I need to plant really soon, so I'll ask this question here too.....
I am planting open-pollinated seeds this year, and would like to plant cucumbers and pumpkins but do not want them to cross pollinate. How far apart do they have to be to prevent cross pollination?? .....I don't want to end up with some mutant "Cucpkin"!!
I appreciate any help you can give!
:) Glenda
Cucumbers & pumpkins: Minimum distance apart?
It looks like even though they're in the same family (Cucurbitaceae), you won't have to worry about cross-pollination.
From Seed Savers Exchange:
RE: Cucumbers
Saving Seed: Cucumbers will cross-pollinate, so isolate ¼ mile from other cucumbers. Fruits for seed should ripen past edible stage and begin to soften and turn yellow. Cut lengthwise, scoop out seeds, wash clean and dry. Seeds are dry when they break instead of bending.
RE: Squash
Saving Seed: Squash within the same species will cross-pollinate, so isolate species by ¼ mile. Seeds should be taken from fruits that have gone past maturity by 3 weeks. Remove seeds, wash and let dry. (Note: There are four species of squash: C. maxima, C. mixta, C. moschata and C. pepo. This allows you to grow four different species of squash and save pure seed in the same garden.)
http://www.seedsavers.org/Content/instructions.htm
Pumpkins are in the Cucurbita Pepo genus. Cucumbers are in the Cucumis Sativus genus, so since they're not in the same genus, I think you don't need to worry about mutant veggies at harvest time.
I could be wrong though, I've never tried it myself. If you wanted to be extra careful you could isolate them by 1/4 mile. But I think Seed Savers would have specified in their seed saving instructions if there was the possibility of cross-pollination.
I planted Delicata squash last year, and some of the seeds I planted had been cross pollenated with a pumpkin of some type. A few of the fruits looked small pumpkin.