Getting the Squash Seedlings in the Ground

We had a scare last week with temperatures dipping into the 30's and I'll have to admit I was worried about the tomatoes, beans, watermelons and other items that I have planted in the garden.  Some show some slight effects of the cold weather in terms of 'burned' edges of the leaves due to the cold, but I think they'll all recover nicely, especially with temperatures hitting the low 80's all this week.  We ought to see some good growth - both in the vegetables in the garden and the the grass in the pasture.

With the threat of cold weather hopefully in the rear-view mirror, it was time to get some squash in the ground.  I had planted several types of yellow squash (straight neck & crookneck), several types of zucchini squash (Black Beauty & Gray), and a couple winter squash (Spaghetti & Butternut) into seed pots a few weeks ago and they've been growing on top of the cold frame on the patio.  The leaves were turning yellow and their root system was eager to get out of the little containers and spread out in the ground.  Let's get after it.

Benjamin helped me as I used my hoe to pull the decomposing leaves and organic matter that filled the valley between the rows up onto the top of the rows.  It smelled musty and was teeming with earthworms - a nice growing medium for healthy vegetables.

Pulling fertile soil up onto the tops of the rows.

While you can still make out the shapes of leaves in the compost, if you crumble a handful, it just becomes dirt.

Composted leaves and hay

Just to give the squash a good start, I dumped a bucketful of some organic garden soil on top at each three foot measurement where I'll be planting squash.  Admittedly, this is probably the same stuff that I showed you in the previous picture just composted longer and ground fine.  I asked Tricia to purchase this and this step is probably unnecessary, but I want to give the plants the best possible start.  This also made a mound that will lift the squash plants out of the lower part of the garden where the squash will be planted.  Rainfall on the southern end of the garden can damage crops since the beds aren't raised as high as on the northern end.

Organic Garden Soil

Then I simply use a plastic fork to remove the squash seedling from the seed pot and plant in the soil.  You can see the yellowish tint to the leaves.  They need some nutrients in the good soil to give them a kick-start.

Squash Seedling

The next thing I do is very important.  I go out to the hay bale in the pasture and scoop up lots of hay that the cows would otherwise waste and I bring it back to the row and completely encircle the seedling.  This provides mulch that will help retain soil moisture and inhibit weed growth.  I also find that it helps when the squash begin producing.  Sometimes squash that comes in contact with the ground will rot.  The hay acts as a cushion to protect the squash from excess moisture on the soil that causes rot.

Hay used as a mulch around the squash plant

Now all we need to do is give the squash a little drink of water and then we'll just sit back and let it grow.

A little drink

And now we're back where we started in the first picture.  I wanted to show you that I'll fill in the valley between each row with chopped up leaves that will serve as the walkway and will turn into next year's dirt/organic matter.  You can see three rows of squash planted to the left of the row I'm currently planting to give you an idea of the leaves and hay that I use to provide a good growing environment and to keep the soil covered.

Using leaves and straw as a soil covering

Now I've just got to get the cucumbers seedlings planted, along with some sweet corn. I also have some Birdhouse gourd and Loofah gourd seedlings that I need to get out of the seed pots and into the ground. Times 'a tickin'...