At last I have finally been able to plant my winter squash.

The ag agent said that winter squash shouldn't be planted until the second week of June in this area because if you plant it as soon as the ground warms up the squash are ready too early to keep well.

I wanted squash in October, not squash in August so I waited. And it was hard to look at the bare places where the squash hills should be.

Today was the day. I planted 19 hills.

4 Jarrahdale

5 Lumina

5 Argonaut

3 Long Island Cheese

2 Spaghetti squash

I have a place where I moved an old compost pile after cutting brush exposed it to the road. Its partially shaded, but the ground is rich and the vines will be able to run out into the sun so I'll squeeze in 2-3 more hills there -- I'm not sure what seed I have left.

I also put some Festival and spaghetti squash into a raised bed where I had space for them to climb out and run into a disused corner of the neighbor's back yard (with her permission).

I've mentioned my sandy, waterproof, mineral deficient soil before. Since squash are heavy feeders I had my 17yo dig me pits about 8-12 inches deep and fill them with the rich, but grass-seed infested compost we haul form the town pile.

Then I put the native soil on top of that deep enough to prevent the grass seed from growing, enriched it with lime. phosphate, and the lousy fertilizer DH bought by mistake that I have to use before I can buy the right stuff. The "hills" are actually basins surrounded by sandcastle-like walls because if I made traditional hills the water would run off from my waterproof soil instead of sinking in.

I know I'm being long-winded, but winter squash are my favorite plant to grow. I love the extravagance of their rampant vines and the beauty of the squash as much as I love the baked squash, the pies, and the pumpkin bread to come.

I'll have pictures tomorrow I hope.