I would think it too much shade for squash - if I'm picturing it correctly. But take advantage of that shade and plant something that not only has similar nutrient needs but will benefit from that shade. Maybe lettuce, spinach or other leafy greens that normally wouldn't grow later in the season without lots of shade and cooler soil. Shady places like that also make a good seedling nursery for any flats you have going of fall plantings. Protects them and hardens them off at the same time so they are ready to be planted as the room opens up for them in the fall. Dave

I understand the sentiment, Glib. I'm a low-input gardener myself. However... I speak as a gardener who is, at this very moment, growing short-season varieties of tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and corn out in the open, in our native soil - something you're saying is impossible. I don't own a greenhouse. I don't use row covers. I don't use high or low tunnels. The only things I have outside are some cold frames for transitioning starts in the spring. I have a handful of ordinary 4' fluorescents that I use to start a handful of things indoors, but most of my crops are still direct-sown. Just because you "don't see tomatoes ripening in 50F temperatures" doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It does. They do. The original poster knows exactly what they're doing asking about the best varieties for cold, northern climates. The varieties we grow *are* indeed different. You can't keep making such grand assumptions. You don't garden here. That said, maybe I shouldn't have responded either, given that I don't garden in Iceland. (Slimy_Okra is right - our summers at least have *some* heat to them for a little while.) How many GardenWebers do, though? Which reminds me... thanks for chiming in, tigrikt. Good stuff to know! I think florauk has great advice... "You might look at seed catalogues from the UK with cultivars suited to N. Scotland." Lots of life-long gardeners over in the UK if my extended family is anything to judge by. :) I'm sure their cold-hardy varieties would be better suited for you than even ours here in Canada. All the best!

Of course you are able to can zucchini. Just because it is a low acid food does not mean you can't can it. Zucchini must be pressure cooked for 70 to 90 min depending on where you are located ( winter squash and pumpkin is like 180 min...though I haven't done it in years..so i might be off on the time a little). Canned Zucchini will not be able to be used shredded or in chunks. Canning it is only good for totally grating it in a blender and using it for things like zucchini bread. because it has to be cooked so long even if you do shred it or leave it in chunks it will be total mush. I keep the skin on and just put it in the blender! Make sure there is moisture in it...not too wet, but there must be some type of waterish liquid in it either from the zucchini or by adding water to it. just drain it really good when you use it to make your zucchini bread. My family has been pressure cooking zucchini for over 70 years and before that my great grandmother cooked it in a water bath for 3 hours over an open fire. Never had a bad jar. I've kept it the can jars on the shelf for 10 years in a can that was still good. Precaution, as usual, to check the seal, the color, the smell of course when you pop open the lid. To say it cant be canned it ridiculous. you must always be cautious when canning, but to say it can't be done is not true. green beens, carrets pumpkin etc is all low acid foods and people can them all the time!!! It will not keep its form though...that limits its uses!

This is the closest recipe I know of : It doesn't seem like much vinegar, but it is only a very small amount of relish. CAPONATA "Caponata is a Sicilian dish served as a salad, side dish or relish. We also like it as an appetizer spread on toasted baguette slices." 1 small eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) cubes 1 1/2 tbsp pickling salt (20 mL) 2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1 medium sweet red pepper, diced 1 cup diced zucchini (250 mL) 1/2 chopped onion (125 mL) 3 large cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup chopped stuffed olives (50 mL) 1 tbsp capers, rinsed (15 mL) 1 bay leaf 1 tsp fresh thyme (5 mL) or 1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried 1/4 tsp each: salt and freshly ground pepper (1 mL) 1/3 cup red wine vinegar (75 mL) 2 tsp granulated sugar (10 mL) 2 tsp olive oil (10 mL) 2 tbsp tomato paste (25 mL) (Read Step-by-Step Guide (below) before proceeding with recipe.) Place eggplant in a non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with salt and stir well. Let stand for 2 hours. Drain eggp1ant in a sieve and rinse twice. draining thoroughly; press out excess moisture. Place eggplant, tomatoes, red pepper, zucchini, onion, garlic, olives, capers, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper in a large roasting pan. Heat vinegar, sugar, and oil in a microwavable container until hot, about 1 minute, stir into vegetables. Bake in a 350 degree F (18OC) oven for about 1 1/2 hours (1 hour for a convection oven), or until vegetables are softened and liquid has evaporated, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven, discard bay leaf and stir in tomato paste. Remove hot jars from canner and spoon relish into jars to within1/2 inch (1 cm) of rim (headspace). Process 15 minutes for half-pint (250 mL) jars and 20 minutes for pint (500 mL) jars as directed Makes 5 Cups (1.25 L) STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE 20 MINUTES BEFORE PROCESSING: Place jars in canner and add hot water. Cover canner and begin heating over medium heat. Keep jars hot until you are ready to fill them. If the recipe requires a preparation and cooking time longer than 20 minutes, begin preparation of the ingredients first. Then begin heating the water and jars in the canner while the prepared food is cooking. If the ingredients require a shorter preparation and cooking time, begin heating the canner before you start your recipe. FIVE MINUTES BEFORE PROCESSING: Place lids in hot water and keep lids hot until you are ready to use them. Do not heat screw bands. FILLING CANNING JARS: Remove jars from canner and ladle food into hot jars to within 1/2 inch of top rim. Remove trapped air bubbles and re-adjust headspace to desired level by adding more hot food and/or liquid. Wipe rim and side of jars to ensure a good seal. Lift lid from hot water and center on jar. Apply screw band until fingertip tight. PROCESSING CANNING JARS: Place jars in canner and adjust water level to cover jars by 1 inch. Cover canner and place over high heat. Once a full boil is reached, begin counting the processing time specified in recipe (a full boil must be maintained for the entire time required). At end of processing time, turn heat off, remove canner lid and leave jars in canner for five minutes. Then lift jars out and place on heat-safe work surface. Do not touch seals or dry jars. Let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check jar seals (sealed lids turn downward) and remove screw bands. STORING PRESERVED FOOD: Label jars with contents and date and store in a cool, dark place. Any jars that do not seal within 24 hours must be refrigerated or reprocessed immediately using new lids. Source: The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard --------------------------------------------------------------------------------