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Post by hmoosek on Feb 26, 2018 22:23:59 GMT -6
Oh wow! That Cuban is a strong grower. My SIL wants a pumpkin patch, so the little kids can come out and pick pumpkins. I told her to have at it since there is plenty of land. They live a 1/2 mile across our field. She has the perfect spot, it's about an acre in size as it sits now. We used to plant garlic there, but nothing has been planted in that spot since 2010. I hope she goes through with her plan. We have a lot of wild hogs and deer, but that area is fenced, so that should hopefully keep them out.
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Post by macmex on Feb 27, 2018 7:37:25 GMT -6
Moose, you should be sure she plants some Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkins. They are way more disease resistant than Adapazari or regular Jack 'O Lantern types. Yet they can be carved like a Jack O Lantern pumpkin.
Here's picture of Adapazari. I tried to grow this here in Tahlequah, back around 2008. The borers obliterated it.
Here's a picture of Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin:
Also, I bet cushaws would do quite well for her.
George
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Post by glen on Feb 27, 2018 12:51:13 GMT -6
George, we have cuban pumpkins here in the supermarket that look just like the pumpkins you got in the foto. I mean the old timey cornfield pumpkins. I swear they look exactly the same. Cuban pumpkins have sort of an ugly greenish look to em at first, then they ripen to that color shown in the above color. They also have different shapes also. There is no one shape fits all for the Cuban pumpkin. We have the normal looking pumpkin shape and also the sort of pitcher shaped pumpkins and they have different colors etc. We just group all of them together and call em callabasa. To me, they are just ferrel pumpkins. They taste good too. That shape you got in the foto is what I like too. You got to let em ripen to get that color and it takes some time. My supermarket has got that exact shape and color right now for 30 cents per lb. I bet yours taste even better than ours! Cuban pumpkins are impervious to pests and can live in the worst conditions I have ever seen also. I grow them as an after thought. I do what I call guerrilla gardening. I plant the seeds somewhere during the rainy season and don't come back for 4 months. They take care of themselves.
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Post by macmex on Feb 28, 2018 8:39:16 GMT -6
Glen, I believe that when the indigenous people were the only ones growing these squash, there was simply a huge landrace, extending all across the Western hemisphere, wherever conditions were right. No one named or selected varieties, as per what we have today. The Calabaza you have and the one I have are definitely cousins. Your's is almost certainly better adapted to your day length conditions. Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin is better adapted for my latitude. But, for centuries, between your location and mine, there were swirling mixes of genes for these squash. Any one location might have a slight variation. But they were not purposefully bred to be distinct.
For example, Ron has grown the Buckskin pumpkin, which I believe has been documented as a Cherokee heirloom. It's noticeably different from Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin. Yet, I bet, over 100 years ago, neither of them may have looked exactly as they do now. They were selected, even if inadvertently.
This indigenous way of maintaining seed seems kind of haphazard. Yet, as I think about it, I sometimes wish everyone did it and that we just had 100 times more gardeners (maybe better 1000 times) keeping seed. The indigenous method preserves way more genetic diversity, as long as there are a lot of people doing it.
This year I plan on growing Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin, an heirloom from Indiana. It is better adapted to a location a bit North of here. But I'm going to work with it. I "discovered" it back in 1984 and got to introduce it to the seed saving world.
Here are some pictures. The first is from Warsaw Round, a selection I did during the 90s. I have since lost that seed.
Here's the long version:
Here's another picture of Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin. The original seed produced several different shaped fruit.
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Post by hmoosek on Feb 28, 2018 11:52:51 GMT -6
George,
Those are some fine looking pumpkins
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Post by glen on Feb 28, 2018 12:57:42 GMT -6
Those really are fine looking pumpkins. Makes me want to make sure I get some planted this upcoming season. You really have all the fun, being able to grow those fancy variety's of heirloom squash. Thats one thing I miss about living in the US. However, the old stand bye, Cuban pumpkin really gets the job done here so it doesn't really seem practical to try and change City Hall. Gardening is so tricky here in Panama as it is. I must stick with the local variety. Same with tomato's. I have to stick with what they are growing here which is the local "Little Pear", tomato. I have been cutting Long Beans every day. The vines are getting covered over now. I have enough Long bean for a mess and will cook them tomorrow. I am pretty much excited about eating the seasons first mess of Long Beans. Probably they will be steamed. But, they are also excellent stir fried or thrown in soups or stews.
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Post by glen on Mar 1, 2018 13:19:38 GMT -6
The Long bean feast has been put off until tomorrow. Picked a nice big hand full again today. Ok, a Little tip about picking long beans, or any yard long type bean. You must cut the beans before the sedes begin developing in the pods for best quality. If you don't the pods get lighter Green and quickly begin to form sedes in the pods. You have to pay attention to this. If not, you will not be happy with your steamed or stir fried pods. The bad part is that this happens so fast that it will make your head spin. Its better to go ahead and cut the pod a Little early because one day too late and its just too late. The pods change and are not tasty. They get rubbery and tough when the sedes begin to form inside the pod. You can touch the pods and feel the sedes inside. Thats when you might as well just let that pod finish out and put on seed. The reality is that cowpea's are better for saving pea's than they are for eating the snaps. But, I am so desperate for Green veggy's that I am using them to get the snaps. Very tasty if cut at the right momento in time. Not good if you are a day late. Now, if I decide to let the pods produce seed, you get a lot. Each pod makes 10 to 15 sedes. You will be surprised at how much dried seed you can get. Well worth the effort. And, they are easy to shuck. Full of fibre and protien too.
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Post by hmoosek on Mar 1, 2018 17:49:18 GMT -6
Glen, This is a little off topic, so I'll be brief. You mentioned you missed your greens. I wonder how well a couple of mason jars done the Kratky style would work for you. Lots of YouTube videos. I like the ones by "Old Alabama Gardener" I'm considering one myself. My Mom has an Aero Garden and it's a lettuce making machine, but I won't shell out that kind of money.
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Post by glen on Mar 1, 2018 19:00:34 GMT -6
Moose, I am not sure about what method you are talking about. However, as far as greens goes I found some Malabar spinach today in the supermarket and bought it. Malabar spinach is a tropical vine that absolutely loves the heat. I bought 30 cents worth. I have the cuttings in a big ice tea glass full of wáter. Tomorrow I am going to go to the agro-store and see if I can buy some compost. Not much out there this time of year but I will try. I plan to plant these cuttings either in grow sacks or in Little pots. Or, even directly in the ground would be OK. Malabar spinach is very useful in the hot summer where you live. You know, when everything else is struggling, Malabar spinach is happy. Its a vining plant. You can grow a few cuttings near a fence. Just keep the weeds out and make sure it gets wáter when needed plus a few nutrients that you would normally give any plant and this fella will grow like there is no tomorrow. You then snip off what you want whenever you need a pot-herb. Absolutely delicious. I also have sweet potato's growing like there is no tomorrow outside and just need to cut the slips and plant them. Its been so hot here I have lost motivation. Today I got some back when I found the Malabar spinach cuttings. There are about 6 cuttings in the ice tea glass. I will plant all of them. If you don't know what malabar spinach is, I suggest a quick google and you will find out. Well worth growing in the summer garden next to a row of black eyed pea's.
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Post by glen on Mar 1, 2018 19:06:30 GMT -6
Oh, I forgot to say. Lots of people use the Green leaves from the sweet potato plant as a pot herb. I have tried it. It is good. However, they don't have a lot of flavor. I can say that they have a neutral flavor and a pleasant texture. You just cut the youngest couple of leaves on each runner until you have the quantity you want. Wash them good, cut them up if you want. You can add them to your scrambled eggs or to soups or too stir fried dishes as well. Some people even use it in a salad. Sweet potato greens have a lot more protein than sweet potato's have. Some folks believe that the greens are better for you than the sweet potato's. There are actually chinese variety's that only produce greens beleive it or not. Chinese are Green veggy freaks.
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Post by glen on Mar 1, 2018 19:13:21 GMT -6
Today, I was in the Super market and noticed no brocolli or caulifor. There was zuchinni and snap beans and cabbage. Really nothing else that qualifies as a Green veggy in my book. This is what I mean by missing my Green veggy's. My pepper plants are not even putting on blooms now. I have about 20 pepper plants growing in pots. They are just sitting there. Not growing. Nor putting on new fruits. Even my jalepeno's are dormant in this heat. The only plant thriving right now is the Long Beans. The Oaxacan Creme pole beans are just sitting there. Not producing any pods and all the blooms are just about totally gone. There were thousands of blooms just a few weeks ago. Now, almost none.
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Post by glen on Mar 7, 2018 15:33:23 GMT -6
I am cutting long beans daily now. Harvest continues to get bigger. I wanted to also say that it is great growing the long beans on a teepee. Its easier to maintain the vines on a teepee than on a fence. Less weeding. I am seeing some pests. A black mite type of insect that gathers together in groups on the vine. Its easily controlled using the locally sold pesticide. This particular mite is very common here in Panama on cowpea's. Cowpea's are by far the easiest legume to grow in Panama. I wish they were real beans though. Nothing can replace real kidney beans. Or, real snap beans. Long beans serve their function. Surviving and thriving in conditions that most plants cannot tolerate.
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Post by glen on Mar 8, 2018 10:31:06 GMT -6
Money Shot
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Post by glen on Mar 10, 2018 15:47:57 GMT -6
I wanted to make one more comment before I put this thread to bed. Those Long beans are growing right in a nest of nematodes. Cowpea's are on the the list of suitable hosts for nematodes. This Long bean variety is nematode resistant. Obviously. If not, they would have been dead a month ago.
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Post by zeedman on Mar 16, 2018 16:52:11 GMT -6
Wow... can't remember if I ever actually logged in here, had to establish a new password. Imagine my surprise to find that folks here have been looking for me (because George, you know where to find me! ) And discussing one of my favorite topics too! I guess I'm kind of an anomaly; I really took an interest in yard long beans and limas - plants that are a challenge in my Northern location. In fact, I've grown several yard long beans from warmer climates which proved to be poorly adapted here. Those varieties (two purple-podded types, and a white-seeded cultivar from Malaysia) displayed the characteristics of photo-period sensitivity; they did not flower until day length approached 12 hours. One of those "purple" varieties was an heirloom brought from the Philippines. It was really more of a deep red (like Chinese Red Noodle), with very long, nutty-flavored pods which were very slow to develop toughness, even during hot weather. I grew them for many years when I lived in San Diego... although the culinary quality was outstanding, the yield was far less than many of the varieties I grow now. The pods were longer than Red Noodle. I sent some seed to a breeder in the South, who was trying to breed a day-neutral variety with the same quality, but I never heard whether or not he had succeeded. The seed I have left is now VERY old, and I only have that because a seed saver in Texas sent some back to me. The other purple variety was "Purple Podded", from a Southern Seed Savers Exchange member. It really is purple - and I only know this because it developed one pod before frost. The sender said it produced well in their much longer, much warmer growing season, so I had high hopes. After all, quite a few other varieties originally from the tropics have done very well here (with a little extra TLC). The white-seeded variety from Malaysia grew rampantly, with an unusually heavy amount of leaf growth - something I have come to associate with the response of short-day acclimated varieties to my location in the higher latitudes. It began to flower in late September, and had only partially developed pods when killed by frost two weeks later. Hmmm... just noticed that I mentioned my failures first. Failure is what I expected when I first tried growing yard long beans here; but there have been a surprising number of successes too. I'll mention some of those in my next post, if I can remember my new password.
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