Remember all those hype about my guessing games on the vines with the delicate lacy light pink/peach blooms, I have on my vegetable patch? Well...finally it showed itself last weekend. It was not snake gourd, not Kakdi (a type of Indian cucumber),....its a CALABASH! A cucurbit family, scientifically its called Lagenaria siceraria or Lagenaria vulgaris or commonly known as water gourd (labu air), bottle gourd or long melon. I guess we can never trust what the packet of seeds stated - though I remember they were not calabash I planted!
Imagine....the surprise I got when I saw this dangling on the vines! Its one of my favourite vegetables which usually will be made into soup with anchovies or shrimps
......but I remembered I did a hand-polination on one female flower which later on looked like this...
From my observations, usually there were so many male flowers at one time and the female and male flowers very seldom bloom together. When the female flowers start appearing, the male ones already past their prime and started to close and whither away...So it was a lucky day indeed when I found a female and male flowers blooming at the same time and gave them a helping hand to get better acqainted!
so the mystery of the delicate lacy blooms finally solved!Now Im paying closer attention to their blooming habits so that more calabash can be produced. Happy weekend gardening!
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19 comments:
Our cucumbers are like that too the male comes first and when the female appear its hard to find any male around. We usually sow another batch a month later after the first batch so the female will have males to pollinate them. Hari minggu opah boleh rehat.
Thanks for that valuable information Diana, I will take note for future references in planting those cucurbit family. Tak jugak berehat, menantu dan anak off day tak menentu...nasib baik bila siang cucu banyak tido, boleh la buat keje...
Wow!!! A more interesting comment that the post itself.
You and MKgirl are getting to be vege scientists, I see. How interesting...macam match-making service pulak.
Rosie
That is so interesting! I am glad it turned out to be a calabash and you will soon be making a deligious soup!
Interesting how different the blooms are to the vegetable. Glad you like calabash, as you didn't plant it!
It happened to me once that i remembered i sowed some lettuce seeds but came out all chilli plants. Ha.
My cucumbers are flowering crazily now but all male flowers. Diana's idea is good, i've never thought of that.
Do you have to babysit at night? Happy tengok cucu tapi babysit is a tough job. Take care.
Hsha..Rainfield, thats why its good to hear from other experienced gardeners like Diana, we can compare notes and garden tips!
Rosie, Im trying to learn through trial and error and tips from MKG, a more experienced gardener.Since the birds and the bees in my garden is next to nothing, I have to learn about the right timing and a helping hand to pollinate my vegetables!
Yes Egretta, till my next harvest!
Im glad too Holley that it turned out to be calabash, which is one of my favourite vegetables to make soup!
Milka, sometimes its a nice surprise to see something you didnt even plant growing so nicely. My cucu sleeps so soundly during daytime, so can relax a bit but unfortunately for the parents, he keeps them awake most nights!
How nice when NOID plants bloom or bear fruit and can finally be identified. Enjoy your calabash harvest.
This is really a good surprise. I hope this labu will add a delicious dish for a good meal for your family soon.
Yes Bom its a nice surprise indeed!
Thank you Steph, will definitely enjoy my labu air soup soon!
That's good ending for the Calabash! They do have delicate flower!
Malar I just cant get enough of photographing their lovely lacy flowers!
Calabash! you continually assist in my education, even at this late stage in my life.
A happy ending!
Alistair, Im still learning too!
BAG, indeed it is a happy ending!
Hi, sorry for not visiting in quite a while! Had some issue with myself over my gardening!
What a nice surprise to find something that you would not, otherwise, thought of planting? Yup, can never trust the packet of seeds, sometimes, it is not what they say it is! Enjoy your eggs! You can add some chopped spring onions or chives from your own garden, scatter over the eggs before baking!
Thank you Jocye, will try your egg recipe, though Ive tried the leman grass and coriander curry a few days ago. It was something new and delicious!
So nice to see the nice fruit. I might have eaten it but I didn't know it was called calabash. BTW, my previous blog Journey of My Gardening, I lost the password but now I have a new blog. Come and visit!
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