Topic: Best sowing time?

[Jeannine]

OP means open pollinated as opposed to hybrids.

Squash, courgettes and pumpkins fall into 4 families. any 2 variety in the  same family will cross together and the resulting seeds could be anything.

If you want to save seeds you need to sow varieties from all the 4 families and you are safe.

You need to know what families they are in to decide, if you know the name of the squash'/pupkin etc I can tell which family they fall into.

As you don't know what variety your supermarket seeds are there is no way of helping you on that one,

If it is one that can cross with you courgettes and many can the resulting plant may be useful or it may be no good at all, there is no way to predict this.

If you are growing any other and you know the names I can help you.

You called your pumpkin Jack o Lantern, there is a pumpkin of this name  but usually  many that are not are called this , rather like the word Hoover to cover all vacuum cleaners.

I will help you if I cam=n

XX Jeannine

[flowergirl]

As I dont know the name of my pumkin I will have to suck and see but thanks.  I will be growing Courgettes (Astia F1) along side squash (winter butternut F1) any idea's if these seeds will be ok?

What about my neighbours plot...oh my word its very complex!!!

Thanks for your help pumpkins queen x x x (AKA Jeannine)

[Jeannine]

Hi, your Asti is from the pepo family, your butternut is from the moschata family so they will not cross, but either one may cross with the unknwm supermarket one, however when the plants start to grow, get back to me,if you describe the unknown ones foliage well I can tell yo which family it is then as all 4 families have slight differences which identify them. It is not difficult to do when you havea plant growing well.

All of the TRUE pumkins are pepo family but here are many that are called pumkins which are not technically so. eg Big Moon and Bix Max are not TRUE  pumpkins which is very difficult to accept, so as you can see it is difficult.

Your plants will cross with your neighbours plants if within 1/4 mile so if you really want to save seeds you have to bag them to be pure. I would not as you have the unkown in there.

XX Jeannine

[Weed-Digga]

Jeannine, having (madly) taken on 2 new plots, I want to use 1 for just growing Pumpkins, will they cross with each other this year or do you mean that the saved seeds will be no good as they will not come true next year. I have loads of Pumpkin and Squash seeds (mostly from you in my secret Santa!!) I don't mind about the seeds not being any good next year.

Thank-you Pumpkin goddess!!

Weed-Digga

[Jeannine]

Hi again, they will cross this year but it won't affect what you get this year, it is only the seeds that will be affected, so if you plant them next year they won't come true.

This is the case with most seeds.

Corn is an exception by the way, if this crosses with a near by type that is an incompatible type it causes this years cobs to be starchy and spoilt.

XX Jeannine

[Weed-Digga]

Thanks for clarifying that for me Jeannine. Do you always sow bought seed each year?

As the 2 new plots are totally overgrown with couch, dock and nettles, I was planning to weed-killer 1 with Round-Up, the cover it with manure and a thick layer of cardboard and plant the Pumpkins through it. Do you think this will be OK?

Weed-Digga

[Jeannine]

Hi Weed Digga, I very rarely save seed, only ever if I have something that is almost impossible to get like my Japs.

Re weed killer, I am not the person to ask as I am not very familiar with it, however if you are doing the cardboard and manure thing I don't think you will need to use it. I think it is cardboard then manure by the way. I am planting through black plastic this year as my lotties got neglected last year after the floods.

I think it is fair to say that Round Up is better than most though but someone who knows well can answer that question for you.

Personally if you are not able to dig them out I would strim it then cover the ground,if you are using one just for squash I would plant through whatever you cover it with.

XX Jeannine

[Weed-Digga]

Thanks Jeannine, the new plots were vacant for 10 years and then taken on and not worked for another 3 years, so I guess you could say they are pretty weedy!!

Will try cardboard and manure method, I think.

Weed-Digga