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Posted By: charlene cross pollination cucumbers/pumpkins - September 13th, 2006 at 11:22 AM
Everywhere I read it says that cucumbers and pumpkins cannot cross breed, yet I have had an interesting experience that I can't explain in my garden. I planted two different kinds of pumpkin in a spot right beside slicing cucumbers. For the longest time no cucumbers grew at all, until about a month ago I noticed three or four weird looking pumpkins, or so I thought, growing on the cucumber vines. The biggest is the size of a very large eggplant, oval in shape, with the markings of a pumpkin. When I sliced it open, it looked exactly like a cucumber on the inside but it wasn't juicy at all. It had cucumber seeds though, which when eaten tasted exactly like pumpkin seeds. The flesh of the cucumber was very woody, but sweet.

Anyway, I call them "pumpcumbers" and I gave my son one to take to school, along with slices from another one. Everyone was amazed.

It sure looks like a cross breed to me!
Posted By: Woodland Garden Re: cross pollination cucumbers/pumpkins - September 14th, 2006 at 07:45 AM
Nope. Impossible for them to cross, and even if they had the results wouldn't be apparent untill you planted the new fruits seed.

Sounds like the seed company messed up. There is a variety of cucumbers that are round and gord like. Can't remember the name.
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