{"id":34787,"date":"2017-07-18T06:42:42","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T10:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=34787"},"modified":"2017-07-18T06:55:21","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T10:55:21","slug":"fresh-from-the-spring-farm-summer-squash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/fresh-from-the-spring-farm-summer-squash\/","title":{"rendered":"Fresh from The Spring Farm: Summer Squash"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jenny Spring<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Jenny

Jenny Spring<\/p><\/div>\n

Did you know that a zucchini is a summer squash? Summer squash comes much before winter squash and they are very high producing plants. It is by far one of the best producing vegetables on our farm. You can use them in many recipes. Examples are moist muffins, hearty stews, squash noodles, stir fries, coleslaws, fritters, pizza, pasta and more!<\/p>\n

Gardening Tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Squash beetle can be a devastation to your squash and cucumber plants. This looks like a tiny yellow and white beetle and it will eat the entire flower off your plants. Scout your plants every morning and squish all the cucumber beetles you can find with your fingers.<\/p>\n

Summer squash also loves the heat. Make sure there is no more chance of frost when you put them outside. In the heat of the summer they will produce like crazy.<\/p>\n

Also make sure they have LOTS of run to grow. These are huge plants that need space.<\/p>\n

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If possible, water from below. The leaves of a squash plant don\u2019t like to get wet. If you can set up a drip irrigation that would be ideal.<\/p>\n

Squash blossoms are not only beautiful but this lovely flower is edible. It\u2019s the flower part of the Cucurbita family and has a mildly sweet flavor. It\u2019s extremely tender and wonderful stuffed, fried, baked, or saut\u00e9d. Squash blossoms have a very short shelf life so you want to prepare them within a day of harvest. Male and female flowers can be used interchangeably, however, leaving the female flowers will allow the plant to produce actual fruit so harvesting the male flowers only is best.<\/p>\n

The summer squash harvest is the celebration of summer harvest. Our first harvest will be ready this week.<\/p>\n

Some of the varieties I grow in Huntsville look like the following:<\/p>\n\n\t\t