For "greenhorns" like me.... Is there a chart or link that shows what vegetables and fruit will cross pollinate and what won't?
Thanks!! :)
Glenda
Chart that shows what will cross pollinate and won't???
I've never seen any "master" chart.
But, if you google "cross-pollination chart" and then add to the end something like SQUASH, APPLE, CUCUMBER, etc. you will find a lot of information.
Keep in mind that even if your fruits and vegetables do cross, it only affects the seeds. You don't want corn to cross-pollinate for example. Are you intending to save seeds?
Yep, saving seeds is the plan. I want to create my own seed bank. .....That's why I'm so concerned about cross pollinating. :)
It would be AWESOME if one of our DG gardening gurus would create a veggie and fruit cross pollination chart for us "green horns"........please, please, please? :-D Is that possible???
It is possible but probably not practical. In general only plants within a species cross. So if you pay attention to species, you should be able to figure out what you can grow. Most fruits are hybrids that are propagated vegetatively ( grafting, layering, stolens, etc). Vegetables with seperate male and female flowers like the cucurbits are easily cross pollinated within species. Even so Cucumbers only cross with cucumbers ( C. sativa). Note tho that some other species may also be called cucumbers. Squash you have to be careful, because there are 4 species that don't naturally cross with each other, but you have have to know the species. Self pollinating vegetables are less likely to cross and those possibilities can be lessened by physical or time seperation ( beans, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers etc,) You can use plantfiles to identify species. Cucurbits, unless you are in an isolated area and the only grower with a quarter mile, you should bag if you want to save seeds, Bees can can carry pollen quite a distance.
Glenda if you tell me which vegetables you want to save seed from I'll send you the information you need about cross pollination for them if they are listed in the Seed to Seed book I just recently got. An interesting note on tomatoes in that book is they say the newer tomatoes will not cross with each other even if planted side by side. Exception to that is the beefsteaks. Margaret
Farmerdill, I wish I could borrow your brain for just one day!!! :) lol ....Being "green" to gardening is like being in a dark room. :-/ Guess little by little the light will come on.....hopefully. lol
I did find an example of a cross pollination chart on the web, found near the bottom at: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/87-043.htm The chart is easy to use and understand, and very helpful, but a more extensive one would be a wonderful tool to have.
Margaret, thank you so much for your offer! You're very kind! Early this spring I bought a whole "library" of gardening books, which includes "Seed To Seed". I was planning on going through them this coming winter when things slow down, but now that I know they cover cross pollinating, I'll take a look and see if I can find that part of the book this evening. :) Thanks for the heads up!
....What a blessing you all are. :)
Glenda
Glenda the book covers cross pollination under each family type then lists the species just check each family section's first page it will give you a table showing which plants belong in which species. Then you can read the species information for each plant you want to save seed from. Margaret