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will my zucchini and yellow crookneck cross pollinate?
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Posted by dannic_az z7AZ (My Page) on Wed, May 4, 05 at 22:15
| I've been reading on the forum and am hearing about cross pollination. I bought heirloom seeds from seeds of change this year and planted rows of zucchini, yellow crookneck, watermelon, and cucumbers in succession. I am planning on sving the seeds, just for self. Am I going to end up with weird vegetation next year? Am a novice, would appreciate any advice. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: will my zucchini and yellow crookneck cross pollinate?
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| If you're asking just about the zukes and yellow summer squash as your thread title indicates then yes, they will cross pollinate so saved seeds will not come true unless you hand pollinate the blossoms on each. You might want to consider getting Suzanne Ashworth's book on Seed Saving if you plan to save seeds from different veggies in the future, since it is the best book around on that subject . Carolyn |
RE: will my zucchini and yellow crookneck cross pollinate?
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| I second the motion. "Seed To Seed" is the bible of seed saving, and will teach you not only how to maintain purity but how to gather seed as well. Sometimes there are surprises. With your summer squashes, for instance, to save seed you have to grow them as if they were winter squashes. And, yes, the two will definately have cross-pollination problems if not isolated or hand pollinated. They are both the same genus & species. How big are these "rows" btw? Most families more than make do with just one or two plants of zucchini and yellow squash. They are incredibly prolific. |
RE: will my zucchini and yellow crookneck cross pollinate?
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| Thanks for the info...I will have to order "seeds to seeds". Ii didn't mean to make it sound as if I had acres of plants--I'm actually using a raised bed grow box, 5'x30'. I only have 2 rows of squashes. Am using the Mittleider method of grow box, with some variation. The plants are all growing, so that's a good sign, right? I'll get the book and reorder seeds for next year if I need to. Thanks again. |
RE: will my zucchini and yellow crookneck cross pollinate?
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| I'm not familiar with the Mittleider method, so can't visualize anything. But I still don't know what you mean by rows, as in "only 2 rows." In a box 5 x 30 that could mean a line of squash 30 feet long. Surely you're not growing that many zukes? |
RE: will my zucchini and yellow crookneck cross pollinate?
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| Sorry. I'm not being very descriptive. The mittleider method basically incorporates a grow box, home-made soil and fertilizer, pruning and trellising your plants, and building a greenhouse of sorts over it for prolonged production. I lack the necessary funding to follow it to the 't', but am as close as I can get for now. My two rows are across the 5' span, 3 zuch and 3 crookneck. My approach is more laid back and less labor intensive than his method calls for, but I do this realizing my results will vary from his. hope this clarifies. You can get more info at www.growfood.org |
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