Thursday, August 05, 2010

cucumbers and melons in the cold frame

overflowing cuke and melon vines
cuke or melon flowers 2 melon flower 2
cuke and melon leaves different leaves
diva cuke baby melon

My cold frame is overflowing with summer vines. Four cucumber varieties, four melons, one pretty little acorn squash plant. I'm admiring the mix of similar leaves that have all gotten mixed up together.

I didn't do good planning where to plant. No space to walk between trellises and difficult to search the centers of green rows for hidden green cucumbers.

I've been comparing leaves of the three curcurbits. All the same size and color. But cucumbers are pointed and star-like, melons are rounded and wide, and acorn squash has deep round lobes.

The flowers are also similar but different. Cucumbers a little bigger and bright yellow. Melon flowers paler, more delicate, and tending to look ragged from bee traffic. I'm looking forward to seeing acorn squash flowers - none yet.

13 comments:

Heidi said...

Beautiful!! How do you keep them so pest-free?

Anonymous said...

Nicely done. Did you build or buy your cold frame?

Mark_thetrigeek via twitter

btw, I'm 45 mins south in Fall River.

Salix said...

Wow, they are such prolific growers and yours look so healthy. Mine started out beautifully, but last week they all started showing small yellowish spots (that I haven't been able to diagnose)and the older leaves are now totally brown, dry, and crumbled with the newer leaves still fresh and healthy looking.

kathy said...

I saw that Daphne has yellow spots too. I don't think she figured them out.

Just luck keeping my plants pest free.

The cold frame is hand made. Click on the link below the post and you can red some of the posts when my husband made it.

Sarah said...

Such lush plants and nice photography too!

Mary said...

Oh boy, what lovely lush plants you've got! I so envy you!:-)
I don't nearly get as much out of my garden, and I'm using the balcony, too...*sigh*
Can we swap gardens, please? ;-)

Matron said...

All the curcurbits just have a mind of their own where they want to scramble. Wherever you decide they should go... they go somewhere else!

Joseph said...

Mine look just as tangled -- between the squash and the tomatoes I didn't stake, it is hard to walk in the garden these days!

Marian (London UK) said...

Our Cucumbers, Courgettes are going wild. They are being watered, and the heat and sun has been non-stop. Hey they are tastey and no fat!

Your Squash casserole is brill Kathy.
I think they say these days Good on ya girl!
Marian (London UK)

meemsnyc said...

Those plants are looking great.

kathy said...

I just love reading vegetable garden comments! Thanks.

Unknown said...

Love the blog! but new to gardening. what exactly is a cold frame?
thanks!

kathy said...

Charles, A cold frame is a great way to extend your gardening season. I looked up Wikipedia and here's an explanation: cold frame. It's my first year using one and I am hoping to grow lettuce until January. We'll see.