It isn't squash bug egg nor SVB egg nor cucumber beetles egg, the most common squash pests. The next most likely is aphid clusters. But it could be many different things and may easily be something beneficial if various species of butterflies or moths are active in your area already. So there is no reason to assume it is an "enemy". :) The real clue to identity often comes from the number of them found and the type and degree of damage, if any, being done. If there is no real damage being done then just monitor it to see what happens. Dave

I can't speak for Spaghetti Squash, but Acorn squash is ripe when it is a very dark green (most varieties), gets an orange spot where it was touching the ground, and is hard to dent with a fingernail. Acorn squash ripens fairly quickly, relatively speaking, and is not as finicky about being 100% ripe to be tasty (but does not store as long).

Funny I should see this thread - this is the year that some tough decisions will be made. . . I used to think I could learn to grow anything, then I would learn to grow everything! Yeah - no more. We have access to some wonderful Amish growers that spray very little, will tell you what has been sprayed if you ask, and sell for cheap, cheap, cheap. So, this year, I am planting *everything* and anything that I have a repeat bad performance from, or that seems to be fussy gets the boot. Why should I continue to pour over books looking for information on cauliflower when I can buy 2 heads for $1 all summer? The only things I will fuss with will be things we eat multiple of in one day - I am willing to put the work in for some sort of sweet peppers since we easily go through 10 pounds in a week. More, I think, if we grill. Not even trying this year: Eggplant Okra Most peppers - (putting all of my energy into sweet) corn carrots On notice - behave or be cut next year: Spinach (interesting about chard - we like chard) limas and shell beans winter squashes watermelon melon cukes - I must be the only person who struggles with these? Cauliflower Broccoli Things I am giving up starting from seed myself: Lettuce heads (Amish greenhouse sells a 4 cell pack for $1, and I can't seem to start the seeds to save my life. With the way we eat salad, I'm OK with paying 25 cent each head.) Tomatoes - one last try this year with WS Pepper - same as above My plan is to have a list of what is reliable for me in this climate, on this property, with my personality, and then go from there. I would like to concentrate on different varieties of what grows well and we like real well, like radishes, rather than spending my summer fighting things that just don't want to grow for me. It looks like I am cutting a lot - don't feel bad for me, though. Here's what we eat a TON of (like every day) and we are keeping: Radishes -can't seem to plant enough. Kids are like bunnies Greens like Kale and Collards - and they last pretty far into the winter. Kale is still looking pickable, even after all of this crazy snow. . . Adding more kinds of greens this year. Summer Squashes - want to add varieties this year Tomatoes Turnips - I chunk them up and freeze and use in every pot of soup I make. Snap beans - they wil eat all that I plant, so adding varieties Peas - they will eat all that I plant, so adding varieties This thread is good - permission to let go of what doesn't work. . .

Hi! I'm no expert, but here's a few random thoughts: if you're gonna grow peppers and tomatoes from seeds, start right now. They take a while, especially the peppers and the larger types of tomatoes,and if you don't get started on them soon it'll get too cold for them right when they're starting to produce well. The opposite for the lettuces; they like the cold, and they'll taste yucky and bitter if grown in hot weather. As for pots versus plots - well, the pots are nice for portability and nematode avoidance; but the giant pots you'd need for some things, like tomatoes, sure do get expensive. If you google "lasagna gardening" you'll find some nifty tips for starting a veggie bed without having to fuss with digging up the grass first. Strawberries come in different varieties; some kinds only produce once a year, some all year around. Not sure what kinds are good for fall. Blueberries grow great here, but they have some fussy likes and dislikes, and they can take a few years to produce - they're a more long-term investment. Anyway - good luck, have fun & nice to meet you!