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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Squash

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  • From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Squash
  • Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2006 08:51:59 -0600

No. There are other reasons squash become bitter, chief among them being virus infection. Sometimes the gourds carry those viruses so, indirectly, they can cause the squash to taste bitter. If the gourds are not carrying viruses, they won't cause the squash to become bitter.

If you're going to save seed of squash, you should follow the advise of Beth and hand-pollinate. It doesn't take long, there are lots of new flowers to work with every day. If you don't need to save too many seeds, it's not too much trouble. You should expect between 30 and 150 seeds per fruit, depending on how well you do the job. For more information check out "Seed to Seed" by Suzanne Ashworth, a great book for seed savers.

Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html


An immigrant worker came to our farm this past year and said that if we
plant gourds too close to squash the squash will become bitter. Is there
any truth to this?
--Gary





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