Squash x pumpkin thread

[wclawrence]

Hi I am new here, jumped over from BYC. I see that the curcurbits can pretty much all cross. I was wondering if any of you guys have pictures of some of your fruit of such crosses. I have planted some white pumpkins and squash together with hopes that if I save seeds I can get something interesting. if it is no good I will just feed it to the chickens.
so do any of you have pics?
or perhaps, if I am very lucky, a few seeds?
I know it is a little late, but I would love to get ahold of some kind of squash x pumpkin seeds. thanks

 

[Tutter]

Welcome, Wclawrence!

Well, being that I grow back seed, I am very careful not to cross them.

Some of the C's, however, do not cross. If you want to cross your plants, you should get a list of their names (Latin), to make sure that they can in the first place.

Generally, while there's nothing wrong with seeing what you get, the quality of the fruit is not good. At least, that's been my experience.

Perhaps someone else has been having fun with crossing, and will have photos, or seeds, for you.

Good luck! :happy_flower

 

[wclawrence]

I hope someone does/will!
I am not really that interested in eating the fruit. if it is half pumpkin it will keep through the winter if it goes to maturity on the vine. I will be feeding most of it to the chickens.

 

[wclawrence]

If anyone has any pics I would love to see them.
Next year I am wanting to use Yellow Crookneck, Butternut, and some red Pumpkin as well. It would be neat to produce something that will get pretty good size and has a fairly high sugar content with lots of color, nothing pale in other words.

I was actually able to breed a Yellow Crookneck male flower to two of my "hybrid green gem" females and now have two really big squash for seed for next year.
I am also going to breed a yellow crook to my white pumpkins to keep two for seed for next year.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

The biggest problem with crossing many curcubits, like tutter said not all will cross, is the fact that the strongest traits that you wish to get are not always the ones you will get.

Especially when using hybrids it is very common for negative traits to rise up through generations since most hybrids were created to produce one generation and the seed produce does not always carry on the desired traits.

This is a very complicated issue that unfortunately should be researched much more. I would recommend finding a few good books on cross breeding plants and then experiment some. Try to use non hybrid seeds from non-commercial seed producers, since this would yield the best results.

Like tutter, many of the crosses that have happened have not been pleasant.

Good luck.

 

[patandchickens]

It would be neat to produce something that will get pretty good size and has a fairly high sugar content with lots of color, nothing pale in other words.

What about any of the Hubbard squashes, which have all of the qualities you're looking for? No need to reinvent the wheel

Pat

 

[wclawrence]

I enjoy cross-breeding almost anything really.
I happen to know a lot about breeding methods and all that, just unfamiliar with the actual physical how-do-you-do-it of flowers.
I like to see all the strange and different results also.

Since the 'mother' plant that I am using is a hybrid between squash and zuchinni, I know that the next generation may come green or yellow, with each seed in the mother fruit having different possibilities. Really it is more for the fun of it than anything, but there are hundreds of possibilities.
With hundreds of varieties of Pumpkins, and maybe that many squash as well, there are lots and lots of hybrids out there that have never been made yet.

Next year I want to use some butternuts and some Red Pumpkins as well.

I am still looking for pictures of hybrids; if anyone sees this and has a picture to share I would appreciate it.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

I think you're on a good track of experimentation. Being a former researcher I can appreciate this.

I can picture your lab now, crazy haired scientist with a table of pumpkins, squash and cucumber flowers and fruits everywhere.

Sorry just couldn't resist.