Turban Squash

Back in the fall of 2007 we were shopping at our local Saturday Farmer’s Market and Marjo spotted a turban squash. Naturally, being an artist that she is, she didn’t see a vegetable but a very colorful subject to paint in watercolor. So, she bought it and later that fall and winter, painted it. She did such an incredible job that the painting was published in 2008 issue of Botanical Artists of Canada newsletter.

You can view her gallery on this blog, she has her own Watercolor page.

Color studies for the watercolor painting.

Forward to winter 2010: As I was browsing seed catalogs, just like most gardeners do at that time of the year, I spotted seeds for the very same squash. Yup, I bought a packet and last March Marjo started the seeds for her very own turban squash. The squash was doing reasonably well through the summer even though only one fruit survived the relentless ant attacks. Couple of weeks ago she harvested her very own and very first squash. To us, this is the most colorful and beautiful vegetable that we can grow in our garden. Now I have to find out if there is a way to somehow dry it and if it will lose colors by drying it. Next year I will try to grow one in large container and away from rabbits and ants.