The big Chinese sqaush now has little buds all over the place. The original ones are starting to get their mature color. I  hope that since the plant is still forming sqaush now, and they take a while to mature, that that means she knows something I don’t:  that this nice autumn weather followed by our Indian Summer will go on……for a long while yet. Wishful thinking, I know.  Several of the big ones are now starting to get their mature color.  We might  have winter squash! And nature is so amazing: the male flowers are almost twice the size that they were earlier, making every effort to attract pollinators as it cools off some. You can read more about this amazing plant by using the search area right on my blog.

For readers who remember how hard I fought to get rid of bamboo last summer, I need to say the fight is not yet over.  The landscaping guy who was in charge of the removal told me I would be cutting off new shoots for 2 years.  This is now the end of the second year.  The fight continues:  I have been cutting off/weed whacking  new shoots like this every 3 or so days, all spring and summer.  The roots of running bamboo are amazingly healthy and strong, and the idea here is to keep cutting off new top growth so that the roots can’t sustain themselves, until they give up.  Wish me luck for next year!

I’m still harvesting some things.  One pattipan squash seems to love fall, cooler weather, and keeps giving us 3-4 squash each week. My DIL is still picking purple jalapenos and there are still some ghost peppers finishing ripening.  And Hopi Lima beans: lots of frozen ones packed away and probably one more picking left.

I took down the tomato plants a couple days ago and that’s always a sad day.  But the good earth is getting ready to take a rest, and let us plan and prepare for a good season of gardening next year.  Hopefully, eating and storing lots of winter squash before that. 🙂