Squash Sling

Squash Blossom

The squash are growing so rapidly in the raised bed that Cindy has had to construct a framework of poles to support them.

As usual, the male and female blossoms open at different times, so Cindy keeps her paintbrush handy to transfer pollen from one to the other when she has a chance.  Since the blossoms only last one day, some pollinator has to make sure that it gets transferred from the male plant to the female.  See "Sex In The Garden".

Squash Forming

She has even gone so far as to pick one of the male flowers and keep it in a bag in the refrigerator in the garage to try to use that pollen whenever one of the female blossoms opens.  

So we were happy to see a squash forming on one of the vines the other day, but they grow at such a rapid rate that Cindy became concerned that the weight of the squash would eventually pull it off the vine before she was ready to pick it.  

That led her to another engineering solution:  a sling taped to the crossbar to support the growing squash.  

Squash in a Sling

Reminds me of a Bette Midler song.