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Old 30-05-2006, 11:55 AM posted to rec.gardens
lwhaley
 
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Default "Wild" Pumpkin Vine Question


Elaine wrote:
Hi everybody! Here's a question... I've got a "wild" pumpkin vine that was
growing in my foxglove bed. Seems after talking with my neighbor, he had
given out pumpkins seeds to the birds and squirrels and one found it's way
across the street to my flower bed. I suppose he got this from the bird seed
section of the store but I will ask to make sure.
I moved it to a decomposing log pile and leaf area . Anyway my brother "the
farmer of the family" said it would never have orange pumpkins, just green
ones. Anybody know if this is true?
BTY It likes it's new home and is running all over the place.

As others have said, the pumpkin family are notorious outcrossers.
this means that pumkins that are not grown with seed production in mind
will likley be pollinated by other pumpkins of a different variety.
For the pumpkin to grow true from seed it has to be grown in isolation.
This can be accomplished by physical isolation. Seed producers have
an established distance their seed crop must be from other varieties.
Other methods can also be used such as caging and hand pollinations to
produce smaller quanities of seed.

What this all means is that your brother is probably right. Your vine
will produce something but you don't know what. I will likely be green
like your bro said and may not be good for anything other than an
autumn display. In any case, you can keep the vine around as an
experiment if you are curious. If you want or expect actual pumpkins
then you would destroy it.
Lawrence