment covered cookie sheet. Gently pat down with the palm of your hand, to form a disk about 6 inches across. Cut each disk into 8 equal pieces, and gently separate so each piece is an inch or two apart.

Bake 18 – 20 minutes, starting to test after 15 minutes but gently tapping the scones with your finger. You’re looking for it to bounce back. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool on pan.

* While scones are cooling, prepare this delicious glaze:
in small sauce pan over low heat, melt 2 Tablespoons butter. Add 1/3 cup maple syrup and mix thoroughly, removing from heat. Add 1 cup icing sugar. Mix thoroughly and drizzle over top baked scones.

I prepared my glaze too early and it was setting by the time I got a chance to use it. I couldn’t drizzle anymore, I had to spread it – which was okay too.



I hope you’ll fall in love with squash – especially winter squash. It’s the end of September as I write this, so in our house we’re just gearing up for cold weather recipes. I’d love to see some of your favourite recipes using all kinds of squash. Please share in the comments.
I will continue to add new recipes as I find them in my own collection.

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle

Footnotes:

  1. Delicata, acorn and spaghetti are related closely enough to zucchini and pumpkin that they can cross pollinate: all are Cucurbita pepo.
    Winter squashes such as hubbard, kobacha, buttercup and turk’s turban belong to Cucurbita maxima and can cross pollinate one another.
    Butternut squash is Cucurbita moschata and does not cross-pollinate with the squashes listed above.
    Winter squash have separate male and female flowers. The female flower requires pollen in order to produce fruit, but the pollen can come from other compatible species. Pollen is moved by insects such as bees, bumblebee, hoverflies, ants and others.
    Here is an example of cross-pollination: If you grow acorn squash in the garden and it is pollinated by a nearby zucchini, this year’s fruit will still look like an acorn squash. But if you harvest the seed from that squash, the seed will contain genes from both the zucchini and the acorn squash. If that seed is grown next year, the resulting fruit will look very different – with a combination of characteristics of both parents. This is called a hybrid.
    ↩︎
  2. Here is an example of cross-pollination: If you grow acorn squash in the garden and it is pollinated by a nearby zucchini, this year’s fruit will still look like an acorn squash. But if you harvest the seed from that squash, the seed will contain genes from both the zucchini and the acorn squash. If that seed is grown next year, the resulting fruit will look very different – with a combination of characteristics of both parents. This is called a hybrid. ↩︎

Winter squash have separate male and female flowers. The female flower requires pollen in order to produce fruit, but the pollen can come from other compatible species. Pollen is moved by insects such as bees, bumblebee, hoverflies, ants and others.

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Collecting Seeds from Your Garden for Next Season

Every plant wants to go to seed; that’s what their designed to do. Plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and squash have their seeds inside. Plants like greens will bolt, forming seed heads toward the end of the season. Peas and beans (legumes) produce pods with seeds inside. Annual flowers form seed heads that are easy to gather.
Every plant has its unique way to reproduce. They are gifts from nature, and we can afford to be choosy about picking only the best.

Saving seeds is not difficult and there really is no mystery involved. There are a few basic rules to follow, but they all make perfect sense, so once you understand them – you’re off to the races. But first . . . . WHY would you want to? Well, I don’t know why you’d want to, but I know there are some reasons that compel me to want to save seeds.

7 reasons I save my own garden seeds

  1. SELF RELIANCE
    I love that I’m not dependent on stores providing for all my needs. If COVID taught us anything it was that supply chains are fragile. I still buy seeds – don’t get me wrong, but there is something about being independent in as many areas as possible that speaks to me. Self reliance is a major factor in most decisions I make. I was raised by a dad who always had a ‘backup’, and often times he had a backup for his backup – so it’s kinda ingrained in me. I know now that I have enough seeds to plant my garden next year. That’s not to say I might choose to buy something specific next spring, but I don’t need to.
  2. COST SAVINGS
    It saves me a lotta money. It’s hard to beat ‘FREE’.
  3. PRESERVING HEIRLOOM VARIETIES
    Some plants I grow, I couldn’t buy the seed if I wanted. The only way for me to grow my Romanian Giant tomatoes for example, is if I save my own seed. And I love these particular type of tomatoes. I’ve grown them for over a decade – they’re my tomato of choice. I got my first plants from my sister Pearl-Ann, which I loved and saved the seed from. Since then I’ve shared them with countless other gardeners. (see more about HEIRLOOM SEEDS below)
  4. GREATER CONTROL OVER CHARACTERISTICS YOU LIKE
    By saving seeds, I can select good strong plants with features and traits I prefer in appearance and size, as well as colour, flavour, even resistance to disease. Over time these characteristics can become stronger, allowing me to fine tune exact traits I prefer.
  5. ADAPTATION
    Similar to control over the characteristics, seeds saved from my own garden are better adapted to the conditions of my location: the climate, the soil, even the pests. Over time, these seeds will produce plants that are more resilient to the negatives and more responsive to the positives features of my area. That means increased yield.

6. COMMUNITY
We’re not alone. Sowing Seeds that Others May Reap, and Reaping What Others Have Sown – is part of the cooperative effort that ‘community’ is all about. There are other gardeners like us collecting their own seeds, and like us, they’re likely be happy to share. You’ve probably already benefitted from someone sharing seed and you’ve probably also shared your own. A GARDEN COMMUNITY! That’s what I’m talking about, doesn’t matter whether you live near or far. I’ve shared with my next door neighbour, friends in our community garden, and cousins who live a thousand miles away.

Our local community garden recently hosted our 4th SEEDY SATURDAY. We outgrew our first year’s event in the community hall. Among other things we’ve since added, it’s still essentially a time where people bring seed to share, and hope to come home with shared seed. We look forward to it every year.

7. Personal SATISFACTION
Saving my own seed is rewarding and it helps to establish a closer connection to the food I grow and that I feed my family.

If any of my reasons for saving, sound compelling to you, then read on –

HOW TO

  1. STRONG AND HEALTHY
    Choose only healthy plants that have all the desirable attributes you want to perpetuate. Save seeds from the strongest, best looking, and most disease resistant plants and fruit.
  2. RIPE
    Allow plants to FULLY mature. Wait for them to complete their life cycle and for the seeds to be dry. For seeds from fleshy fruits like cucumbers and tomatoes, see below.
  3. HYBRID
    Be careful that the seeds you’re collecting are NOT from hybrid plants. Hybrid plants are created by deliberately cross pollinating two different varieties of a plant aiming to produce an offspring that contains the best features of both parents. These seeds are not likely to produce exactly true to form. If they’re in a package, they’ll be labelled as ‘hybrids’ so don’t forget what you planted. I keep a record of the type of seeds I planted in gardening journal. I suggest you do the same.
  4. LABEL
    You think you’re gonna remember, but you. will. NOT! Don’t trust yourself. Label with the type of seed, the date gathered or stored, and any other pertinent notes you’ll be glad to know when you plant it. DON’T count on remembering those details, you’re just setting yourself up for failure.
  5. DRY
    Lay them out: After collecting, spread seeds in a single layer on paper towels or a tray to continue drying.  Don’t rush them. Being properly dried will make the difference between whether they last or not.
    Use a bag for drying: For tiny seeds, place the dried seed heads in a paper bag for a week to allow them to finish drying and release the seeds. 
    Ensure thorough drying: Seeds must be completely dry to prevent rotting. 
  6. USING A BROWN PAPER BAG
    For plants with seed heads (marigolds, poppy pods, lettuce that has bolted, sunflowers, herbs like dill), wait for seeds to dry completely on the plant, then cut them and place in a paper bag to prevent seeds from falling all over the place. Leave in the bag for a couple of weeks depending on how moist or big the seeds were at gathering.
    Shake the bag to dislodge all the seeds. Remove stems and foliage. Fold the bag and label to store, or pour into another container. Label!
  7. FLESHY FRUITS
    Cucumbers – allow to over ripen on the vine – yellow. Cut open and gently scoop the seeds out. Rinse in a fine colander and shake seeds on a paper towel to dry.
    Peppers, select a mature pepper and let it turn completely red, then remove seeds by hand or with a spoon. Spread onto paper towel and allow them to sit till fully dry. About a week if the weather isn’t too humid.
    Squash – Zucchini or any kind of winter squash – allow to fully ripen, then cut squash open and scoop out seeds to lay on paper towel. Leave for a week or two or even more if necessary. Ensure they are totally dry.
    Tomatoes – allow to over ripen on the vine (if possible). Cut open and gently scoop the seeds out. 1) Rinse well, freeing the seeds from the jelly like substance they’re suspended in, pour in a fine strainer and allow to drain. You can either spread out onto a paper towel to dry, or let them sit in the strainer till they’re completely dry. Scroll down for more details.
  8. CLEAN
    Remove chaff, husks, dry leaves or other debris.
  9. STORE
    Have your containers decided on, prepared and waiting. Prepared means cleaned well and dried. Remove all labels. Suitable containers are envelopes, paper bags for big seeds or seed heads, recycled pill bottles and/or cleaned glass jars.
  10. IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING DRY AND DARK.
    When completely dry, store seeds in a paper envelop or bag or if you’re absolutely sure they’re as dry as possible, you can store in a pill bottle (with the label removed), or a suitably sized jar. Keep in a cupboard or away from direct sunlight till next planting season.
    If you have an additional fridge, go ahead and store them in it.

Heirloom Seeds

What is an Heirloom Seed?
An heirloom seed is one that comes from an open pollinated (naturally pollinated) plant that has been passed down (sometimes for generations, and typically at least 50 years) without being crossbred or otherwise altered. My Romanian Giant Tomatoes are “Heirloom” to me, but by this definition – they are not a true “heirloom”. Though I have no doubt these seeds have been passed down for over 50 years, I can only attest to the years I personally have been growing them.
Heirloom varieties produce plants with the same desirable qualities – like unique appearance, colour, flavour, texture and growing habits. When you find a plant you love, you want to protect it by propagating your own seed. Always ensure you’re saving seed from the healthiest, strongest plants that have thrived in their space.

Recap: features of an heirloom variety are that they are open pollinated and that they “breed true”, meaning that they retain the original traits from one generation to generation. To ensure that they stay “true”, to be grown for seed, that particular variety must be grown in isolation from other varieties of the same plant species.

What is meant by “open pollination”, and why should we care?
Open pollinated plants – also called “natural pollination”, are pollinated without our intervention relying completely on insects, birds and wind, and occasionally by natural “self” pollination. Their seeds produce “true to type” new plants – genetically similar to the parent. For gardeners, this is the best way to continue growing plants with unique characteristics we’ve come to prefer. This doesn’t mean there cannot be a certain degree of ‘natural’ genetic variation among heirloom plants, quite the opposite – that’s part of adaptability to local conditions, and is desirable.

Heirloom vegetables are often considered to be more nutritious than hybrid versions of the same type.

SELF POLLINATING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Many fruits and vegetables are self pollinating, meaning they don’t require assistance from insects or birds – like beans, peas, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes. Generally these are the best ones for beginner seed collectors, as they have true to type descendants. Tomatoes are consider self-pollinating because they have both male and female parts within the same flower, but they do require a little wind or vibrations to spread the pollen around. Though they don’t require pollinators, they may still attract them, which enhances over all plant health.

What vegetables are the easiest for beginners to collect seed from?
Focus on open pollinated plants, preferably heirloom varieties – AVOID hybrid seeds and taking seeds from unknown origin produce.

We are more likely to have successful experiences with self-pollinating vegetables and fruits like the following –
Legumes: beans and peas
Leafy Greens: lettuce, spinach
Root Vegetables: carrots, radishes and onions
Brassicas: Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower (which is why they can produce under a netting that prohibits flying insects)
Tomatoes and Peppers
Grapes, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, saskatoons, rhubarb

Why choosing self pollinating plants helps gardeners and over all harvest?
We only need one plant to have a successful harvest. While not requiring pollinating insects, bees and other pollinators are still attracted to the plants for nectar and pollen – increasing overall productivity. With less reliance on external pollinators, it is possible to grow many of these fruits and vegetables in enclosed or protected areas and in urban communities.

Annual plants (meaning they grow one season only) produce mature seeds in a single growing season, and are easy to collect. Examples are legumes and flowers like dill, poppies, marigolds and nasturtiums.

Peas and beans: wait until the pods are dry and crisp, then harvest the seeds within.

Poppies with mature poppy pods inset.
Wait till the pods are tan coloured and completely dry. You’ll be able to hear the tiny black seeds inside. I bring a bowl with me to shake them into.

Annual flowers: sweet peas, poppies, bachelor buttons, marigolds: wait till seeds are dry, gather in a bowl, clean and ensure they’re completely dry before storing in paper envelopes or bags. Label what, where from and when.

Nasturtiums: wait till seeds are dry to gather.

Seeds form at the base of the flowers and start out small and green. Over time, they’ll grow in size and eventually turn pale green, then light brown or beige, signaling that they’re nearing maturity. Gently pull them off the plant. If they resist, wait a few days. By the time the seeds are ready, many may have already fallen. Go ahead and collect them, ensuring they’re not damaged or starting to rot. Mature nasturtium seeds are the size of a pea, pale green to tan in colour with a wrinkled rough texture. I bring a large plastic bowl with me while collecting seed. It allows me to see what I’ve got and to sort through them, keeping only the best. If they aren’t completely dry when I pick them, then I dry them on a tea towel for a couple of days.
Store in a paper bag or envelope, clearly labeled with what they are, when and where collected.

Chives and onions: they will bolt, save the seed
Spinach and other greens: they will ‘bolt’ (meaning it puts out a strong, tall stem and flowers to produce seeds). Allow the seeds to dry and gather.

Cucumbers: Allow fruit to ripen fully – yellow and soft texture. Cut open and remove seeds into sieve. Agitate and rinse. Spread on paper towel to dry completely.

Tomatoes: Allow the fruit to ripen fully, then scoop the seeds out.
Option #1: fermenting – scoop the seeds and gel into a jar, add some water and let sit at room temperature for 3 or 4 days. A layer of mould will form, which tells you that fermentation has broken down the seed’s protective coating. Drain-rinse-swish, drain-rinse-swish again. then pour into a fine sieve and rinse till clean. Spread out on a paper towel to dry completely. Label and place in a sealed container.
Option #2: scoop seeds and gel out into a sieve. Agitate and rinse a few times. Spread on paper towel to dry completely. Label and place in sealed container.
Peppers: Collect seeds from fully mature, ripe peppers.

The crisp cheery white and yellow of the daisy-like FEVERFEW flowers in front of the purples of chives, cornflowers and Lupins.

Biennial plants (meaning they grow two seasons, flowering the second season), will produce mature seeds in the second growing season – also easy to collect from.  Examples like feverfew, parsley and root crops like beets and carrots.

I rarely if ever collect the seed from biennial plants in my yard like feverfew. I do however, allow some flowers to go to seed, then I pinch them off and sprinkle them over the areas I want them to grow, trusting in nature to do the rest. She never lets me down. Next spring I’ll have a thousand little feverfew plants, so I can decide where I want them to grow and pull up the rest. The only reason I’d save some seed is if someone else wants it.

Collecting seed from Tomatoes – easiest thing ever!

Select the BEST specimen of the variety you want to save for next year.
If its a small tomato, simply squish it and squeeze the seeds and pulp into a small glass jar or cup. If its a bigger tomato, cut it and scoop out the pulpy part containing all the seed – into a small glass jar.
3 methods:
1. If you have few – spread the seed onto a paper towel and let them dry.

2. If you have lots – put them in a fine strainer and rinse them well to remove the pulpy parts. You can let them dry in the strainer, or spread on a paper towel to dry.

3. Ferment. Squeeze the seed and pulp into a small jar. Add water and agitate by stirring vigorously. Let sit a couple of days – mould will form on top, simply scoop it off, then strain the seed and spread out onto paper towel to dry.

I’ve done all three, but could never see the value in taking the time to ferment, when it appeared to me that the end result was the same. I’ve read compelling evidence recently however, that claims the additional step of fermenting lowers the odds of the seed carrying disease forward. That extra precaution sounds worthwhile to me. I’m converted.

Regardless of the method you decide on, the seed must be DRIED. I often just leave it on the paper towel, write the name, date and any other details on it, then roll it up and store in a jar or a paper envelop.

an excellent self help video on collecting seed. Keep in mind that he’s on Vancouver Island in zone 8 when he talks about winter. Central Alberta is zone 3b to 4a. But seed collecting methods are pretty standard.
a good summary of saving and storing several different types of garden seed
Keep in mind that he is in zone 5b in Colorado, but collecting the seed is pretty standard.

If you’re new to saving seed, I really hope you’ll pick a few easy ones to save this year. It’s a rewarding task. If you’re already a serious seed collector, then try one fruit or vegetable you’ve never saved before. Share some of your favourites with a friend. I’d love to hear about your experiences. Please comment below.

Enjoy!

Warmly,

Cindy Suelzle