western australia

butternut pumpkin

butternut squash

Not what you'd call a successful harvest

@JudyEv (382056)

Rockingham, Australia

May 7, 2023 7:02pm CST

In the photo, you can see the sum total of my butternut pumpkin/squash harvest. They looked like this before we left for Ireland at the beginning of April but I left them on the vine in the hope that they might fill out more. But they are just the same so now I’ve picked them. There are more babies on the vine but our rains have started now so they probably won’t come to anything either. So much for growing pumpkins here. They were a mini version so next time I might try the standard ones. Perhaps I’ll get one cup of soup out of them.

21 people like this

20 responses

@wolfgirl569 (135744)

• Marion, Ohio

8 May 23

They still look cute

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@wolfgirl569 (135744)

• Marion, Ohio

8 May 23

@JudyEv Hard to tell actual size. Hopefully 2 cups

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@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

@wolfgirl569 I hope two or otherwise Vince will miss out! lol

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

Do you think they'll make two cups of soup or only one??

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@DaddyEvil (174430)

• United States

8 May 23

I'm sorry... Maybe the plants were telling you not to eat those anymore... I would listen to the plants if I were you.

I don't care for pumpkins or squash in my food.

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@DaddyEvil (174430)

• United States

8 May 23

@JudyEv Eww! You would be "one of those types", wouldn't you?

Mom loved making pumpkin soup and baking squash... At least those were things she never tried to MAKE any of us eat. I tasted them and knew they were nasty so didn't want them again.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

@DaddyEvil Baked pumpkin!! I'm salivating now - big time!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

Oh no! I like pumpkin. I'm not going to listen to them. These are bound for the pot to make me some soup.

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@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

8 May 23

Yes one cup of soup maybe..strange they did not expand.

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@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

11 May 23

@JudyEv Oh I see Judy

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

I think now that's the variety they now. I'll buy 'proper' seedlings next time.

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@LadyDuck (502427)

• Italy

8 May 23

I think that once they reach their maximum size they stop growing even if they leave them on the vines. I had the same experience with mine.

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@LadyDuck (502427)

• Italy

8 May 23

@JudyEv - It is the same for tomatoes, once they are red and ripe they do not grow bigger. Zucchini become as big as pumpkins.

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@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

I'm glad you mentioned that as it makes a lot of sense. That does seem to have been what has happened.

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@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

8 May 23

Maybe the standard butternuts will do better in your soil. At least you’ll have a serving wit the tiny ones.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

I'm a bit surprised really. I thought they might have done better than that.

1 person likes this

@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

9 May 23

@JudyEv Butternut usually grow in most any soil other than chert or clay.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222302)

• United States

8 May 23

They are so cute. Don't give up. I would try again next year. Happy Monday!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

Yes, I'll try again next year. I hope you have a great week.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222302)

• United States

9 May 23

@JudyEv Thank you. I hope you have a great week too.

1 person likes this

@rsa101 (40976)

• Philippines

10 May 23

At first glance I thought it to be more like a potato but when I looked closer it was not a root crop but more like a fruit. Looks like you having a grand vacation there in Ireland as you share a lot of information about the places you were in.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

10 May 23

We saw some really interesting things while we were away.

1 person likes this

@shaggin (74987)

• United States

8 May 23

Is it because you stopped watering them while you were gone?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

No because they were being watered automatically. I think they are just a small variety. Next time I'll buy regular seedlings, not miniature ones.

1 person likes this

@snowy22315 (208906)

• United States

8 May 23

Awww, they look cute. I am surprised you could grow anything honestly. You don't have a big space there.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

I guess that's why I bought 'miniature'. Can't remember now. But next time I'll buy the regular size. They can go round and round if they need to.

@rebelann (117226)

• El Paso, Texas

8 May 23

I hope you'll have better luck next time. I've only had 2 pumpkins ripen on the vines I had a couple years ago but neither of them were meaty enough to make anything with.

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@rebelann (117226)

• El Paso, Texas

8 May 23

I suppose we both suffer from almost brown thumb syndrome ..... ok, maybe more me than you. I haven't had much luck with any plants lately.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

I have a watermelon plant in as well but the fruits are round and have rotten patches on them.

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@Tampa_girl7 (54715)

• United States

8 May 23

I know that you are disappointed. I hope that every bite will be scrumptious.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

I'll buy the standard ones next time and hopefully get bigger fruit.

@RasmaSandra (98005)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

8 May 23

Still they are nice looking squash, Enjoy,

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

I guess they'll become soup.

1 person likes this

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (69176)

• Centralia, Washington

8 May 23

I bet the vines were pretty to look at, though.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

They took off all round the garden!

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

8 May 23

I'm sorry they didn't get very large.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

It's a shame but never mind.

1 person likes this

@AmbiePam (120738)

• United States

8 May 23

I know it's disappointing overall, but they sure make a cute pair in the picture. Maybe next year will surprise you in a more positive way.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

It's doesn't matter too much and I have to agree that they're cute. lol

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (51819)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

8 May 23

Add a grated potato to stretch the soup.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 May 23

That's a good idea. I'll do that.

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@sjvg1976 (42727)

• Delhi, India

8 May 23

Best of luck for the next time.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

I might try again next summer.

1 person likes this

@FourWalls (86703)

• United States

8 May 23

You’re one up on me. I couldn’t get anything to grow!

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@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

I'll have another go next year.

1 person likes this

Keith Henthorne

@Scrapper88 (5980)

• United States

8 May 23

Have you tried to grow watermelon there. Watermelon grow better with a lot of water.

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@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

Yes, I have a watermelon plant too but again the fruits are very small and have started to go rotten. I guess they should have been picked a while back but we've been away for a month.

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@Beestring (15372)

• Hong Kong

8 May 23

That must be a bit disappointing. Try again in the next season.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382056)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 May 23

Next time I'll plant the standard variety. I might have better luck with them.

1 person likes this