Update: The Monster Growing In The Compost Is A Squash Plant.

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a story about a compost bin that @knarly327 built out of re-claimed wooden pallets. We eat a high plant-based diet as part of our lifestyle and we live in a country where the climate can be below freezing approximately 6 months of the year. 

This means that we often require additional compost space because vegetative material doesn't break down as quickly in our cold climate.

In June of this year, we noticed that a vine-type plant with a thick stalk, big leaves and large yellow flowers was growing vivaciously in our "open to the elements" compost bin. Between the two of us, we made the executive decision to let this plant flourish, instead of pulling it out and killing it.

We were curious to see what it would produce because neither one of us recognized the plant's leaf structure.

                          

It looks like Squash!!! This is a compost foraging "win" for us! 

The verdict is still out as to what type of squash this actually is. @knarly327 has put his vote in for "spaghetti squash" but I am not so sure. It's the size and shape of a spaghetti squash but the colour isn't right...at least not yet. I think spaghetti squash are normally a very yellow colour. (Maybe this will come as the squash matures and we get closer to the fall harvest.)

Last year, we did buy some spaghetti squash from a farmer we know quite well. We enjoyed that squash very much, last fall. Then, we composted the tough skin of the squash and its seeds because we felt that we didn't really have room to grow it. Obviously, Mother Nature had different plans because this plant is potentially a result of one of those seeds that ultimately ended up miraculously germinating. I say "miraculously" because the seed that grew this monstrosity of a plant, would've completely froze and then thawed multiple times over our winter season.

It's a wonder that the seed even survived. Yet here we are with a strong, single plant that's an absolute brute.

(It's now, almost over-taking the whole compost bin, all by itself). 

                           

This is what it looked like only 2 weeks ago:

                         

It's much bigger and it looks like this plant has the capability of growing at least 30 squash, if all the flowers become pollinated and bear fruit (squash in this case).

                         

I lifted "a" leaf to show you. In this photo, I have counted 9 flowers and one big squash, already.

                         

What do you think? Can anyone identify what kind of squash this is?

I welcome your comments and I invite your to follow me on my journey...even if I'm compost diving for squash. ;)

  ~ Rebecca Ryan