Pumpkins

[Malk]

Does anyone know if you can plant different varieties of pumpkins near each other? I have 3 different varieties. Would they cross polinate?

[ken]

They will almost certainly cross-pollinate. This won't affect the fruit in any way, so is only a problem if you want to save the seed for next year when you may find you've bred some new varieties...

[Colin_M]

They will almost certainly cross-pollinate...so is only a problem if you want to save the seed for next year when you may find you've bred some new varieties...

Which is exactly what I've done - Doh!

Too late now - this years mongrel seedlings are racing away and will be planted out soon. This could be a cross between Crown Prince, Bon Bon and Marina De Chioggia!

[Westi]

Perhaps that is something we could do via the
forum - create a new Pumpkin / Squash. My
favourite is Queensland Blue or Crown Prince
but I would cross them with a smaller sized one
to create something you don't need an axe to
get into!

Market it well and grow it on our plots and gardens
and we could create a country wide co-operative
scheme to fund our growing for the next season.

Westi

[PLUMPUDDING]

It is easy to save seeds and keep them true to type if you put a rubber band round a female flower just before it opens then get a male flower from the same variety. Take off the petals from the male, take off the rubber band from the female and thoroughly wipe the pollen from the male flower all over the centre of the female one. Immediately put the rubber band back on to hold the petals shut so nothing else can pollinate it and tie some bright coloured thread round the pollinated flower stem so you know which one it is.

When the fruit starts to swell then you can remove the rubber band, but make sure you keep the thread marker on until the fruit is thoroughly ripe, and then you can save the seeds to grow next year.

If you wanted to try hybridising then you could do the same and take note of the two varieties you had crossed.

[Mike Vogel]

Yes, I grew all sorts of stuff together in 2007 and saved the seed. My patty pan "custard white marrows were elongated instead of flat, but they still tasted OK. The supposed butternut squashes were zeppelin shaped but they also provided a decent soup base. So you won't suffer unduly as to taste if you reuse the seed, but no guarantees as to shape.
mike

[Malk]

That's great, don't think I'll save seed this year then, sounds like too much work, Plumpudding, with two little kids.

I guess that means I can also put my courgettes and squashes with the pumpkins if I run out of room.

Thanks guys.