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The rules of squash
Squash

DESPITE their reputation for needing constant watering, the pumpkins and other winter squashes in my garden have done exceptionally well in this year's record-breaking heat. 

The plants haven’t grown as wildly as usual, presumably limited by lack of rain, and in place of long trailing stems and rampant foliage, I’ve ended up with a number of very large fruit weighing several pounds each.

They’re called “winter squashes,” of course, even though they’re grown through the summer, because they can be stored for eating during the winter. That useful quality, however, depends on them being picked at the right moment.

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