Members of the McClellan Ranch Master Gardener project team selected thirty varieties of summer squash for trial. Varieties for trial were selected to represent the breadth of color, shape, and growth habit available to the home gardener. A review of home gardening seed catalogs was conducted to select the varieties. These varieties were evaluated for ease of harvest, relation of fruit to leaves, and plant size or growth habit.

Two of each variety were direct seeded, and yield, (pounds, count and size) for each variety was recorded. Dates of elapsed days between seeding and germination and date of

First fruit were recorded. The beds were seeded in varying degrees of plant density to

demonstrate plant spacing options available to the home gardener. Beds of approximately

15 feet long by 4 feet wide were planted in density ranging from 4 plants to 12 plants in a bed. Total yield for the garden was approximately 2100 pounds. About 1800 pounds were donated to Santa Clara County Food Banks.

Various pest problems encountered were heavy cucumber beetle infestation, gopher activity, and sightings of squash bugs. All insect control was performed organically or with barrier or cultivation methods. Gophers were controlled with regular use of traps. Observation of powdery mildew was made at the close of the season, with notation made of the degree of infestation. No controls for powdery mildew were employed.

Information was made available to the public by demonstration at 2 local farmers markets and at the public field day at McClellan Ranch. Tasting of squash was available at the field day and members of the public evaluated the squash for taste and texture. It is estimated that farmer's market demonstration and the field day participation totaled approximately 200 individuals. Articles about the project appeared in the San Jose Mercury News, the San Francisco Chronicle and various local newspapers such as the Cupertino Courier.

SUMMER SQUASH VARIEITES

Variety Selection and Criteria

A review of past projects was conducted and summer squash was nominated as the trial vegetable for summer 2003. This was the first trial of this vegetable at McClellan Ranch.. A primary objective of projects conducted at McClellan Ranch, by Master Gardeners has been to demonstrate the breadth of varieties of a vegetable available to the home gardener, and to document the cultivation techniques required to grow these varieties. A public field day is held at harvest time to present varieties grown and allow tasting, so gardeners have the opportunity to make discerning choices for their home gardens. In keeping with this objective, 30 varieties were selected for this trial. These varieties represented the breadth of color, shape, and size of summer squash varieties, as well as representing selections native to Mexico, Europe and Asia.

Additional criteria were used for selection as well. Summer squash plants are known for their size and home gardeners are often limited in planting space. In response to this need, varieties were selected that represented differences in growth habit, which was characterized by compact, intermediate or vine like. Another aspect of summer squash cultivation is harvesting. Gardeners often complain of irritating spines on plant stalks, which make harvesting squash unpleasant. In response, several varieties, such as "Spineless Beauty "were chosen for evaluation.

Team members made selections, by review of seed catalogs. Catalogs used for the final selection were: " J.L Hudson, Seedsman", "The Cook's Garden", "Territorial Seed Company", "J.W. Jung Seed Co.", "Seeds from Italy", "Nichols Garden Nursery", "Bountiful Gardens", and "Seeds of Change." A complete table of addresses for these seed companies is listed in the appendix. Seeds for two varieties were obtained from private sources; the "Jean Lee" summer squash was obtained from team member, Jean Lee from her heritage Chinese garden and "Potimarron" was obtained from Master Gardener Susan Bouchez on her international travels in France.

GARDEN PLANNING

Garden Plot Plan

Thirty varieties of summer squash meant the plot had to be designed to facilitate harvesting of the fruit and evaluation of the squash plants. A haphazard planting scheme might have made determining one variety of squash from another difficult. To facilitate data collection, varieties that were different in shape or color were planted next to one another, to help avoid confusion at harvest time. In addition, the garden was designed to demonstrate a variety of planting density-from ample home gardener spacing to dense commercial spacing- in beds ranging from 4 plants, to 6, 8 and 10, and 12 plants. All beds were approximately 15 feet long, by 4 feet wide with two-foot wide paths between beds. Some beds had trellises at the end of them to support the vining varieties. A diagram of the garden planting scheme is presented in the appendix.

GARDEN CULTIVATION

Site Description

The McClellan Ranch Master garden plot is located in the Cupertino Community garden in McClellan Ranch Park at 22221 McClellan Road. Cupertino Community garden is an organic garden, requiring no chemical fertilizers or pest control measures be used. The community garden is bordered on one side by open space preserve and the other by various original out buildings that house community organizations such as 4-H and Audubon society. The land is the flood plain for Stevens Creek, which flows year round, winding along the perimeter of the park. The Master Gardener plot, donated by the City of Cupertino, is approximately 20 x 54 feet. The soil in the plot is a combination of silt and topsoil washed into the flood plain throughout geologic time and rich Santa Clara Valley soil. The result is a significant rich and friable soil that requires little difficult digging and holds moisture well. The plot receives full sun.

Plot Preparation

In late October 2002, a cover crop of vetch, bell bean and fava bean was direct seeded into the garden. Soybean meal was added to the soil at the time of planting to help replenish nitrogen in the soil. The cover crop seeds were immediately covered with row cover, to prevent the ample bird population from devouring all the newly planted seeds. The beds were watered regularly, starting at every day and then tapering off as seeds germinated and fall and winter rains eliminated the requirement for hand watering. Once the plants themselves were established (about 1 foot high), the row cover was removed. Team members monitored gopher activity and set traps for control.

By the end of February the bean crop was approximately 70% percent in bloom, an indicator that the nitrogen fixing properties of the cover crop was accomplished. On March 1^st, project members met to cut down the cover crop. The crop was cut to approximately 4 inch pieces and then goat manure and bedding straw, obtained from the local 4-H goat farm, was layered on the beds. This was lightly watered and left to compost for 4 weeks. It was checked periodically for moisture and watered as required to maintain mildly damp moisture content, enough to continue the composting process.

Cover Crop Cutting the Cover Crop

During the first week of April, team members met and rototilled the garden in preparation for planting. The newly rototilled plot was left to "rest" for a period of six weeks, in order to avoid compaction of the newly tilled soil and to allow both soil and air temperatures to warm to optimal planting ranges.

Planting

The team decision was to direct seed the squash seeds. It was believed that a majority of home gardeners would direct seed, especially since most of the varieties in the trial were not available from local nurseries as seedlings. On the planting day, we also seeded in 4" pots, for purposes of necessary replacements in the garden, our McClellan Ranch plant sale and "extras" for team member's home gardens. Our original seeding date was set for April 19th, but we delayed for a month, due to cool soil temperature, (58 degrees). On May 16^th, we measured the soil temperature at 90 degrees, a temperature in the optimal soil temperature range for seed germination of summer squash. The California Master Gardener Handbook cites the minimum temperature for seed germination of summer squash at 60 degrees Fahrenheit and the optimal range from 85 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. We planted three seeds in for each variety, with the exception of the Space Miser variety which we planted very densely at 12 seed 10 inches apart. A tablespoon of soybean meal was added to the soil with each seed. Row covers were placed immediately on the seeded rows.

Allen Buchinski, Master Gardener, summarizes our experience at McClellan Ranch, " At McClellan Ranch, we witnessed first hand how devastating these pests can be, especially to a young plant. We have two newly sprouted squash seedlings that weren't completely under row cover, and the were in a large part eaten, leaving only a lacy remnant of the leaf." These pests emerge in significant numbers at McClellan Ranch Park, leaving the gardener in this organic community with limited options. The most effective method we found for control was row cover, essentially excluding the insects from our crop of newly emerged seedlings. In his research, Allen found no University of California effective cultural or biological controls.

Additional methods that Buchinski cites in his article on "Cucumber beetles" are:

" Physical control: collecting the insects and disposing of them.

Planting tansy or white radishes between the plants you're trying to protect, or spreading onion skins on the ground underneath the plants
Place a reflective material such as aluminum foil around the base of plants to bounce light on the underside of leaves. This also helps plants in giving them more light.

Cultivate in the fall to expose the eggs.

Baited sticky traps are also suggested, paint a 10"X10" square (wood or cardboard) yellow, cover with Tanglefoot and use spice or clove oil (for the eugenol) to attract the insects"

In later research, Buchinski cites that amaranth is a favorite crop of cucumber beetles. In the garden at McClellan, we had several "volunteers" from the previous years Latin Theme Garden. These were left originally for aesthetic reasons, but ultimately served a practical purpose. The row cover was left on the plants until the cucumber beetles were observed in mating pairs. At this end point in their life cycle, they lay eggs in the soil. Their numbers significantly reduced by mid-June, the row cover was removed, and remaining cucumber beetles were observed on the amaranth plants, in a large part ignoring our squash crop.

The gardeners at McClellan have traditionally used diatomaceous earth for insect control. We found no research to support the practice of diatomaceous earth to control cucumber beetles, and the community gardeners do not report much success in using this method to control cucumber beetles.

Gophers

Gophers are a constant threat to the McClellan Ranch garden. All year long, a thriving population of gophers, tunnel persistently throughout the entire garden complex. Our method of gopher control was to use Macabee traps, setting these at least weekly along active runs in the garden. We had a dedicated team of 2 or 3 gardeners, inspect the garden, set traps and catch 10 gophers total, from January to August. With this vigilant method, we lost only two plants in the project due to gopher activity.

Powdery Mildew

Research notes, cited by Buchinski, indicate that planting varieties resistant to powdery mildew are probably the best line of defense against this fungus. Secondly he cites, plant spacing, full sun and cultivation practices, such as removing leaves to control the spread of the fungus, and low humidity on plant surfaces, (no overhead watering) as effective controls. Our garden experienced its first powdery mildew in mid- August, in one of the most densely planted beds. We made no attempt to control the powdery mildew, which occurs naturally in the plant declining life cycle. On September 13^th, approximately 3 weeks after powdery mildew was first observed, evaluations were made:

The most affected were Tondo de Piacenza, Jean Lee, and Starship varieties. These plants were in serious state of decline, with powdery mildew on most (90 percent or more) of the plant surfaces. The least affected varieties were Elite Hybrid (lower leaves only), Verde de Italia, and Zapallo Tranco. Of the vining varieties, the Cucuzzi and the Tromba d' Albenga were mildly affected (less than 25 percent) of plant surfaces. All other varieties were affected with powdery mildew on 50 percent of plant surfaces.

Prior to this decline, we experienced no powdery mildew, due in part to the full sun the site receives and the soaker hose we used for irrigation. Both these factors contribute to low humidity on the plant leaves.

DATA COLLECTION AND RESULTS

Data Collection Purpose

Data collection for the McClellan Ranch squash trial had this purpose:

To determine varieties of squash suited to the climate and growing conditions of the south bay geographic area: through observation of disease, and evaluation of growth habit and picking characteristics (is the fruit easy to reach, how scratchy is the plant?). Data collection included length of harvest, yields and fruit size.

To evaluate the ease of picking, (general scratchiness of the plant), relation of the fruit to the leaves and the growth habit, and the degree of powdery mildew infestation, 3 point scales were designed. Once the plants were well established and began producing, a team of three gardeners evaluated each plant for the noted characteristics, and recorded the data.

Criteria for Evaluating Ease of Picking Scale (0-3)

0-plant smooth, very few or no hairs/spines

1-some hairs/spines on plant, slight annoyance

2-plant prickly (arm protection recommended)

3-very spiny plant (arm protection highly recommended)

Criteria for Evaluating Relation of Fruit to Leaves (i.e. open, fruit off ground, or hidden under leaves/on ground)

1-easy access

2-modest access

3-difficult to get to fruit

Criteria for Evaluating Growth Habit (plant size) Scale (0-3)

1-compact

2-intermediate

3-vine like

Summary of results for plant evaluations

Ease of picking (degree of scratchiness)

Varieties with a rating of "0" (least scratchy) Varieties with a rating of "3" (most scratchy)

Thrombi d' Albania Eight Ball

Lagenaria Longissma French White

Trombocino Egyptian White

Spineless Beauty Sunburst

Elite

White Bush Marrow

Summary of results for relation of fruit to leaves

Varieties noted as easiest to pick, (rating of 1)

Albarello of Sarzana	1	1
Artistocrat	1	2
Black Beauty	1	1
Cucuzzi Caravazzi	1	1
Egyptain White	3	1
Eight Ball	3	2
Elite	3	3
Fancycrook	2	1
French White	3	3
Grise de Algiers	2	2
Horn of Plenty	2 to 3	2
Italiano Largo	1	1
Jean Lee	1	2
Lagenaria Longissma	0 (velvet)	1
Lebanse Light Green	1	1
Papaya Pear	1	1
Potimarron	1	1
Ronde De Nice	1	3
Space Miser	1	1
Spineless Beauty	0	2?
Starship	1	2
Striato d'Italia	1	3
Sunburst	3	1
Tondo di Piacenza	1	2
Tromba d' Albenga	0	1
Tromboncino	0 to 1	1
Verde d'Italia	3	2
White Bush Marrow	3	3
White Bush Scallop	1	1
Zapallo del Tronco	1	2

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[ Year in Pictures \| Squash Photos ] McClellan Ranch 2003 Squash Project

Varieties	Growth Habit
Italiano Largo	3
Space Miser	1
Tromba d' Albenga	3
Ronde De Nice	2
Albarello of Sarzana	2
Sunburst