cucumber X squash?

[wodtheiii]

This is a 2 part question:

1. I have a cucumber plant in close proximity to my summer squash plant. The squash turned out fine (at first) but the cucumbers came out a little strange. The vine end of the vegetable resembled a zucini (sp.?) while the other half looked like a cuke. Could this be a hybrid of some sort? I'll post a pic of one tomorrow.

2. I recently lost the squash plant to borers. Is my cucumber plant in any danger?

Thanks

[opabinia51]

To keep borers out of your squash and cukes build a trellis that the vines can grow up to keep the fruit off the ground.

I think that squash and cukes are different species so, I don't think that you can have cross pollination between the two plants with any viable offspring.

[femlow]

It sounds like you don't have cucumbers, but rather another type of squash. I don't know what they are called but there is a local farmer who grows those and we get them from him at work during the summer if he has too many. It is definately a squash though.

Even if your cucumber and squash cross-polinated (and I don't think that is possible), that would not have changed the fruit on the plant. Kind of like an apple tree will always produce the same kind of apples, even it it get pollinated by a different variety of apple. The seeds would be a hybrid, but not the apples themselves.

fem

[opabinia51]

Yes, the fruit of a cross pollinated apple tree is always the same but, the seeds that produce new trees would then produce a tree that is a hybrid of the two different varieties of apple that were crossed.

Basically, if you have a cross between two squash or apple varieties, the seeds will not produce something identical to either parent plant.

[Scented Nectar]

I read somewhere years ago that squashes, melons and cucumbers can all interbreed. Seeds from reputable suppliers are carefully pollinated so that the correct plant will grow. If you save your own seeds though, there is a chance that you will have a cross of some sort. Disclaimer, the above is what I read somewhere years ago, and I can't remember where, so I can't cite.

[femlow]

Melons and cucumbers or squash definately cant cross pollinate. Kind of like a pig and a horse cant breed, even though they both have hooves and tails. They are not closely related enough for it to work, and the only way to really do it would be to modify the genetics of the plant, but through genetic modification, you could cross a melon and a mushroom is you wanted (atleast if you are a scientist). However, squash can cross with squash, cucumber with cucumber, and melon with melon.
Did you cucumber seeds come from your crop last year? Or did you buy them from a distributor? Or did you buy plants? And on your half squash, half cucumbers, what is the flesh like? Is it like a squash or like a cucumber?

Its true that is you save your own, you may end up with a hybrid, depending on what all is planted in your area (not just your garden, because pollen travels). Thats why for fruit trees and things, its best to take a cutting, instead of using seeds from the trees apples. I always liked to see when my plants interbred and what would come up the next year. Some of them were pretty fun.

fem

[uggabugga]

1. I don't think you have to worry about cucumber x squash, as others have noted.

2. borers won't bother cucumbers, canteloupes or watermelons - they like stuff with beefier stems. any kind of squash or pumpkin will do.