Yesterday evening I found myself showing someone this picture on my mobile phone. I'm proud of my squashes. She was suitably impressed. However, squash growing however isn't without its problems and mysteries.
Some of the plants appear to be, in the words of another office veg grower Caroline, 'firing blanks' - a Acorn squash and a Marina di Chioggia plant in my back yard both suffered from this and have been consigned to the compost bin. Veg growing is merciless business.
Also when they do fruit, some of the fruits begin to yellow, shrivel and then fall off the stalk. Like the siamese ones in this photograph.
Does any know why this happens?
Also I'm a little unsure about when to pick them and about leaving them for their skins to harden. Is their any harm in leaving them on the plant, or does that just prevent more fruit forming? Any squashperts out there? Could you help?
