Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds | Fall Favorites Explained
So, a pumpkin is a squash, which is a type of gourd, but not all gourds are pumpkins, and not all squash are pumpkins. Wait…what? Don’t worry, we’ll explain in this episode. Learn all about these fall favorites with tips for growing, storing, and incorporating them into your fall décor. Featured shrub: Kodiak Spiced diervilla.
2025-09-27
44 min
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<v Speaker 1>Broadcasting from Studio A. Here at proven winners Color Choice Shrubs. <v Speaker 1>It's time for the Gardening Simplified Show with Stacy, Hervella me, <v Speaker 1>Rick Weist, and our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson. Well, pumpkins, squash, <v Speaker 1>and gourds are members of the enormously diverse cucurbit family, <v Speaker 1>and they've been providing mankind with food and utilitarian objects <v Speaker 1>since well before recorded history and today Stacy, as Bonnie <v Speaker 1>Raitt would sing, Let's give him pumpkin to talk about. <v Speaker 1>This is a fun topic, especially this time of the year, <v Speaker 1>and names differ throughout the world, but in the United States, <v Speaker 1>any round orange squash used for pies or jack O'Lanterns <v Speaker 1>is likely to be called a pumpkin. But is the <v Speaker 1>term pumpkin really botanically correct or are they actually squash? <v Speaker 1>And of course squash are divided into two categories, tender <v Speaker 1>and hard skinned or winter squash. So what I thought <v Speaker 1>I'd do, Stacy, is I thought I would ask Ai <v Speaker 1>that question didn't help me at all. What they had <v Speaker 1>to say on the subject was this, A pumpkin is <v Speaker 1>botanically a type of squash which is in the same <v Speaker 1>family as gords. While squash are generally grown for eating <v Speaker 1>and gords for decoration, the term pumpkin often refers to <v Speaker 1>ornamental but edible winter squash varieties. So a pumpkin is <v Speaker 1>a squash, which is a type of gourd. But not <v Speaker 1>all gords are pumpkins, and not all squash are pumpkins. <v Speaker 2>What all pumpkins are squash but not all squash or pumpkins? <v Speaker 1>I'm confused. <v Speaker 2>Yes, no, well that was not a great answer. May <v Speaker 2>I may not be as smart as it. I mean, <v Speaker 2>it was okay, it was okay. I think, you know, <v Speaker 2>I think back in the day, the definition would for <v Speaker 2>the average American been pretty clear. Pumpkins are the round <v Speaker 2>of orange things, and then gords are those things, those weird, <v Speaker 2>clubby wardy looking things. But you know, thanks to certain <v Speaker 2>people like Martha Stewart popularizing the enormous diversity in the pumpkin, <v Speaker 2>squash and gourd tribe of the Kerkuba tasti or cucic <v Speaker 2>circubit family, the lines are a lot blurrier because there <v Speaker 2>are certainly squashes that have many of those same categories <v Speaker 2>as a gourd, but are not only edible but actually delicious. <v Speaker 2>And they're now being sold only for decorative purposes, and <v Speaker 2>people are missing out on a great opportunity to eat <v Speaker 2>a really tasty thing. <v Speaker 1>Exactly, let's lay this pumpkin to roast here. Okay, So <v Speaker 1>for me, I immediately go to butternut squash. I love <v Speaker 1>butternut squash. I love butternut soup. I love playing with <v Speaker 1>the immersion blender in the pot because that's just fun <v Speaker 1>for me, it's therapeutic. But boy, oh boy, is that <v Speaker 1>delicious to me? Butternut squash is fall in a bowl. <v Speaker 2>It's yes, it's a classic choice. I would say. You know, <v Speaker 2>I'm honestly not a huge fan of winter squash for <v Speaker 2>the most part. For the most part, there's some exceptions. <v Speaker 2>I do like some of the more dense, flavorful varieties, <v Speaker 2>and I also don't like recipes that play up the <v Speaker 2>sweetness too much, and most of the recipes make them <v Speaker 2>sweeter than they need to be. So like I'm thinking <v Speaker 2>more of like the sage and brown butter squash type <v Speaker 2>of thing. But you know, the thing about butternut squash <v Speaker 2>can't carve. It can't make a jack lantern out of <v Speaker 2>a butternut squash, because it's all solid, you won't have <v Speaker 2>anything hollow in there to put the light in. <v Speaker 1>So throughout the ages, squash, gourds, pumpkins used for food, <v Speaker 1>used for utilitarian reasons, bulls and ornamentation, fastening, eating kind <v Speaker 1>of thing, and of course, well I personally believe squash <v Speaker 1>makes a smashing good dinner. But I did find in England, Stacey, <v Speaker 1>to try to reduce food waste, there are a lot <v Speaker 1>of people who get out the knitting needles and make pumpkins, <v Speaker 1>handmade pumpkins. I've got a link from the BBC that <v Speaker 1>will share on our website. I thought that that was <v Speaker 1>really that's fun. <v Speaker 2>I'll make one for you know, Halloween is still some <v Speaker 2>about a month away, so we'll have time to have <v Speaker 2>a hand knit pumpkin in the studio. <v Speaker 1>I love it. <v Speaker 2>But you know, there's something to be said about reducing <v Speaker 2>food waste because, like I've said, a lot of these <v Speaker 2>really popular and expensive, you know, decorative items that are <v Speaker 2>sold in stores. Now, you know, the white ones and <v Speaker 2>the green ones and the silvery kind of grayish ones <v Speaker 2>are all edible, but you definitely do not want to <v Speaker 2>be eating any gords. Those are toxic. Gords can be <v Speaker 2>very toxic. They have a strong bitter flavor. But if <v Speaker 2>you are wondering, I was thinking of, like, how can <v Speaker 2>we help our listeners understand if the beautiful squash type <v Speaker 2>thing that they purchased is edible or not. Here's my advice. <v Speaker 2>Go to a good, reputable seed company like Johnny's Selected Seeds. <v Speaker 2>That's one of my favorites, Pine Tree Garden Seeds. I <v Speaker 2>order from them a lot and look at their selection <v Speaker 2>of pumpkins that they carry, and if it is listed <v Speaker 2>is edible, then you will know that that is edible. <v Speaker 2>Because again, you know, there's these really like crazy wordy <v Speaker 2>pumpkins that are choice foods in Europe, but in America, <v Speaker 2>since they're merchandised with plants that are less you know, <v Speaker 2>with pumpkins and squashes that are looking less edible, we <v Speaker 2>tend to just throw them away. Another cool thing that's <v Speaker 2>happened in recent years is farmers and zoos and so <v Speaker 2>forth asking for the pumpkins at the end of the <v Speaker 2>season for their animals. So we've even done a little <v Speaker 2>bit to reduce food waste while also keeping a lot <v Speaker 2>of those autumn vibes alive. <v Speaker 1>I love that. Yeah, the last thing you want to <v Speaker 1>do is get caught off off off gourd. Yeah. <v Speaker 2>Yeah, And you know you don't have to worry too <v Speaker 2>too much about eating a toxic gourd, because, as with <v Speaker 2>many toxic plants, it will taste perfectly ghastly exactly, and <v Speaker 2>you will not continue to eat it unless you are <v Speaker 2>some kind of masochist. But yeah, I mean, you obviously <v Speaker 2>are going to want anything to be cooked. And I <v Speaker 2>think when you cut them open, if you can kind <v Speaker 2>of up, skirts are often really hard to cut. You know, <v Speaker 2>you can't get into them at all. If you can <v Speaker 2>cut it open, good chance it's a pumpkin. And if <v Speaker 2>it's not like all gross and piffy inside, also a <v Speaker 2>good chance it's an edible pumpkin. <v Speaker 1>And you're right, Stacey. So many different types of pumpkins <v Speaker 1>today for decoration purposes, not just for food purposes. I <v Speaker 1>took a look everything from wardy goblin pumpkins to cream <v Speaker 1>cheese and ghost white pumpkins. Atlantic Giant of course, Big <v Speaker 1>Max Howden Field is the industry standard for decades, Sugar <v Speaker 1>Connecticut Field, sweetye Pie, baby Bear Harvest mood. I mean, <v Speaker 1>it goes on and on and on, and they're fun <v Speaker 1>to decorate with. But to grow them in your own yard, <v Speaker 1>of course, you're gonna be dealing with things like squash, <v Speaker 1>vine borer, cucumber beetle aphids, cutworms, stink bugs, downy mildew, <v Speaker 1>powdery mildew, and another issue that you're gonna have to <v Speaker 1>wrestle with space, lots and lots of space. It requires <v Speaker 1>a lot of them. <v Speaker 2>That's the main reason I haven't grown them, because you know, <v Speaker 2>every year when I get those seed catalogs and I'm <v Speaker 2>looking at the I'm like, ooh, that is cool. I <v Speaker 2>want one of those. And then I'm like, I just <v Speaker 2>don't have their mon If they weren't deer, if they <v Speaker 2>were deer resistant, I would be in a lot better shape. <v Speaker 2>But since they're not, and I have to grow them <v Speaker 2>in my already somewhat limited vegetable garden, I don't. The <v Speaker 2>other thing is, not only are these huge, huge plants, <v Speaker 2>but a lot of them. The bigger the fruit that <v Speaker 2>they produce, the fewer fruits they're going to produce. So <v Speaker 2>then you are devoting you a good ten to fifteen <v Speaker 2>square feet of your yard to getting you know, maybe <v Speaker 2>three bumpkins. <v Speaker 1>I have the solution for you, and I was hoping <v Speaker 1>to get one of these, but they're pretty expensive. Now <v Speaker 1>you'll see people growing cu curbets on trellises and arbors, <v Speaker 1>but you need something that's really got some gravitas because <v Speaker 1>there's going to be a lot of weight. Yeah, and <v Speaker 1>they're aggressive, and I've seen people using everything from burr <v Speaker 1>lap to underwear to create a little hammock to hold <v Speaker 1>these gourds aloft as they grow them. But my solution <v Speaker 1>is a moongate. A moongate, and I want a moongate <v Speaker 1>for my landscape in the worst way. They're really expensive, <v Speaker 1>but it's an architectural element in traditional Chinese gardens. Its <v Speaker 1>circular shape basically a double circle that is really solid <v Speaker 1>and able to hold these up. So I'm hoping that <v Speaker 1>I can get myself a moongate. <v Speaker 2>That sounds lovely, So we'll talk about more. <v Speaker 1>We'll talk about this more during segment four. Let me <v Speaker 1>end this segment with a limb a rick because this <v Speaker 1>past year we all learned during the drought that pumpkins <v Speaker 1>are basically ninety to ninety two percent water. They are water, <v Speaker 1>so is squash. So I'm giving you a dry pumpkin <v Speaker 1>limbo rick because it's been so dry around here lately <v Speaker 1>with my garden, I've had interventions, but lack of water <v Speaker 1>has caused considerable tensions. While the vines did sprawl, the <v Speaker 1>pumpkins are small. Despite my good intent, I was counting <v Speaker 1>on a sizeable batch pumpkins from the vines. Two detach. <v Speaker 1>It's all kind of scary. I'll fix it and be <v Speaker 1>wary by applying a pumpkin patch. Aw that's cute, as <v Speaker 1>they say in the Pumpkin Business. Roll with it. Baby <v Speaker 1>plants on trial is next. Let's see how Stacey ties <v Speaker 1>this in here on the Gardening Simplified. <v Speaker 2>Show, beautify your home and community with proven Winner's Color <v Speaker 2>Choice Shrubs. With over three hundred and twenty five unique <v Speaker 2>varieties to choose from. There's a flowering shrubber evergreen for <v Speaker 2>every taste and every space. Just look for the distinctive <v Speaker 2>white container your local garden center or learn more at <v Speaker 2>proven Winner's Color Choice dot com. Greetings gardening friends, and <v Speaker 2>welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show, where if you <v Speaker 2>are watching on YouTube, you will see I'm wearing an <v Speaker 2>orange shirt. For today's Pumpkin and squash and gord theme. <v Speaker 2>Adiroann has got a green shirt on, kind of like <v Speaker 2>those nice green ones and you've got your black to <v Speaker 2>give us the whole Halloween kind of vibe here. But <v Speaker 2>you know, obviously it's way too late to talk about <v Speaker 2>growing gords or pumpkins or squash for this year. But <v Speaker 2>I think it's good for people to think about, you know, <v Speaker 2>as they buy them and decorate with them and enjoy <v Speaker 2>them in their homes. You know, it's kind of like <v Speaker 2>we get detached from where these plants come from. And <v Speaker 2>I would also say that if you love a certain <v Speaker 2>squash or gord or pumpkin that you have purchased and <v Speaker 2>the end of the season starts approaching, why not save <v Speaker 2>the seeds. You know, you can almost certainly be able <v Speaker 2>to save the seeds and grow them yourself the following <v Speaker 2>year if you have the space, because as we just said, <v Speaker 2>they are definitely not one for those of us with <v Speaker 2>limited space, because they will take up quite a lot <v Speaker 2>of them where you can grow them onnitrellis or a <v Speaker 2>moon gate like you said, but you know, they definitely <v Speaker 2>need a lot of space and a lot of patients <v Speaker 2>because also are a long season. <v Speaker 1>And part of the reason there are so many colorful <v Speaker 1>gords out there is they're easy to cross pollinate, and <v Speaker 1>so I think that's why through the years so many <v Speaker 1>different types of gords have developed in gourds that we <v Speaker 1>can enjoy in our landscapes. <v Speaker 2>It's fun to grow, Yeah, it's fun to grow, and <v Speaker 2>so yeah, if you have one that you love and <v Speaker 2>you really want to make sure you get your money <v Speaker 2>out of it, because a lot of those gourds are <v Speaker 2>not cheap. Dig on in there, save those seeds, dry <v Speaker 2>them out, and plant them in the garden next year, <v Speaker 2>and then you can just keep doing it. It preserves <v Speaker 2>your investment. But of course that is not today's Plants <v Speaker 2>on Trial, and there is in fact no plants in <v Speaker 2>the kerkubit Tasy family that encompasses the squashes and gourds <v Speaker 2>and cucumbers and all of that kind of stuff. That <v Speaker 2>there's no woody plants in that family. And so of <v Speaker 2>course there is no woody plants. So we don't have <v Speaker 2>any kerkubatasi here and the proven Winter's color choice line. <v Speaker 2>But what we do have is autumn vibe plants. And <v Speaker 2>I was thinking as I was preparing for today's show, <v Speaker 2>you know, this is a vibe autumn, not an actual autumn. <v Speaker 2>Because we had like a little bit of cool weather <v Speaker 2>that made you go, oh yeah, this is Fall's common, <v Speaker 2>this is great. And now it's like summer is here. <v Speaker 2>It's not letting up. Even the nights are super warm <v Speaker 2>and humid, so it feels like we're back in August <v Speaker 2>instead of heading into October. So if you want fall vibes, <v Speaker 2>you got to make them yourself. There's just no other <v Speaker 2>way around it. This year you're probably be wearing shorts <v Speaker 2>instead of a sweater, but you have to make your <v Speaker 2>own fall vibes. So the plant today's plant on trial <v Speaker 2>is a fall vibes plant, not an actual pumpkin or <v Speaker 2>anything like that. Now, you know, it's interesting. I feel like, <v Speaker 2>you know, we've talked about it in previous years, that <v Speaker 2>fall is kind of like a second spring where everything <v Speaker 2>kind of gets this fresh lease on life. Colors get brighter, <v Speaker 2>things flower like roses, and you know what I have <v Speaker 2>to say, overall, I'm not seeing that as much as <v Speaker 2>I have in previous years. Yeah, because I think between <v Speaker 2>how dry we've been and how warm and sunny it <v Speaker 2>has remained, I'm not really getting that like really great refreshment. <v Speaker 2>Except for a couple of things in my yard that <v Speaker 2>are looking great. I will have to say my Almino <v Speaker 2>is doing amazingly well. That seems to have brighter colors, <v Speaker 2>more fragrance, lots of flowers on there. My autumn joy <v Speaker 2>seed not a plant I particularly love, but I had <v Speaker 2>some small ones that I planted and they are looking <v Speaker 2>absolutely beautiful right now. And Carryopteriss sure Carryoptress really comes <v Speaker 2>into its own right now. We have beyond Midnight Carryoptress, <v Speaker 2>which is a great plant, and then beautiful blue flowers <v Speaker 2>to go with the orange. I have New England Asters <v Speaker 2>just starting to bloom. I actually just started blooming within <v Speaker 2>the last couple of days. That is a late bloomer. <v Speaker 1>Nice, it is a late bloomer, but beautiful, beautiful, Love it. <v Speaker 1>And I don't think astors get the press they should, <v Speaker 1>But it's because mums suck all the oxygen out of <v Speaker 1>the room. <v Speaker 2>Right, Yes, I think that the New England Asters, a <v Speaker 2>symphotrichomes definitely deserve at least as much attention as the mums, <v Speaker 2>if not for their amazing color, because they're just this <v Speaker 2>beautiful kind of purply blue color. I have to say <v Speaker 2>I have a lot of plants in my garden, hundreds <v Speaker 2>and I'm not sure there's really anything that attracts a <v Speaker 2>bigger diversity of pollinators in my garden except for the <v Speaker 2>New England Asters, and that's just getting started. But none <v Speaker 2>of those are the plants on trial. No, No, today's <v Speaker 2>plan on trial again. It's about the vibes. It is <v Speaker 2>kodiac spiced durvilla. <v Speaker 1>Now I love this and I'm looking forward to hearing <v Speaker 1>about this because in my landscape, I've had people stop <v Speaker 1>by and in the last week or two each has <v Speaker 1>pointed out the Kodiak orange dear villa and how beautiful <v Speaker 1>it's getting. And it is. It's gorgeous in fault. But <v Speaker 1>Kodiak spiced. <v Speaker 2>Yes, this one is going to be new in garden <v Speaker 2>centers in this coming spring in twenty twenty six. But <v Speaker 2>of course we do have a pretty robust line of <v Speaker 2>kodiak or villa's already a Kodiak orange. Like you said, <v Speaker 2>we got Kodiak red and Deurvillas are a plant, a shrub. <v Speaker 2>They're native to North America. There you can find them <v Speaker 2>throughout Michigan and most of the eastern half of the <v Speaker 2>United States. And you know, to me, they are just <v Speaker 2>one of those plants that's just a little workhorse, right. <v Speaker 2>They don't attract a ton of attention. You're not like, whoa, <v Speaker 2>oh my gosh, what is that. But they're always doing <v Speaker 2>what they're supposed to do without really any fussing. You know. <v Speaker 1>It's interesting. My son in law stopped by the other <v Speaker 1>day and he's sitting on the deck and he pointed <v Speaker 1>at them, and he said, I never noticed those before, <v Speaker 1>but those are gorgeous. <v Speaker 2>Because they're getting fall color right now. <v Speaker 1>But you know, it's just there's such a workhorse in <v Speaker 1>the landscape, but when you get into fall, people take <v Speaker 1>notice definitely. <v Speaker 2>And so Kodiak spice earns its name because it's got <v Speaker 2>all of those spicy vibes that we get right now, <v Speaker 2>the pumpkin spice, the pumpkin pie. So it has kind <v Speaker 2>of that warm orange, dark orange, cozy kind of color, <v Speaker 2>particularly in the new growth. As the new growth starts <v Speaker 2>to mature through the growing season, it turns kind of <v Speaker 2>a really nice chartruse, but it continues to get those <v Speaker 2>warm tones in the new growth. And then of course, yeah, <v Speaker 2>all of the darvilla have great fall color, whether they <v Speaker 2>actually change color or it's just a matter of them <v Speaker 2>kind of keeping the color that they have, but changing <v Speaker 2>sort of the vibrancy of it. It just gets a <v Speaker 2>lot brighter. <v Speaker 1>It's like butternut squash soup for the eyes. <v Speaker 2>That's a very good way to put it. Feels I <v Speaker 2>like that it's a little too long for a plant name, <v Speaker 2>but it is a good one. So they do get flowers. <v Speaker 2>They're going to be flowering, you know, mostly in July <v Speaker 2>and August. They get small yellow flowers that native bumblebees <v Speaker 2>just absolutely love. So that's a good thing because those <v Speaker 2>are our native bees, not the honey bees, and it's <v Speaker 2>our native bees that really need our help and support. <v Speaker 2>So this is a great choice. And it's just kind <v Speaker 2>of like a nice rounded, three to four foot tall <v Speaker 2>and wide orange, warm spice kind of plant. So whether <v Speaker 2>you want to put something like a low hedge, if <v Speaker 2>you're just looking for a foundation planting, if you're looking <v Speaker 2>for something to add to a perennial or flower garden, <v Speaker 2>this plant can do it. It can be trimmed. You <v Speaker 2>cannot trim it. There's really like kind of no wrong answers. <v Speaker 2>I feel like when it comes to durvilla. <v Speaker 1>Yeah, I started growing them in my landscape a few <v Speaker 1>years ago. Because I was told how great they are, <v Speaker 1>and I was like, well, we'll see they've lived up <v Speaker 1>to their billing. <v Speaker 2>I'm glad you're I'm read. I'm glad to hear that <v Speaker 2>now they are. They have a good heartiness range, hardy <v Speaker 2>down to USDA Zone three, heat tolerant through about USDA <v Speaker 2>Zone eight, So that definitely covers a lot of our <v Speaker 2>listenership out there. As for deer resistance, I would give <v Speaker 2>them a B minus. I think about a B minus, <v Speaker 2>which is to say they're not going to cause major damage. <v Speaker 2>They're not going to leave you with sad nubs. But <v Speaker 2>I have found that they do like to eat, especially <v Speaker 2>the tips the new growth in spring, especially like very <v Speaker 2>early in the season when food is really scarce and <v Speaker 2>they're really really hungry. I usually find that by the <v Speaker 2>time summer rolls around, they're not really eating enough to <v Speaker 2>interfere with a flowering at all. So it's something that <v Speaker 2>they'll eat, but they won't severely damage. And a lot <v Speaker 2>of times when you're looking for deer resistant plants, it's <v Speaker 2>that Okay, it might be damaged, but is it going <v Speaker 2>to be severely damaged? Is it actually going to cause <v Speaker 2>a hole or a liability in my lane landscape because <v Speaker 2>the deer ate it so badly. So kind of medium, <v Speaker 2>not the most resistant, but definitely not one that's their <v Speaker 2>favorite where they're really going to cause a ton of damage. <v Speaker 2>And like I said, good flowering. <v Speaker 1>And in the garden center, Stacey, when I talk to folks, <v Speaker 1>I tell them, if you want a plant that's a <v Speaker 1>native plant that really attracts pollinators, because that's been my experience. <v Speaker 1>You know, you mentioned that, but I just want to <v Speaker 1>support that and say the pollinators are all over that <v Speaker 1>plant in summer when it's blooming. <v Speaker 2>They are, Yeah, they really really like it. And you know, <v Speaker 2>the flowers are just kind of a nice little bonus there. <v Speaker 2>The foliage under Villa two is really clean, and I <v Speaker 2>don't just mean that it is disease resistant. It is, <v Speaker 2>but there's something about the very tidy way that the <v Speaker 2>leaves are born on the stems that's just appealing. So <v Speaker 2>this isn't one of those plants where your neighbors are <v Speaker 2>going to be, you know, running over to ask you, <v Speaker 2>oh my gosh, what is that? Except for possibly in <v Speaker 2>the thall for those autumn vibes. But it's just a <v Speaker 2>good workhorse plant for any kind of basic landscaping that <v Speaker 2>you need to do, and I feel like so often <v Speaker 2>people are turning to other basics, you know, like barberry <v Speaker 2>or burning bush or something like that, where in many, <v Speaker 2>many cases, Durvilla is going to be a much more <v Speaker 2>environmentally friendly and a more visually interesting choice. So if <v Speaker 2>you're thinking about doing some landscaping or adding some new <v Speaker 2>plants and you want some great vibes all season, but <v Speaker 2>especially in the fall, consider Kodiak Spiced Durvilla. It will <v Speaker 2>be in garden centers next springing. If you need to <v Speaker 2>find a garden center near you, just visit Prooven Winners <v Speaker 2>Color Choice dot Com. It's all right there. We're gonna <v Speaker 2>take a little break. When we come back, we're opening <v Speaker 2>up the garden mail bags to stay tuned at Proven <v Speaker 2>Winners Color Choice Shrubs. We know that a better landscape <v Speaker 2>starts with a better shrub. Our team of experts tests <v Speaker 2>and evaluates all of our flowering shrubs and evergreens for <v Speaker 2>eight to ten years to ensure they outperform what's already <v Speaker 2>on the market. For easycare, reliable, beautiful shrubs to accentuate <v Speaker 2>your home and express your personal style, look for Proven <v Speaker 2>Winners shrubs in the distinctive white container at your local <v Speaker 2>garden center or learn more at proven Winner's Color Choice <v Speaker 2>dot com. Greetings gardening friends, and welcome back to the <v Speaker 2>Gardening Simplified Show, where it is our pleasure to help <v Speaker 2>you with your gardening questions, quandaries and conundrums, as well <v Speaker 2>as celebrations different SeaSound, but still something we're happy to <v Speaker 2>share with you. And if you have one of those, <v Speaker 2>you can reach out to us at help at Gardening <v Speaker 2>Simplified on air dot com, or just visit Gardening Simplified <v Speaker 2>on air dot com and use the contact form there <v Speaker 2>to write us and we will do what we can <v Speaker 2>to help you. And you know, I feel like gardening <v Speaker 2>questions kind of have like two like they have like <v Speaker 2>three seasons. Right Spring, Oh my gosh, everything like what happened? <v Speaker 2>Is should this be leaving out yet? What's going on? Summer? <v Speaker 2>Oh my gosh, everything's dying? It has leaf spot, you know, <v Speaker 2>freaking out about that. Come fall. It's you know, more <v Speaker 2>like what should I do going into winter. <v Speaker 1>It's a good way of looking at it. I like that, <v Speaker 1>you know. For me spring, I've learned with people who <v Speaker 1>put a plant in the ground if it survives winter, <v Speaker 1>it's almost going like going to a fast food restaurant <v Speaker 1>and placing an order for some fries and you get <v Speaker 1>that bonus onion ring in the package. Right, it's coming up, <v Speaker 1>It's coming back. So yeah, yeah, right, those three different seasons. <v Speaker 1>I'm sorry, It's just that's how my mind was. <v Speaker 2>You're hungry. <v Speaker 1>I I am hungry. <v Speaker 2>Uh And you know, Chance Surf, you have a gardening question. <v Speaker 2>Other people have the same question, and that is why <v Speaker 2>I picked Paul's question here for us to answer, because <v Speaker 2>Paul's question gets at a question that a lot of <v Speaker 2>people are about to be asking themselves. <v Speaker 1>Stacey, I'm going to guess it's the number one question <v Speaker 1>you've been asked through the years. <v Speaker 2>Is it one or another? Permutations of this question? Absolutely so, <v Speaker 2>Paul says, here are pictures of our hydrangs with no <v Speaker 2>flowers this year. As you can imagine, they are big <v Speaker 2>leaf hydranges hydrange of macrophylla. His question then, is when <v Speaker 2>do we trim them and how much? I have read <v Speaker 2>one third to one half in spring. But I need <v Speaker 2>the pros to help me. Now, as you here we go, <v Speaker 2>and as you have heard me say, if you've been <v Speaker 2>listening to this show for any length of time. When <v Speaker 2>it comes to pruning, and especially when it comes to <v Speaker 2>pruning hydranges, when in doubt, don't do not prune. And <v Speaker 2>so Paul and I've written him back personally to make <v Speaker 2>sure he does not prune these plants. Like I said, <v Speaker 2>they are big leaf hydrangeas. This is the kind with <v Speaker 2>a shiny, leathery leaves, and they should have the big, nice, round, pink, <v Speaker 2>purple or blue flowers. Right now, if you have that <v Speaker 2>type of hydrangea, whether or not it bloomed in your <v Speaker 2>yard this past summer, right this very minute, it is <v Speaker 2>making its flower buds for summer of twenty twenty six. <v Speaker 2>So that means that if you were to trim it <v Speaker 2>or cut it back or anything like that, you will <v Speaker 2>be removing the flower buds it has busily been making <v Speaker 2>for next year. So the answer is, if you have <v Speaker 2>big leaf hydrangeas, do not prune them. Don't prune them <v Speaker 2>by half, don't prune them by a third, put the <v Speaker 2>pruners down and walk away. And it's hard for people. <v Speaker 1>Hard because whether it's late fall or it's spring, you <v Speaker 1>just have these sticks. Yeah, And if people feel the <v Speaker 1>need to do something. <v Speaker 2>Well, that's just it. And you know, Paul said that, hey, <v Speaker 2>these hydrangeas didn't flower, well, there's a couple of flowers <v Speaker 2>on some of them, and I think that that kind <v Speaker 2>of makes people feel like they are compelled to do <v Speaker 2>something to intervene. They think that pruning is going to <v Speaker 2>fix the problem, when pruning is actually exacerbating the problem. <v Speaker 1>But one of the problems here is that with panicle <v Speaker 1>hydranges a pruning actually helps, in my opinion, makes the <v Speaker 1>plant more beautiful, helps it bloom. So at the end <v Speaker 1>of the day, stacy, doesn't it come down to making <v Speaker 1>sure to determine whether it's a panicle or a big leaf. <v Speaker 2>Hydrange Absolutely, So therein lies the confusion because people say, Okay, <v Speaker 2>how do I prune my hydrange is without realizing there <v Speaker 2>are these six different types of hydrangs in our gardens. <v Speaker 2>So it's not a question that you can answer with <v Speaker 2>one question. You have to have a follow up question, <v Speaker 2>and that is what type of hydrangea do you have? <v Speaker 2>So that's why when in doubt, don't If you do <v Speaker 2>know which type of hydrange you have, then you'll know <v Speaker 2>that yes, panicle and smooth hydrangees can and should be <v Speaker 2>pruned usually after their dormant in fall or in late <v Speaker 2>winter early spring. But again when in doubt, don't do anything, <v Speaker 2>because even those plants are not going to be negatively <v Speaker 2>affected from no pruning, whereas the types of hydranges that <v Speaker 2>bloom on old wood and shouldn't be pruned will very <v Speaker 2>much be negatively affected if you prune them. So you <v Speaker 2>can always send us a picture. Take a picture to <v Speaker 2>your local garden center. Look online, we've got our hydranges <v Speaker 2>Demystified intro info sheet that will help you with that. So, Paul, <v Speaker 2>no pruning, let your plants be and hopefully that will <v Speaker 2>put you in a better shape for next year. <v Speaker 1>Yeah, you nailed at Stacey, and you've done a lot <v Speaker 1>of work on helping demystify hydranges for people. And I'm <v Speaker 1>telling you, boots on the ground in the garden center, <v Speaker 1>I'll run into this with customers and I'll say to them, <v Speaker 1>what kind of hydrange do you have? And I get <v Speaker 1>the glassy eyed. <v Speaker 2>Yeah, wait, there's types. Just solve I out. <v Speaker 1>I just had hydrange true rights to us. I'm struggling <v Speaker 1>in my Zone six South Niagara garden would get reblooming <v Speaker 1>evergreen azaleas to thrive. Is they're my wife's favorite flower. <v Speaker 1>I must win the battle over this problem. After losing <v Speaker 1>all their leaves during our tough winter, they hardly flowered <v Speaker 1>in spring, have not rebloomed at all. Some of them <v Speaker 1>are also suffering with yellow leaves. Is this a nutritional deficiency? <v Speaker 1>Drew says, What am I doing? <v Speaker 2>Well, you know, Drew, there are a lot of people <v Speaker 2>in USDA Zone six and colder who would dearly love <v Speaker 2>to be able to grow reblooming evergreen azaleas. Yes, and <v Speaker 2>I have to tell you, you know, Drew did include photos, <v Speaker 2>and yes, the plants are very chlorotic. But I have <v Speaker 2>to say I'm pretty impressed that you were even able <v Speaker 2>to get them as large as you have, because, you know, <v Speaker 2>the simple fact is, well, there's two simple facts here, <v Speaker 2>by and large evergreen reblooming azaleas. The genetics that go <v Speaker 2>into that plant to make them reblooming, they're just not <v Speaker 2>very cold tolerant. And believe me, breeders are working hard <v Speaker 2>on introducing more and more cold tolerance into these reblooming azaleas, <v Speaker 2>but it is a very long process because now they <v Speaker 2>have to kind of try to bring in cold you know, <v Speaker 2>hardier genetics to counteract the tenderness. Most reblooming azaleas are <v Speaker 2>not considered hardy and only to USDA Zone seven. Only <v Speaker 2>recently are there newer ones that are hardy to zone six. Now, <v Speaker 2>stack on top of that the issue that not all <v Speaker 2>USDA's on six areas are the same. Now, certainly you <v Speaker 2>know you can have if you are in a kind <v Speaker 2>of coastal area like we are here in West Michigan, <v Speaker 2>you can do pretty okay, it's a milder Zone six. <v Speaker 2>But there are certainly inland zone six, like in say Kentucky, Missouri, <v Speaker 2>those kind of areas where you have the worst of <v Speaker 2>all worlds. You have really really hot summers and cold <v Speaker 2>not snowy winters. So it's very hard to say, okay, <v Speaker 2>this is heat, this is cold tolerant to zone six <v Speaker 2>and kind of address those huge differences within USDA Zone six. <v Speaker 2>So I will tell you my experience here with reblooming <v Speaker 2>evergreen azaleas in USDA Zone six B. They survive winter, <v Speaker 2>but you wish they hadn't because they come out looking <v Speaker 2>so crummy, especially if you have like those prolonged periods <v Speaker 2>of very cold weather, what snow melting on them, they <v Speaker 2>will survive. And the reason that your plant is not <v Speaker 2>flowering in spring is because the winter setback is so <v Speaker 2>severe it kills all of those spring buds because those <v Speaker 2>spring buds are on old wood, so those flower buds <v Speaker 2>would need to make it all the way through winter <v Speaker 2>intact in order to be able to bloom in spring. <v Speaker 2>So that kind of takes out your spring bloom. In <v Speaker 2>most cases, now you'd be thinking, Okay, well it can rebloom. <v Speaker 2>That's one of the reasons I'm growing this, except that <v Speaker 2>that winter setback was so severe that they don't even <v Speaker 2>have a chance to get on the vegetative growth that <v Speaker 2>they need from that winter setback to be able to <v Speaker 2>get to the stage where they're setting flower buds for <v Speaker 2>a rebloom. So in that case, Drew, it's not so <v Speaker 2>much that you're doing anything wrong. It's just that this <v Speaker 2>is a tough plant to grow in your conditions. If <v Speaker 2>you have a protected area kind of like up near <v Speaker 2>your house or in a little corner a microclimate, try <v Speaker 2>to take advantage of that. But I would say to <v Speaker 2>have reasonable expectations about what these plants can actually do <v Speaker 2>in your landscape, and you don't have to disappoint your wife, <v Speaker 2>because there are still lots of wonderful, hearty azaleas that <v Speaker 2>can grow perfectly well in your climate. They're not reblooming, <v Speaker 2>but they'll still give you, you know, a lot of that <v Speaker 2>good azalea life absolutely. <v Speaker 1>Like you always say, Stacey, send your questions and conundrums, <v Speaker 1>and Drew has a conundrum. <v Speaker 2>And yes, right, and he does. Drew, you do have <v Speaker 2>some iron induced chlorrosis on your plants or that's probably <v Speaker 2>pH induced. So a lot of everybody knows that rhododendrons <v Speaker 2>and azaleas need acidic soil. If they don't have acidic soil, <v Speaker 2>certain nutrients that they need are tied up, and one <v Speaker 2>of those is iron. So it's typically a good idea <v Speaker 2>if you are growing them in less than ideal pH <v Speaker 2>like anything kind of i'd say above like six so <v Speaker 2>neutral to even slightly acidic is usually not enough for them. <v Speaker 2>You're going to need to apply some sort of iron wrench. <v Speaker 2>And that's going to be true whether you're trying to <v Speaker 2>grow the evergreen reblooming ones or any other type of azalea. <v Speaker 2>So it's fine, you just kind of have to deal <v Speaker 2>with your pH. But mulch organic matter and moisture will help, <v Speaker 2>but I'd say a lot of rhododendron and azalea growers <v Speaker 2>they keep the iron close at hand because they use <v Speaker 2>a lot of it. <v Speaker 1>Check the pH I agree, and let me mention that, again, <v Speaker 1>coming from the garden center industry, I believe the Espoma <v Speaker 1>Holy Tone is fab for azalea's and rhododendron. <v Speaker 2>That's true, Yeah, definitely. I don't usually recommend it unless <v Speaker 2>you know your soil needs acidifying, but i'd say that <v Speaker 2>based on the condition of your azalea's, yours does. So <v Speaker 2>that's an easy way. Although I don't think that's available <v Speaker 2>in Canada, and I know Drew is in Canada, but <v Speaker 2>I'm sure you have something similar, so just check at <v Speaker 2>your local garden center. All right, So, thank y'all so <v Speaker 2>much for your questions. We're going to take a little break. <v Speaker 2>When we come back, we're picking up that conversation on squashes, pumpkins, <v Speaker 2>and gorge. So stay tuned. Thanks for listening to the <v Speaker 2>Gardening Simplified podcast, brought to you by proven winners Color <v Speaker 2>Choice Shrubs. Our award winning flowering shrubs and evergreens are <v Speaker 2>trialed and tested by experts with your success in mind. <v Speaker 2>Learn more at Proven Winners color choice dot com. <v Speaker 1>Welcome back to the Gardening Simplified show. Let the Gourd <v Speaker 1>Times rule. I got to give you a quick joke here, Stacy. <v Speaker 1>See if this one works. What are jack o lanterns <v Speaker 1>afraid of the dark things that go pumpkin the night? <v Speaker 2>Oh? <v Speaker 1>Yeah, that's cute. Thank you. Now, I wish I wouldn't <v Speaker 1>have used that. Throw that one away. Okay, So this <v Speaker 1>is interesting. Illinois is far and away America's pumpkin growing king. <v Speaker 1>By the numbers. They produce four hundred and eighty five <v Speaker 1>point one million pounds of pumpkins in twenty twenty four, <v Speaker 1>according to USDA data. So that's amazing. And much of <v Speaker 1>the state's output is used for the canned stuff that <v Speaker 1>you might buy for making pumpkin pie or bread. <v Speaker 2>Well, I hear that's actually a Hubbard squash, not a pumpkin. Yeah, <v Speaker 2>so I know that blows a lot of people's mind <v Speaker 2>because in their head they're having a pumpkin pie and <v Speaker 2>it's that cute little pumpkin that's on your front porch <v Speaker 2>that became a pie. No, it's a Hubbard squash, which <v Speaker 2>is an absolutely glorious squash giant, so big, but not <v Speaker 2>what you have in your mind. So I would highly <v Speaker 2>resturmend that. But it's okay. What matters, does it taste good? <v Speaker 1>So Illinois number one, Indiana comes in number two, Pennsylvania, California, <v Speaker 1>and then where we live, Michigan. So the climate, the <v Speaker 1>soil conditions, they kind of call it the Orange Belt, <v Speaker 1>makes it ideal for growing pumpkins. What I thought was <v Speaker 1>really interesting is this summer in August, we had a <v Speaker 1>gully washer rainstorm, and especially in Wisconsin across the lake, <v Speaker 1>they had flooding in the Milwaukee area, and they were <v Speaker 1>saying that in some of the pumpkin fields people who <v Speaker 1>grow pumpkins, the pumpkins were actually floated. <v Speaker 2>Oh wow. <v Speaker 1>Yeah, it had rained so hard. And I was reading <v Speaker 1>about a farmer there his son had recommended that in <v Speaker 1>the past that he grow rye grass, tall rye grass, <v Speaker 1>and he says it makes a straw mat for the <v Speaker 1>pumpkins to grow them, and he feels it helped save <v Speaker 1>their pumpkins this year. So I thought that that was <v Speaker 1>pretty interesting. Of course, storing pumpkins, pumpkins and winter squash <v Speaker 1>store best long term in a cool, dark airy location <v Speaker 1>about fifty to sixty degrees, but you want a relatively <v Speaker 1>coolish area. Reason I bring that up, Stacy, is that <v Speaker 1>soon we'll be packing away our summer flowering bulbs, digging <v Speaker 1>up our cannas, our allocations other plants. And a key <v Speaker 1>is dry and cool. You do not want to put <v Speaker 1>things into storage wet. You want it dry and cool <v Speaker 1>when we're storing all things horticultural so to speak. <v Speaker 2>And you know the squash, So if you're growing it <v Speaker 2>yourself and you harvest it for storage, you should definitely <v Speaker 2>out in the sun to harden that to make sure <v Speaker 2>that shell gets nice and tough for you know, for storage. <v Speaker 2>You can't just like harvest it and need some time <v Speaker 2>to develop outside of the plant when it's no longer <v Speaker 2>getting that water, get that hard shell. And that's what <v Speaker 2>makes it so easy to keep long term. <v Speaker 1>Agree winter squash. I also along the lines of this show, <v Speaker 1>thought I would look up Guinness Book of World Records <v Speaker 1>Minnesota horticulture teacher Travis Genger I believe is his name, <v Speaker 1>two seven and forty nine pound pumpkin Wow, which beat <v Speaker 1>the previous record by forty seven pounds. Now this was <v Speaker 1>a couple of years ago, but What I found interesting <v Speaker 1>about this and why I bring it up, is he <v Speaker 1>said that his pumpkin's gigantic size. It got to that <v Speaker 1>point because of the extra care and twelve watering a day. <v Speaker 1>He named the pumpkin Michael Jordan, actually Michael Gordon. But <v Speaker 1>here's the thing, care and feeding. To get to that <v Speaker 1>point and to get that record pumpkin, he spent fifteen <v Speaker 1>thousand dollars on the pumpkins care and feeding, oh my god, <v Speaker 1>according to the website, to get to that point. So <v Speaker 1>for you, while I'm gonna grow a world record giant pumpkin, <v Speaker 1>better think about what it takes to get to that point. <v Speaker 2>Well, you know, you don't have to grow a world <v Speaker 2>record breaking pumpkins to still grow a really fun and <v Speaker 2>cool pumpkin. But I'm glad that you brought up the <v Speaker 2>giant pumpkins because of course, you know, the world Pumpkin <v Speaker 2>way off is October fourth, so that's coming soon. And <v Speaker 2>every year they seem to break the barrier. They get <v Speaker 2>bigger and bigger. Took a long time to break the <v Speaker 2>one ton barrier, but now that they do, it happens regularly. <v Speaker 2>But to grow any kind of large pumpkin, it's not <v Speaker 2>a matter of taking any old pumpkin and pumping it <v Speaker 2>full of water and fertilizer. You can only grow a <v Speaker 2>giant pumpkin from a giant pumpkin seed, not that the <v Speaker 2>seed is giant, it is a seed for a giant pumpkin. <v Speaker 2>So if you're into that, make sure that you're picking <v Speaker 2>something that can actually do what you want it to do. <v Speaker 2>And you know know that you are if you really <v Speaker 2>want it to get it as big as possible, you're <v Speaker 2>definitely in for a lot of work and TLC. But <v Speaker 2>it can be so fun. And you know when when <v Speaker 2>like the pumpkin that you just mentioned, you know that <v Speaker 2>guy will probably if he wins any kind of contest, <v Speaker 2>he'll make up his money in prize money, but he <v Speaker 2>will also make up his money in selling the seeds, <v Speaker 2>because you know, typically a single giant pumpkin seed over <v Speaker 2>the one ton mark can easily go for one hundred <v Speaker 2>dollars or more for a single seed. So Adrianna is <v Speaker 2>making some notes here retirement plan. So definitely you don't <v Speaker 2>need to go to that level, because you know, any <v Speaker 2>standard seed company will sell some really large pumpkins. But <v Speaker 2>it's all about what you're starting out with, you bet. <v Speaker 1>Now. Of course, anybody who's grown Q kurbets in their yard, <v Speaker 1>whether it's cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, gords, whatever it may be. <v Speaker 1>I have found through the years folks who ask me <v Speaker 1>questions they struggle a little bit with the male and <v Speaker 1>female flowers and pollination and whether or not they should <v Speaker 1>use a brush or a Q tip and help the <v Speaker 1>process along. Don't worry if your winter squash only has <v Speaker 1>male or female flowers early in the season. That's usually <v Speaker 1>the case, and it's pretty common for young plants. And <v Speaker 1>what I have found through the years they see is <v Speaker 1>that as the plants grow and develop and they start <v Speaker 1>to take off, the ratio will even out as the <v Speaker 1>plant matures. But you know, I had a customer, a <v Speaker 1>lady who called and and said that she got only <v Speaker 1>female plants, and she was insisted she only got female plants, <v Speaker 1>and someone at the garden center told her she had <v Speaker 1>to come in and buy some males. And she thought <v Speaker 1>that was ridiculous. Now I said, yes, it is really. <v Speaker 1>So My point is there's a little bit of hand <v Speaker 1>holding early on in the sea. <v Speaker 2>Yeah, you do need to be patient, and of course <v Speaker 2>if you are a giant pumpkin grower, you can't afford <v Speaker 2>to be patient because you need to get those things <v Speaker 2>going as soon as possible. But for most of us <v Speaker 2>who are just growing you know, squashes and gourds and <v Speaker 2>pumpkins to enjoy at home. Yeah, a single plant will <v Speaker 2>produce separate male and female flowers. You can tell the <v Speaker 2>difference because the female flowers will have the little pre <v Speaker 2>formed fruit at the base of the flower, so it <v Speaker 2>needs to get pollinated from the adjoining male flower. And <v Speaker 2>those plants, those flowers both need to be present at <v Speaker 2>the same time. They can be on different plants. That <v Speaker 2>works just fine, but you do need both. And yeah, <v Speaker 2>I find with at least with zucchini, which is the <v Speaker 2>main circubit that I've ever grown, I find that I <v Speaker 2>get a lot of male flow for the first couple, <v Speaker 2>you know, weeks, and it takes a while for the <v Speaker 2>female flowers to start appearing. <v Speaker 1>But for some people that patience is difficult. So then <v Speaker 1>get out there with a Q tip. It's fun, of course, <v Speaker 1>many many different types and that's the point. Here's so <v Speaker 1>many different types of pumpkins, but so many different types <v Speaker 1>of gourds and squash and curcubita. <v Speaker 2>Pepo or people curcubita people. <v Speaker 1>I've heard it pronounced both ways. Yeah, it's a fun <v Speaker 1>one people, But that's your that. Those are your highly colorful, <v Speaker 1>ornamental type gords that we would always sell in the <v Speaker 1>garden center and are always fun for decorating. And then <v Speaker 1>if you want to really get into this, of course <v Speaker 1>you could get into the hard shell gords, the lufa gords. Right, <v Speaker 1>all of this, and again I have found stacy in <v Speaker 1>many cases. What it comes down to is getting the <v Speaker 1>right seed in spring. <v Speaker 2>Definitely know what you want to grow and she's that, <v Speaker 2>and of course giving it enough space. And even if <v Speaker 2>you're not trying to grow a record breaking pumpkin or gored, <v Speaker 2>these are plants that are very hungry and thirsty. <v Speaker 1>Exactly. <v Speaker 2>You cannot pretty much fertilize them enough. You know, weekly <v Speaker 2>is probably fine for most of us, but they're really <v Speaker 2>going to need a lot of resources to be able <v Speaker 2>to produce. And the bigger the plant, the bigger the <v Speaker 2>fruit that it produces, the more it's going to need. <v Speaker 2>I've typically found that those with smaller fruits are going <v Speaker 2>to be a little bit less demanding, or at least <v Speaker 2>you just get something because you know, sure those little <v Speaker 2>pumpkins might be this big, but at least you're getting them. <v Speaker 1>The bigger the pumpkin, the harder they fall, right, that's <v Speaker 1>how it works. And yeah, you're right, lots of sunlight <v Speaker 1>watering over the top can become a problem. So consider <v Speaker 1>all of those things if you're thinking of growing gourds <v Speaker 1>or pumpkins in your garden next year. But if you <v Speaker 1>have the space or you've got a great harbor, Stacey, <v Speaker 1>I encourage people to do it. <v Speaker 2>It's so fun, and especially if you have kids or grandkids, <v Speaker 2>they're just going to go bananas to see that, so <v Speaker 2>it's worth it if you have a space. I don't. <v Speaker 2>I wish I did. <v Speaker 1>All right, So that's it from the boardroom, all yours. <v Speaker 2>I'm the chairman of the Gord and. <v Speaker 1>Chairman of the Bard, so take it away. <v Speaker 2>Well okay, So and our. <v Speaker 1>Viewers and listeners, Adriana are going to be upset if <v Speaker 1>you edit this out, so I think you're gonna have <v Speaker 1>to leave it in. <v Speaker 2>You're really getting the all right anyway, Thank you Rick <v Speaker 2>for all of that. That was amazing. Thank you Adriana, <v Speaker 2>and thanks so much to all of you for listening <v Speaker 2>and watching. We truly appreciate it, and if you have <v Speaker 2>a wonderful week ahead,
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