# can you mix squash types in the same plot?



## lorian (Sep 4, 2005)

Can you mix different types of squash plants in the same plot? We planted two types of pumpkins in the same area, also I wanted to plant hubbard and acorn next to eachother. something in the back of my mind is telling me they might cross and come out junk? But I can't rightly remember........


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

I usually plant different winter squash and pumpkins in the same patch. You wouldn't want to save the seeds of any for planting as they would probably cross pollinate to create hybrids of unknown quality.

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/vegetables/squash.html


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

If you are not going to save seed for planting next year, then fear not and plant whatever you want wherever you want. The fruit is not affected by cross pollination, but the seed inside the fruit is.

Squash will cross within the species but two different species will not cross with one another. So c. pepo will cross with c. pepo but not with c. moschata.  If you plan to store seeds from your squash, just plant one of each species.

There are other ways to ensure purity if you want to plant several varieties of one species and still retain purity of seed.


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## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

You can mix them and the fruit (squash) will still be OK. This is different from corn, which is directly affected by cross-pollination the first year. With squash, the fruit will be the same but the seeds will be crossbred. 

If you want to save seeds, what you can do to circumvent this problem is to bag unopened female blossoms, pollinate them with a male flower (from a different plant of the same variety), rebag them now pollinated blossom and label the stem. One or two fruits from each variety should be enough to maintain seed.


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## Zebraman (Aug 11, 2006)

Hey Lorian;You can plant 1 each of the four species,C.pepo,C.maxima,C.mochatta,C.mixta and not worry about cross polination.Just keep in mind that most summer squash are C.pepo as are most pumpkins.All four species have different numbers of chromosomes and cannot cross in the field with pollinators.-


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## lorian (Sep 4, 2005)

Wow, thanks for the great responses, I would like to try saving seed so maybe I'll put them in different plots. As for male and female flowers, how in the world would you know which was which?


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## GR8PMKN (Nov 25, 2005)

Ahhh I hate to disagree but Cucurbita's can and do cross pollinate. Not very many but they do. They prefer to stay in the same as is maxima to maxima. But maxima and mochatta can cross, As can some others. If you are not saving the seeds it doesn't matter. Females will have bulbs. The Males will stick up above the leaves like tulips.


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## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

The female blossoms look different inside (there is a stigma) and on the outside at the base, you will see a tiny baby squash (or what will be the squash once it gets pollinated). The female flowers usally have a fairly short stem, no longer than 3-8". 

The male blossoms have a pollen covered pistil (looks sort of like the pistil you would see in a hibiscus flower) and a longer stem, and there is no squashlike growth at the base of the flower. 

You simply pick a male flower, unbag the female flower (which shoudl have been bagged as a bud, before it opened) and rub the pollen covered pistil over the stigma of the female flower. The fruit is sometimes larger this way, too, and pollination is more thorough.


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## Zebraman (Aug 11, 2006)

Hey Gr8tpmkn;You might want to read up on Genetics.Crossing different species-ie.maxima x mochatta (different numbers of chromosomes) also requires polyploidism within both species.You cannot accomplish this in the field with bees.This is done inside of a controlled and closed system (greenhouse) and also "plant breeders" that have degrees in genetics.You also need several years that you can devote to this before you have a stable cross.
When you state that maxima's and mochatta's can cross you should also point out the extreme requirements that are necessary to accomplish this.-
The best advice is to purchase S.Ashworth's book "Seed to Seed".-


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

"Note: The general rule of interspecies incompatability in squash has worked well for most seed savers for many years. A recent study, however, has proven that some crossing can occur between C. moschata and C. mixta (which some researchers have suggested be renamed C. argyrosperma), when C. mixta is the female parent and C. moschata provides the pollen." 

Martin


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## GR8PMKN (Nov 25, 2005)

Cross pollination generally occurs only among members within the same species. However some crossing between species occurs in the genus Cucurbita, among pumpkins, squash and gourds. C. pepo will cross with C.mixta and C. moschata: and C. maxima will cross with C. moschata. C. pepo will not cross with C. maxima.

I plant several seeds that are a cross between species and require a moschata pollinator to set fruit.


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