Squash (Summer)
Cucurbita pepo
S
ummer squash obviously love warm weather the cornstalks and keeps down the weeds. Of
and warm soil from 65ºF–85ºF. In our cli- course, this is much harder to achieve with the
mate, this was a stretch, so I invested in some plastic mulch and a cooler climate.
green mulch plastic sheeting that I found in To this symbiotic group, add summer savory,
the Territorial Seed catalog (see References and which can keep the bean pests at bay and is also
Resources on page 303). You simply spread it a great herb to add to squash, bean, and corn
out over the bed of well-composted soil and dishes. (I’m told that radishes also keep the
weigh it down carefully (gardening experts sug bugs at bay. So now we’ve got five sisters: See
gest using rebar steel). This keeps the weeds what I mean about a community? Th e com
down and greatly increases soil temperature. Cut mon good is the good we can do in common!)
an X every 36 inches, stagger them across the Companion planting allows me to reinforce
bed, and plant good starts (grown indoors in at the idea of FABIS (fresh and best in season).
least 2-inch pots, 2 seeds per pot) very carefully FABIS applies especially when referring to foods
(the roots are extremely tender) in each opening. that are harvested at the same time and that can
If you’ve got the space, they do really well be used in one dish, such as a ratatouille or suc
when sown directly into a well-composted cotash, to celebrate the season in a particular
bank that inclines south and west, allowing microclimate.
6 inches between seeds.
I love the way that three vegetables—squash,
corn, and beans—can be grown together as the
perfect example of a good community. Th e corn The Numbers
grows up on its own stake (stalk); the beans For each 100 g boiled (3.5 oz ; ½ cup): 16 calories, 0 g
wrap their tendrils around the cornstalk and fat, 0 g saturated fat, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 1
climb; the squash hugs the soil in between g dietary fiber, 3 mg sodium
236 • GROWING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE
