A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Fruit Forum Am I going to have waterlopes and cantermelons?

I am a beginning gardener. I planted my first garden this year. I have only ever grown tomatoes in a 5 gallon bucket. I just bought what I wanted and stuck it in the ground according to the directions on the packages.

I planted watermelons and cantalopes in hills next to each other. They are about 4 feet apart. My mom tells me that you can not do that because they will cross pollinate. Is this right? What do I do now?

No!

From Colorado State Extension office:

Popular myths allow that two different vegetables can cross in the garden and produce "mutant" fruit. The vegetable that would be harvested is different than either parent.

The truth is that when plants cross, characteristics are not expressed until the seed produced by the cross is planted and produces a new crop. When field corn and sweet corn cross, however, the kernel appearance and taste are altered the first year.

With this in mind, what vegetables will cross with what? Plants cross when pollen from one plant is moved to the flowers of another by wind or insects.

*Cucumbers do easily cross with other cucumbers. They do not cross with squash, pumpkin, watermelon or cantaloupe.
*Summer squash easily crosses with other summer squash and with pumpkin. Summer squash doesn't cross with winter squash.
*Cantaloupes do not cross with cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins or squashes.
*Tomatoes do not cross with potatoes.

If you want to save seed from your garden, the best plants are standard varieties of beans, lettuce, endive, peas and tomatoes. Saving seed from hybrid varieties is not advised since offspring will produce quite different vegetables.

Thanks!