weed to girl ratio 1000000:1

I am just as excited as I was a few days ago about getting another, entire plot - quadrupling my gardening space - but I am now experiencing just how hard it is to undue someone else's neglect. I am also experiencing the irony of getting so much land but having to dig up stubborn taprooted weeds from every inch of it.

Here's the plot. You might be thinking "hey, at least there's no weeds under that black landscaping fabric" but you'd be wrong.

However, for my troubles, I've inherited some new plants that managed to grow amongst the voracious weeds. I'm not sure if it's ironic, but it's definitely more squash.

I now have: butternut squash, yellow squash(no!) and zucchini, lemon cucumber, cabbage, some fancy broccoli that may never flower, and a swarming mass of unsupported cherry tomato vines. Rumor has it there's a couple of pepper plants in there, but I haven't gotten to those beds yet.

I weeded 4 hours Saturday and 5 hours Sunday, and I'm not even done with 1/3 of the plot. I thought I'd rototill it, but realized that would just cut up the weed roots and multiply the weeds. So I have to go dig up as much of the roots as I can by hand, with a shovel. My hamstrings are so sore from bending and pulling!

However, I'm starting to acquire a taste for my new fresh insta-cherry tomatoes off the vine! Tonight I made a fabulous roasted tomato salad dressing with them.

First Harvest! Squash, squash and oh, more squash....

Here are pics of my first harvests - squash! I'm now questioning what the heck I was thinking growing 2 yellow squash plants, because I'm drowning in squash. But, I was intrigued by the specialty shapes of both since I have only grown plain green zucchini before...

The papaya pear squash came first (maturity ~45 days) and continues... the patty pans (maturity ~50 days) were first ready 1.5 weeks ago while I was at a conference. I asked a friend to go get them if she wanted them, but she never made it over to the garden, so pic 2 shows you what can happen to a patty pan in less than a week if not picked: from 2-3in diameter to over 4lbs (a zucch last year topped out at over 7lbs! I made a stuffed zucchini boat out of that one, and my friend decorated another biggun for Halloween) I hope the patty pan will resume production now that I've picked all the giants off.


My first squash meal, made with the 3 papaya squash in the first picture, was a simple saute with some herbs. But now I'm focusing on bulk: Right now I'm eating part of a gallon of curried squash soup, have a squash-heavy lasagna in the fridge waiting to be cooked and another pound or two in the freezer, gave away 8lbs to friends and several to the neighbors... and there's more papayas forming now. I'm going to give the next big harvest to the EFAA, but I would like to eat as much of my "free" food as I can. Any recommendations?


Also, I found 2 perfect cucumbers yesterday! I don't know how I missed them before. I had one tonight and have to say: it was SO good! I made some hummus to go with it...