Monster Worm

I noticed that my Zantedeschia aethiopica (Arum lilies) were being eaten by something.  When I investigated I found this monster worm so well camouflaged, munching away.  Most of the leaves have been eaten and if I hadn't removed him, the plant would be totally destroyed.

Cladding

I recently worked on a project where the client had planter boxes that needed plant material to be added to them.  I suggested that the client clad the planter boxes to finish them off as the paint was chipping and they were starting to look worn.  My suggestion was approved, and here are the comparison photographs:-



Before the cladding



After cladding and planting

 Attaching cladding is a simple process which makes a huge difference to the finish.  There are many products available so you can get various looks and finishes.

Gem Squash

Following my unsuccessful butternut crop last year, I made a conscious choice to avoid experimenting with the Curcurbita (pumpkin) family in my vegetable patch and resorted to purchasing my supplies.

To my surprise, I noticed a plant growing in October.  It had germinated from a seed that escaped from my compost bin so I decided to leave it and see what would happen.

Early in December the first flowers appeared and after my pumpkin fly experience I didn’t hold high expectations.  When the fruit began forming I realised that I was actually growing gem squash!

Three months later, the fruit have survived and I am about to eat my first harvest.

I wasn’t too sure when they would be ready to harvest so I did some research and uncovered an interesting fact.  Did you know that gem squash is unique to South Africa?

I’ve also learnt that if planted at the beginning of spring, it is unlikely to be attacked by pumpkin fly.  Also, given that my garden now contains a lot more plant material which attracts numerous pollinators, I did not have to go through a manual pollination exercise. 

As you can see in the photograph, the leaves have white spots on them.  This is a bit of mildew which is common with this crop during humid weather which we've experienced in the last couple of weeks.  I'm not too concerned about it as the crop is almost ready.

The gem squash plant is easy to grow but needs a lot of space as it sends out long vines.  My plant has spread itself over 5m².  The plants thrive in rich, well drained soil in a sunny spot.   Once planted, the soil must be kept moist and you can expect to harvest around 70-90 days.  The fruit is ripe and ready to be picked when the skin is too hard to pierce with your fingernails.