Volunteer Pumpkin

Every Halloween, when we carve jack-o-lanterns, we throw some of the pumpkin seeds out in the yard somewhere.  Most summers, we have a pumpkin vine as a reward.  This year, one grew out of the clay pot we set the jack-o-lantern in.  I don't remember there being any seeds, but, apparently, there were!

You know... now that I think about it, I seem to remember Sara-Grace (who has such a green thumb she could grow crops for profit!) asking me if she could put a pumpkin seed in the pot.  Figures!  I make her do all my seed-handling!

I don't know if I'll really get a pumpkin off this vine but, even if I don't, I love the lush, green, heartiness of it in all its volunteer enthusiasm!

There's a blossom!  Could it be that I might get a pumpkin eventually?

I planted some butternut squash seeds this year and had one good vine.  But the squash beetles killed it -- as usual!  They kill my squash EVERY year.  I have never had a squash vine survive.  This year, I sprinkled cayenne pepper around the vine.  It seemed to work at first but the beetles won out in the end.  

I hear that autumn squash is more successful so I think I'll try growing some this year.  Autumn gardens are a totally new concept to me!  I always think I've missed my chance if I haven't planted by May 1.  Now I can try again in mid-to-late August!  Yay! 

You know what amazes this grocery-store-girl about vegetables?  You can take the seeds out of a squash or a melon or a pepper and put it in the ground and grown more squash or melons or peppers.  This truly amazes me!  I know it's kind of obvious but I see it as miraculous!  

And, one of the many neat things about it is that it's FREE (except for the water maybe)!  Love it!