March 2020 Garden Answers
Looking for the answers for the March 2020 Quiz? Look no further – they are all here. Or, peruse the pages of The Perfect Vegetable Garden for an in-depth experience.
Answer to Question #1
The question was: Butternut squash is a: A) Spring squash, B) Summer squash, C) Fall squash, D) Winter squash, or E) All the above.
The correct answer is:
D) Winter squash
Summer squash – like zucchini and yellow crookneck squash – has a thin skin and has a relatively short shelf life – making it very perishable.
Winter squash, on the other hand, has a fairly thick and tough skin – like butternut squash – allowing it to be picked in late summer or early fall. And, if it is stored in a cool, dry place, it can keep over the winter months for a long time.
Spring squash and fall squash? “Well, I ain’t never heard of such things!”
This answer is found in “Growing Butternut Squash – Better Flavor Than Pumpkins.”
Answer to Question #2
The question was: The tough outer skin of a butternut squash is almost as hard as a rock! But, I want to be able to eat those fleshy innards. How can I get to the edible parts? A) Get out the old hammer and chisel – and whack away, B) Throw it in a campfire and burn off the outer skin, C) Use a sharp knife and peeler, or D) None of the above.
The correct answer is:
C) Use a sharp knife and peeler
The skin of the butternut squash is so thick and tough that it takes a very sharp peeler – such as the OXO potato peeler – to remove all the skin. Just try to keep your fingers out of the way in case you slip. You don’t want to shear off a layer or two of your skin.
The fleshy insides of this tasty squash are also almost as hard as a tabletop. So, a knife with a razor’s edge – like the TUO carving knife – is needed to make short work out of cutting the squash up into bite-sized chunks and getting it ready for oven baking.
And, don’t forget – those seeds are tasty too. Roast them for an added treat!
This answer is found in “Growing Butternut Squash – Better Flavor Than Pumpkins.”
Answer to Question #3
The question was: When Jim, the Lifelong Gardener, grows butternut squash, he always religiously puts them through his germination, transplanting, and hardening off process BEFORE sticking them in his backyard garden. This statement is: A) True, B) False, or C) None of the above.
The correct answer is:
B) False
Squash type plants have extremely sensitive roots – they tend to die easily with the slightest disturbance. Squash roots do not take kindly to being moved from one place to another. So, it behooves us to plant squash seeds directly into the garden bed – which can be done any time after the last spring frost.
This answer is found in “Growing Butternut Squash – Better Flavor Than Pumpkins.”
Answer to Question #4
The question was: Jim’s favorite way to eat butternut squash is to: A) Roast the chunks with a little garlic salt and olive oil, B) Purée the squash and add some brown sugar and cinnamon – and make a pie, or C) Sauté the squash and add some meat, chicken, or fish – along with some other veggies.
The correct answer is:
A) Roast the chunks with a little garlic salt and olive oil
I do so enjoy a butternut squash pie. Embellished with some brown sugar and cinnamon, it is truly more flavorful than any sweet potato pie I’ve ever had.
And, for a change of pace, I occasionally throw the squash into a skillet, along with some meat and other veggies for a quick and enjoyable main entré.
But, my absolute favorite is roasting the butternut squash with some garlic salt and olive oil – and eating is as a side dish to complement other meal courses. Nothing can beat it – that’s for sure!
This answer is found in “Growing Butternut Squash – Better Flavor Than Pumpkins.”
Answer to Question #5
The question was: Butternut squash is unique in that there are literally no pests or diseases that attack it. A) True or B) False.
The correct answer is:
B) False
Every plant on the face of the Earth falls victim – at one time or another – to a variety of pests and diseases – even butternut squash.
Squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and vine borers are the primary destroyers of butternut squash – and, they can be easily eliminated with a quality insecticide like Ortho Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Insect Killer.
Fungal diseases like wilt, powdery mildew, and downy mildew will decimate butternut squash as well. So, a good dose of Daconil or Physan 20 can fix the problem.
But, the key is – to “nip it in the bud” – which means in the case of both pests and diseases, the plants can be saved if the problem is discovered and dealt with in the beginnings of the infection. Otherwise, it may be prudent to tear out the entire plant – roots and all – bag it and put it on the street for the garbage collector.
This answer is found in “Growing Butternut Squash – Better Flavor Than Pumpkins.”
Answer to Question #6
The question was: Spaghetti squash is a: A) Spring squash, B) Summer squash, C) Fall squash, D) Winter squash, or E) All the above.
The correct answer is:
D) Winter squash 
Spaghetti squash is a winter squash – for the same reason that butternut squash is a winter squash. It has a tough outer skin as well as a fairly hard, stringy mass of inner flesh.
For a little more info about this question, see Answer For Question #1 – which also covers the other options: spring squash, summer squash, and fall squash.
This answer is found in “Growing Spaghetti Squash – Better Than Starchy Pasta Noodles.”
Answer to Question #7
The question was: Why is spaghetti squash called “spaghetti” squash? A) You can uses the flesh to make tasty spaghetti sauce, B) This squash can be a substitute for conventional pasta noodles, C) Spaghetti squash originated in Italy, or D) It is named after Betty Spaghetty – who was a character in the movie, “A League of Their Own.”
The correct answer is:
B) This squash can be a substitute for conventional pasta noodles
Hardcore connoisseurs of traditional spaghetti would beg to differ – but, when spaghetti squash is prepared correctly, its stringy innards are a taste-worthy substitute for the tried and true pasta noodles. I bet once you’ve added your favorite spaghetti sauce, you’d find it challenging to differentiate between these healthy noodles and the starch-filled pasta noodles that are normally used.
This one-of-a-kind squash has a special recessive trait in its DNA that commands it to produce strings – instead of chunks – making it an amazing substitute for any dish requiring pasta noodles.
This answer is found in “Growing Spaghetti Squash – Better Than Starchy Pasta Noodles.”
Answer to Question #8
The question was: History places the first evidence of spaghetti squash occurring in: A) China, B) Japan, C) Mexico, D) Central America, E) North America, or F) None of the above.
The correct answer is:
A) China
Over 170 years ago, spaghetti squash was being grown in China. During the “Roaring 20’s”, Japan was growing it. A few years later, it popped up in Mexico and Central America. And, finally, in the 1930’s, it made its way onto the North American continent.
This answer is found in “Growing Spaghetti Squash – Better Than Starchy Pasta Noodles.”
Answer to Question #9
The question was: Spaghetti squash noodles contain about the same calories as time-honored starch-laden pasta noodles. The only difference is that there is no starch in spaghetti squash noodles. A) True or B) False.
The correct answer is:
B) False
While it’s true that spaghetti squash doesn’t have all that fatty, weight gaining, heavy starch that customary pasta noodles have, it is false to assume that the calories are the same.
In fact a cup of spaghetti squash noodles contains only 31 calories – while a cup of uncooked pasta noodles can contain 350 calories or more! That’s a huge difference, don’tcha think?
This answer is found in “Growing Spaghetti Squash – Better Than Starchy Pasta Noodles.”
Answer to Question #10
The question was: If you want your spaghetti squash noodles to be the longest they can be, then the best approach – prior to roasting – is to cut the squash: A) Length-wise, B) Width-wise, C) Chop it up into little pieces, D) All the above, E) None of the above.
The correct answer is:
B) Width-wise
Since the noodle-like structure runs through a spaghetti squash from left to right, the longest strands can be had by cutting the squash width-wise.
Cutting the squash length-wise will chop the strands in half.
And chopping it up into little pieces makes no sense at all. This was a “gotcha” answer – just to see if you’re actually reading the question and answers.
This answer is found in “Growing Spaghetti Squash – Better Than Starchy Pasta Noodles.”
Answer to BONUS QUESTION
The question was:
A red house is made with red bricks.
A blue house is made with blue bricks.
A yellow house is made with yellow bricks.
A brown house is made with brown bricks.
So, pray tell, what is a green house made with???
The correct answer is:
Well, some green houses are made with glass like this Palram Silver Snap and Grow Greenhouse – some green houses are made with plastic sheets. But, if you made a green house with green bricks, it really wouldn’t be a “greenhouse” anymore, would it?
You can find many interesting facts, fiction, instruction, tips, tricks, and more – in The Perfect Vegetable Garden.
Comment or email me. I’m always looking for feedback to improve my periodic questions and answers.
Jim, the Lifelong Gardener
jim@perfect-vegetable-garden.com
