Seeded this squash earthbox today.  First attempt at “replanting” an Earthbox.  Scraped the top ~3 inches of mix out, removed fertilizer strip.  For fertilizer this time, I used 3c Epsoma Garden Tone.  Added 2c Carl Pool Dolomite before adding new potting mix to top it off.  Used Miracle Grow potting mix, which is definitely inferior to the Hi Yield mix used last time, but could not find the Hi Yield.

Planted, left to right, Spacemaster Cucumber, Multipik Yellow Straight Squash, Eight Ball and Zephyr.  This time I’m going to try to train them to grow up on the trellis.

If things go as they did in the fall, I should be eating the first squash on 4/17.

The yellow “Multipik” squash is doing quite well in the Earthbox.  Actually all four varieties of squash I planted in the Earthbox are doing well, but Multipik is leading the pack in terms of numbers of squash.  Eight ball is leading the pack in terms of weight (although I think I’m letting them get a bit large before harvesting).  I’ll publish full harvest stats at the end of the season.

Harvested one of each of the four types of squash tonight (9/27).  Stats: 8 ball 217g, Raven 209g, Multipik 151g, Zephyr 200g.  So first harvest took 35 days.

First Earthbox Squash Harvest!

Earthbox Squash after Week Four

I fired up the Earthbox on 8/23, sowing squash seeds directly in the Earthbox.  So today is day 28, end of week 4.  There are several squash blooming.  Some of the female blooms (at the end of a squash) closed up before any male blooms opened, so I think they will shrivel away (I’ve learned that the squash will not grow into adult squash without pollination from a male flower).

I’m worried that there are not many bees that know about Earthboxes, so am going to try to hand pollinate the squash.  I found a really good page, with photos, at Gardenweb, that provides a good walk-through of hand pollination.

Male Squash Flower, aka Pollen Paintbrush

Painting the Pollen

Baby Zephyr Squash

Baby Eight Ball Squash