Does Cross Pollination Affect Flavor or Yield?

12 years ago

Hi everyone,

I've been happily growing my garden for a few years and happy with my basic varieties of zucchini and delicata squash.

This year I'm wanting to branch out to more varieties of both summer and winter squash.

I was reading a blog somewhere that complained that the squashes cross pollinated and reduced her yield, and she implied that it also affected the flavor.

I wanted to ask you experts... is this true? I thought cross pollination was mostly an issue if you were growing for seed.

I have a relatively small yard... enough room to grow but not enough room to separate the varieties. I would like to, for example, grow a couple varieties in the same "hill" or bed. Do they have to be from the same variety (i.e. c maxima/c pepo, etc?)

Can I cram in as many different varieties of squashes as I can grow without affecting yield and flavor?

Thanks!

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Comments (6)

missingtheobvious
12 years ago
AFAIK -- which isn't very far! -- cross-pollination only affects flavor if you're growing mild peppers which are pollinated by a hot pepper. The seeds will be a hot surprise!

But logically it shouldn't make any difference for squash, because the only part of the fruit that contains the pollen-parent's DNA is the seeds.

If you're going to eat the squash seeds, they might taste different?
Edymnion
12 years ago
It depends on how long term you're talking.

If you're just doing a crop this year and buying new seeds for next year, no, there will be no issues with cross-pollination. All fruit is produced by the parent plant, not the seeds. If the plant is pure, the fruit will always be the same no matter what you pollinate it with.

The tricky part gets into if you get cross-fertilized, save those seeds, then plant them the next year. Then you will have issues with things like flavor, yield, appearance, etc because they will be hybrid plants with unpredictable traits from both parents.
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lazey
12 years ago
I also have a cross-pollination question. I usually don't care about seeds, I'm too lazy to save them every year and just buy new ones.

But this year I am growing Williams naked seeded squash, and am growing it for the seeds. I am growing a variety or summer and winter squash, as well as pumpkins and gourds. I am still in the planning stage. Do I need to worry about the Williams naked getting cross pollinated making the seeds develop hulls or will I be ok?
capoman
12 years ago
missingtheobvious: I've never seen hot seeds from cross pollination. Yes, the seeds grown out will usually produce a hot pepper plant, but not the seed in a sweet pepper. In fact, even in hot peppers, the seeds are not normally hot. They usually only get hot due to the placenta around them being damaged and spilling capsaicin on them.
Macmex
12 years ago
Lazey,

I think you'll be alright, as long as you don't plant the resulting seed next year.

George
Tahlequah, OK
gardenman101
12 years ago
From what ive read the flavor should not be effected unless you are growing from seed saved from cross polinationed fruit. if you are starting from fresh purchased seed the fruit will be true and the flavor should be fine. at least thats what I read, and from limited exp.