It was a volunteer (a plant that grows without the farmer planting it - the seed could have been sown by people throwing them on the ground after their desert, or by some animals, birds for example). This plant is growing well by the Farm house.
I agree with Faith who said that a volunteer is a surprise gift.
I didn't know what it was at that time, except that I thought it belonged to the cucurbits or the gourd family. My guess was that it was some kind of melon. As you know I grow fruit trees, not into vegetables at all - not yet anyway.
I asked my neighbour Mr. Darcy what he thought, he said it could be courgette. I have to find out what courgette is.
It has since produced flowers and fruits, which look like this:
 |
| The Flower, as it blooms in the morning |
The flowers look like zucchini flowers, don't they? According to Faith volunteers are sometimes a cross between pumpkin and zucchini, or what she calls zucchins - real tasty!
What do you think they are?
27 comments:
The flowers and leaves look just like our zucchini plants. However, there are several types of plants that have ths flower and leaf pattern. Our pumpkins do, yellow squashes, and another squash type plant that we've been growing in our winter garden. I will be interesting to see what it comes to be. Let us know.
I'm having the hardest time with some of our fruiting trees. We've had our grafted avocado tree for almost 6 years now and it only attempted to grow the avocado once. The small avocado dried up and fell off before maturing. We thought maybe it was not getting enough water so we added an extra drip line but now maybe it's getting too much water. I can't figure it out. Any thoughts?
Grandpa, it looks like the gourds my grandmother used to grow. You've got a very healthy plant there. I love growing squash and cucumbers. The plants are majestic!
Definitely looks like a squash of some sort - they all have those sort of blossoms.
Mr Darcy is your neighbor? all I can say is that is a beautiful flower, I don't know what kind of plant it is.
We are obviously in different growing seasons!! I grow lots of veggies, pumpkins and zucchini included. Yes, the blossoms are definitely of that variety, but the leaves are not. Hmm, have you planted anything in the vicinity? I haven't noticed this type just from bird droppings.
This year I had gourds and cucumbers a bit too close together and they cross pollinated into a pumpkin-looking cuc. No one in my family would eat it (except the guinea pigs). Mystery veggies can be fun, if a bit scary!
erica
Those look very much like the pumpkin flowers in our garden. If they are, there are male and female flowers, and to get a pumpkin, you'll have to play cupid, and help get the pollen onto the stamens yourself. Then, you'll get lovely pumpkins - like we do :)
It has an interesting shape to it, doesn't it. Almost like a gourd. A mystery! :o)
~Faith
I'm going with pumpkin! Here's something for you, dear friend:
http://adventuresinthegoodland.blogspot.com/2010/12/cup-of-cheer.html
;-)
Wish I could help, Grandpa, but unfortunately I have no idea. At the moment I live in an upstairs flat, and have no garden. I definitely want one in my next place, I’d love to have plants.
The enigmatic, masked blogger
Hi Grandpa,
Looks a bit like a courgette (what us Brits call a zucchini) or a type of squash, possibly butternut?
Thanks for stopping by my blog and thanks for the `follow`.
J
Follow me at HEDGELAND TALES
Greetings Grandpa,
This is most interesting. I may just add to any confusion and mention that courgette and zucchini are virtually the same plant vegetable. Zucchini is what it's called in North America and courgette, in Britain. A courgette is slightly smaller in size.
The photos in question do not look like the flowers on a zucchini or courgette. The yellow colour is similar, but the flowers on a zucchini/courgette, are more 'star' shaped. Sorry, I cannot help.
Have a peaceful weekend, my friend.
With respect and kind wishes, Gary.
Can it be water melon...?
we do not have farm where I came from.. Pulau Duyong of Monsoon Cup fame.. it was already famous for boat making before the monsoon cup thingy
..looks like watermelon to me..I have a volunteer, too, in my garden, an apple mango tree that grew unattended and bears fruit nonstop since it started bearing fruit..visitors get 3 or 4 fruits per visit..
Ini adalah pokok labu manis, pumpkin
Hi there Guys and Gals! My apologies for the delayed publishing of your comments (I really appreciate and have read every single one of them) and my response. I hope you've not thought that I have disappeared into thin air!
It is only now I have access to internet. So my response to your individual comments are as follows:
Patricia, I will show the development of the plant as it progresses, especially what it finally turned out to be!
I'm afraid I have no experience at all with Avocado, it not being our native plant. If you read my earlier posts I had two pots given by a friend which I was supposed to transplant, but the goats got to them first!
Information on the net are sketchy, and mainly emphasizing on avocado as an ornamental plant. Apparently it takes anything from ten to 15 years to fruit,if grown from seed (at least yours did bear early!) and I think you need more than one tree in the same area for them to fruit. Sorry I can't be of more help there Pat
Hi Kittie, my hunch as well - either a gourd or melon. Funny you mentioned cucumber - I used to grow them at the back of our house in the city, they were huge! Now I have a much bigger area but have been so occupied with the fruit trees haven't got around to try them veges yet
NancyDe, squash - that's what some others think too
Joanna St. James, yes - John Darcy - you may have read about him in my earlier post. Yes the flower is beautiful, isn't it?
Hi Erica, no I don't have anything else except my fruit trees. My guess is somebody could have thrown the seeds from fresh fruits they had for desert - like rock melon, for e.g
Hi Pat, some other commenters do indeed think they are pumpkins. I didn't notice the different flowers, will have a closer look, thanks
Faith, we shall soon find out!
OFG, if you say pumpkin, you'll be with the majority of the people here! Thanks for the link, I'll check it out as soon as I finish this...
Mask Blogger, that's ok, thanks for dropping by anyway. May be you can grow them in pots?
John Saunders, hi John I thought it could be zucchini too as I used to see cooking shows where the flowers were actually used in cooking
klahanie, hi Gary - so there goes my theory, but the zucchini flowers really look like those - from my memory anyway. But we shall see...
Wan, that's what I thought (mainly wish, actually) too! If watermelon it would be nice - can eat right away, no need to cook!
Bangmat - may be a tie between watermelon and pumpkin! Your soil must be very fertile
Anon, anda nampak confident...must be from your deep knowledge of agriculture. Thanks for visiting and for your comment
THANKS EVERYONE, WILL KEEP YOU POSTED - HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD! :)
looks like zucchini flowers--such a beautiful volunteer.
Hi Grandpa, I think its a zucchini.
I used to plant them along our fence and they sure grew bigger than cucumbers, and masak lemak very sedap best tu.
You lucky have one growing unexpectedly in your garden.
Have fun and keep well, Lee.
the wanderer, ok your vote goes to zucchini! The flower blooms just for a while in the morning dew and sun, yes beautiful...
Uncle Lee, ok Lee another vote for zucchini. Must try that masak lemak, I normally use it for salad only - thanks for the tip. Have a great day!
This is great Grandpa. BTW there is an award waiting for you at my blog!
Hi there, I came over from the L'Aussie award and will stay as we obviously have vegie growing in common and I, too, have one of these volunteers roaming my patch. My guess is a yellow squash. For the avacodo person - I manage to kill them regularly - they hate wet feet, frost, or any kind of climatic condition it seems!
Look forward to hearing and seeing how it turns out.
Hi Cheryl, welcome to The Farm! I grow fruit trees and tell tall tales from the rainforest...
I'm sure Patricia will appreciate the tips re avocado
Zucchini/courgette tend to form more of a bush than a vine like this, so I'm voting for some pumpkin/squash hybrid.
All my tomatoes are 'volunteers' which just came up. They're always the healthiest plants!
Hi Adina, good to see you! If the plant survives we shall all see what it really is, I think everybody's not far off...
Tomatoes are nice to have too - handy for pasta sauce, etc.
Btw you've done well with your 110,000 words, keep it up!
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