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Re: garden size, spacing

Hi Cheralyn:

I just realized that you may have felt that I was singling you out
with my reply about the melons and cucumbers, and I feel awful.
Believe me, it was not my intention to make you look or feel foolish
-- a LOT of people think that melons and squash and cukes can
cross-breed and produce some weird things. It's one of those Legends
That Will Not Die in the gardening world! I admit that I have a
'thing' about it, and can get over-enthusiastic in trying to debunk
this myth.

If I have hurt your feelings, I hope that you (and the rest of the
members of the sqft list) will accept my sincere apologies.

Sue Drake
... A foot on the floor is worth two in the mouth ...

----------
> From: Cheralyn Hale
> Date: Monday, March 10, 1997 6:22 PM
>
> I've always heard that planting melons next to cucumbers would
result in
> cucmber-y flavored, unsweet melons...don't know this for a fact as
I'm a
> rather inexperienced gardener, but that was my basis...
>
> At 03:15 PM 3/10/97 -0600, you wrote:
> >Good question, Cuz! Cantaloupes or muskmelons belong to the genus
> >Cucumis and the species melo; all varieties of C. melo will cross
> >with one another. Cucumbers (with the exception of the 'Armenian
> >cucumber', which is actually a melon -- C. melo) belong to the
genus
> >Cucumis, species sativus and all of them will cross with each
other.
> >Since melons and cucumbers are different species, it is *not*
> >botanically possible for them to cross. If it were possible for
these
> >plants to cross with one another, it would only be of concern if
you
> >were saving seed and wish to keep the varieties pure.
> >
> >There is an "old husband's" (equal time, here!) tale that
bitterness
> >in cucumbers is caused by crossing with melons or squash, but it
just
> >ain't so! Feel free to plant your cukes, squash & melons wherever
you
> >like, as long as you don't plant more than one variety of each. If
> >you do, and are saving the seed, be sure to isolate the varieties
in
> >some way. (Aren't you glad you asked?)
> >
> >Happy trails.....
> >
> >     Sue Drake
> >     Southeastern WI -- USDA zone 4b/5a
> >... An immaculate house is the sign of a mis-spent life ...
> >----------
> >> From: Richard Callwood III
> >> Date: Monday, March 10, 1997 2:50 PM
> >>
> >> At 11:12 AM 3/10/97 -0700, you wrote:
> >> >10' and use the fencing to support things like peas, tomatoes,
> >cucumbers,
> >> >and even cantelope (yes I know NOT to put these two together
:-))
> >> <snip>
> >> >TIA
> >> >Cheralyn
> >> >
> >> >
> >> Why not?
> >>
> >> @->-`-,-------------------------------+
> >> |  Cousin Ricky      USDA zone 11     |
> >> |  rcallwo@uvi.edu   formerly zone 6  |
> >> +-------------------------------------+
> >
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