Topic: Saving Seed from Supermarket Veg?

[Mothy]

Hi all,

Something sprang to mind, last night we enjoyed a Harlequin type squash bought from sainsbury's, and it was very nice indeed roasted with a few other bits and pieces.

Question is; can I save the seed and grow from it? Has anyone else got any experience of trying this sort of thing?

TimJ

[NattyEm]

As far as I know you could save it, and try, but the results will be a bit hit and miss.  Not knowing if the variety is a hybrid or not then you might not get the squash you expect!  Also you don't know if the variety is suitable for growing in your climate.

No harm in trying though!  I'm sure someone else will explain better than me!

[philcooper]

Tim,

All curcubits cross pollinate frantically, so unless your squash was growing in the middle of a very large field of the same plant and was not an F1 you will have an interesting batch of squashes

Phil

[Multiveg]

Variety is the spice of life!

There is a wealth of variety of squashes in the organic gardening catalogue (and others) to choose from if you wanted to go for something less pick and mix. There is plenty of time before the seeds even need to see some compost (late April at earliest?)

[hesperis2000]

 i grew Chinese garlic from the shops- it grew well, stored well and seemed happy growing in this climate- usually supermarket spanish does v. badly- made for wamer climbs

Passionfruit are good for producing a good plant but it is passiflora edulis which needs to be pretty warm late season to fruit
Loads of stuff germinates and you get a nice plant, citrus is rewarding but getting fruit is another thing
I am just chitting some store cupboard spices/seeds - golden linseed, poppy seeds, quinoa- they seem to be germinating so i'll probably try a row of mixed annuals from these and similar in the year

[Mothy]

I think, given the effort involved etd, that I will instead buy some seeds from an open pollinated variety suited to our climate and go from there!!

Thanks and sorry to have asked a daft question  :) (I have lots of them!!!)

[john_miller]

Harlequin squash, sold as Carnival over here, is a F₁ hybrid. What you can do with F₁'s is save the seed in successive years but constantly selecting for the traits you desire and roguing out those you don't. The company that morphed into Seeds of Change was started by a plantsman who offered, among many others, OP seeds selected over a number of generations from F₁'s for the desireable characteristics.
If you would like to keep your own squash seeds, or those of any other cucurbit, all that needs to be done is to ensure that you only grow varieties from one species within close proximity (on an allotment this really means only one per specie). This is of course assuming that the plants you intend keeping seeds from are not F₁'s.  
Hopefully a list of commercially important varieties, and what species they fall in, will help:
Citrullus lanatus Watermelon
Cucumis melo All melons (the snake cucumber is a true melon)
Cucumis sativus All cucumbers
Cucurbita maxima includes Blue Hubbard, giant pumpkins,  Red Kuri, Buttercup (kabocha), Queensland Blue, banana.
Cucurbita moschata Butternut
Cucurbita pepo Pumpkins, acorn, Carnival/harlequin, spaghetti squash, delicata, yellow flowered gourds, courgettes and summer squashes.
Not meant to be exhaustive but does cover the common types. Gourds come from various genus or species different enough from those listed, and each other, that cross pollination is unlikely. Does anyone know of an interspecific cucurbit?

[Mothy]

Wow..thanks John  ;D

TimJ

[TULIP-23]

John_Miller :)

Another daft Question: ???

I see from your list that Snake Cucumber!!!! is that the Same as Chinese Snake ???
Normally Cucumber here in Holland as to be grow under glass....therefore is this type outdoor or for Underglass. Would you know!!! 8)
                               Mike

[john_miller]

Never heard of it to be honest. Is it this?
http://www.rain-tree.com/snakegourd.htm

[TULIP-23]

JOhn :)
THanks for the Info ....sorry no thats not it
its normal cucumber...........other than that its only the name I have Chinese Snake ???    Mike

[john_miller]

This?
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/detailcat.html?source=&edit_id=144&cat_id=1&parent_id=20&topcatid=1&subcatid=20&subcatid2=395&topname=Vegetables&subname=Cucumbers&subname2=Specialty&ct=comm&level=2&prodname=Striped%20Armenian%20(Painted%20Serpent)

[Merry Tiller]

I saved squash seed from supermarket bought fruit last year, very good results, I am now saving seed from the next generation for this season

[ruud]

I have sown a mango,does anyone here if it is working,because i havenot a clue whats growing out of that pip.It is that my two girls wanted to sow it,otherless it turned into the bin.

[Derek]

Hi

I also tried one of the Sainsbury squashes last year..
saved seed and raised two healthy plants....
One was true to type and produced several fruit the other produced
a different variety altogether.

You takes your chance...good fun though

Derek

[philcooper]

all that needs to be done is to ensure that you only grow varieties from one species within close proximity (on an allotment this really means only one per specie).

John,

As bees can fly for several miles and other insects get about quite a bit and curcubits are a favourite , the advice in seed saving circles is to bag the female flower and hand pollinate it (then rebag it). And wathc out whilst you have the bag off as insects may well dive in!!!

Anything else will probably result in cross pollination

Phil