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Re: squash/pumpkin pollination

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

>You wrote:
>>     OTOH, open pollinated seeds will produce true to form from year to
>year
>>if they are kept from cross pollinating with another in their species (like
>>pumpkins and squash, for example, which will cross and produce inedible
>>"squashkins").
>
>I'm concerned now about this possibility.  I have pumpkins in one bed and
>zucchini in another bed approx. 4 feet apart.  How do you keep cross
>pollination from happening?
>I hope this isn't a dumb question :)
>Jackie
>--
>>Jackie Daugherty
>
>Jackie-
>Squash and pumpkins are considered insect pollinated.  According to The New
>Seed Savers Handbook,,
>"To keep strains of cross-pollinating vegetables pure, you will need to
>isolate flowering seed crops from any other flowering plants of the same
>species.  You can do this by planting different varieties at the different
>times.
<snip>
Hope this helps!  And by the way, it's not a dumb question -- I had to look
>it up to get the correct information!
>
>Patti
>
Patti, I had to look it up too. Pumpkins belong to the species Cucurbita
mixta and zucchini to Curcurbita pepo. Never the twain shall cross,
according to Suzanne Ashworth's "Seed to Seed." your information is indeed
correct, but this changes the playing field somewhat. Margaret L


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