This year the pumpkins did terrible. One of the problems was the critters–raccoons?–out there who managed to put a big gouge just about every single squash–no matter its shape or color–that came on.
Meanwhile, I got squash bugs.
I didn’t even know what they were. I was out in the garden and rolled over a squash and there were bugs EVERYWHERE. This general shape but some of them smaller and even very small and some were grey and there were A LOT. Like scary lot.
I fired up my web search and there were people all over SW WA complaining about squash bugs.
I don’t know the origins or if there’s a reason this year was worse than others of if it’s always been bad and I’ve just been lucky.
But: BOO!
So I have pulled almost everything and put it in the refuse bin. I’m hoping I have better luck in the raised beds next year and I might try to plant pumpkins out front again.