Naked-seeded pumpkin project

[flowerbug]

i had no sprouting seeds in any of the squash i opened up yesterday, but there were a few strangely developed seeds in one squash so i probably will not replant those seeds to avoid passing on a negative trait (if possible).

@Zeedman if you want seeds from individual squash kept apart for a return i can keep doing that?

also do you have a name picked out that i should use if i give any of these seeds to someone else?

but if it doesn't matter or you have enough seeds from your own grow outs that you don't need a return from me for these two lots that means i could eat them instead. your choice. i have no preference other than they all so far have mostly had likely viable seeds that haven't sprouted. size of squash have been softball size or larger but not at all like what i was growing last season (nearly basketball sized).

my method for cutting the squash open was to use the knife around the outside to cut it into quarters but not to put the knife all the way in and then pull the sections apart. i only damaged a few seeds doing it this way. since i only have a few squash of the 04 lot that probably saved a dozen seeds.

 

[flowerbug]

Plant habit should be short vines, about 6-8' long, rooting at the nodes where they touch the ground. Ideally, the female flowers should be hand pollinated with male flowers of the same plant, because the desired naked-seeded trait will only become visible after harvest. When the pumpkins begin to form though, they should be nearly spherical... so if you see fruit that are elongated, pointed, or oddly shaped, those will be crosses.
...

i'm replying to this older message because i can say that for both patches that survived this season that some plants were not short vines, they sprawled in some cases 15 or more feet and still had viable fruits at the ends of those vines. borers did not kill them. noticed no damage from other bugs. deer did the most damage (eating leaves and squash).

 

[Zeedman]

i'm replying to this older message because i can say that for both patches that survived this season that some plants were not short vines, they sprawled in some cases 15 or more feet and still had viable fruits at the ends of those vines. borers did not kill them. noticed no damage from other bugs. deer did the most damage (eating leaves and squash).

Yes, my vines exploded far beyond that description as well. I have since realized that the two previous grow outs (which were the basis for those original observations) were grown on depleted soil. I did not at the time have a means of replenishing the diminishing amount of organic material in the soil, I have since heavily amended my home gardens, where LG was grown this year... and the difference for everything grown there was remarkable. I started amending the (reduced) rural plot this year, where I intend to grow LG from this year's seeds... hopefully there will be some improvement there as well.

In addition to being resistant to both borers and sprouting, I observed this year that LG has a strong climbing tendency. Several of the vines were quite aggressively climbing the nearby garden fence. Those vines had good blossom set (one vine had 3) and the small pumpkins were easily supported. Had I known the vines climbed that well, I would have trellised them... and may do so in the future.

 

[flowerbug]

Little Greenseed is the name you prefer for these?

 

[flowerbug]

eating the baked leftovers from the other day. did give the squash some butter, brown sugar and spices after i warmed it up and then topped with some peanuts. was a good late lunch.

finished up getting the seeds from the last three 2021-02 Lot and all were in reasonable condition with no sprouting going on at all in any of them.

 

[flowerbug]

Dried seeds. Lighter ones were not as developed so I'm not sure how viable they might be. Taste fine.

Two lots, 02 (left five containers) and 04 (the two rightmost containers).

 

[Zeedman]

Little Greenseed is the name you prefer for these?

Yes. I intend to carry forward the name given by the original source.

I opened up another of the open-pollinated pumpkins today. The seeds were better developed than the last attempt, and still no sprouting. I will wait until December to begin opening all the rest (including those hand pollinated for seed).

Two lots, 02 (left five containers) and 04 (the two rightmost containers).

The -04 seeds appear much darker. Are they more developed, or is that just darker coloration?

 

[flowerbug]

...
The -04 seeds appear much darker. Are they more developed, or is that just darker coloration?

the difference in color is not as extreme that is showing up in that picture. the angle is different. if i take two seeds for comparison and remove the shiny coating they are just a bit different in color. i don't think there is any difference in development. the really light colored ones were the only ones i wonder about being viable or not.

i will keep all samples of each squash separate and send them back to you with labels. how many seeds of each would you like? i was thinking 36.

 

[Zeedman]

i will keep all samples of each squash separate and send them back to you with labels. how many seeds of each would you like? i was thinking 36.

Your offer is appreciated. Were the squash you saved seeds from hand pollinated? At this point in the breeding program, those are the only seeds that will be taken to the next level. Seeds from the open-pollinated pumpkins (of which I have many) can be enjoyed for food.

 

[flowerbug]

Your offer is appreciated. Were the squash you saved seeds from hand pollinated? At this point in the breeding program, those are the only seeds that will be taken to the next level. Seeds from the open-pollinated pumpkins (of which I have many) can be enjoyed for food.

no they were all open pollinated.

i'll just give them out as local samples then. thanks for sending them to me.