Day 71 Continued: Squash in the Different Beds

Clockwise from the top right: Lasagna bed, banana box bed, hugelkultur bed, wicking bed

Patty pan squash are a delicious summer squash that resemble a cross between an acorn and a UFO. They are delicious, reminding one of zucchini, though slightly firmer. Often times they are picked when only four to eight ounces (2-4″ in diameter), but the insides are edible up to over one pound, where the skins get tough, and the seeds begin to form in earnest. As shown in the pictures, patty pan squash really enjoy composted manure and rich soil. Pattypan variety is a bush type, making it an excellent choice for smaller gardens. Lettuce is often planted as a companion and the broad leaves shade the hot mid-summer sun so the lettuce won’t bolt as easily.

Here, the lasagna bed and the wicking bed are tied for first, with the hugelkultur bed taking third, and bringing up the back end is the banana box beds.