It is hot here. Very, very hot. I didn't think anything would grow due to the extreme heat. And, we didn't want to have to do an excessive amount of watering. But, thankfully, I have a smart cookie for a husband who does his Florida gardening research.
And, so let me say this here in this space: he was right about the calabaza vines and the eggplant. :)
(a baby calabaza over a month ago)
We have gotten at least ten of these head-sized pumpkins. They are a fleshy peach color and taste similar to butternut squash or fresh pumpkin. I cut them open and roast them in the oven and store the flesh to make pumpkin pie or pumpkin muffins. We've also been making a cubed squash recipe with white beans and fresh herbs. Yum.
And, on those days when we brave the grill outside?
The eggplant is ours. Grown in our front yard (where we get sun). We use this recipe - delicious. (And spread some on the accompanying zucchini and onions too). And, finally, since this seems to be an "I eat my words" kind of post (with regards to the garden)...I bring you the watermelon.
We planted these back in March...everyone else harvested watermelons in early July. So, we did too. Only the first two we picked were light pink and still kind of white...and not very tasty. I assumed they were grown in poor soil (we just stuck the two plants in a patch where we had taken down 4 trees). So, we left the remaining ones on the vine. I was ready to abandon the remaining four watermelon...give them up to the compost bin without even cutting them. But, my lovely husband gave them a final chance - and we are so happy he did. This watermelon had been sitting in the fridge for a couple of weeks and he cut it one night...and it was soooo good. I'm looking forward to eating the other ones as well. And, so are the kids.
