ljayess
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Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 12:05 pm

Can you help me identify these volunteers?

Every year, I have some type of volunteer show up in my gardens. Usually from seeds not fully broken down in my compost bins that then get mixed in with my garden soil.
Acorn1.jpg
Acorn2.jpg
These, I was certain were pumpkin, but they haven't grown any larger than this and haven't lost the cone on the butt end. Suppose they are acorn squash?
Kiwano1.jpg
Kiwano3.jpg
This plant came up looking like cucumber, but it grew and spread so quickly I thought it might be a weed. Today, I was rather startled when I found these bizarre-looking fruit growing. They are spiky and about 5"-6" long. I think they might be Kiwano/Horned Melon. Last year, my son convinced me to buy 1 Kiwano just to give it a try (and because it looked like it came from another planet). We sliced it and none of us could quite get past the slimy texture, so in the compost bin it went.

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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

If you grew those before you should recognize them. That melon with horns looks prehistoric. Are those good to eat?

ljayess
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Actually, I hadn't grown them. I grew pumpkins last year, bot not this. That is why I first assumed it was a pumpkin, but not so sure now.

thanrose
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Pretty sure you're right about the second being a kiwano melon. I've only seen them in markets though.

The 'pumpkin' does look like an acorn squash. I don't know of any other cucurbits that are that size and that color. I'm sure there are, but not any I've seen or grown.

told2b
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Location: North Jersey, Zone 6

Kiwano or Horned Green Melon

xtron
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Location: christiansburg virginia

one way to know for sure....wait till it's ripe and cut it open...if it's an acorn squash, enjoy....if not...well....proceed with caution.

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jal_ut
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Location: Northern Utah Zone 5

Squash tend to cross pollinate, and they will cross with other things in the same family so seed saved almost always gives you something different next year. Not all bad as some of the crosses turn up some good eating squash. However if you want a certain type, best to buy certified seeds.

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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

If you like that fruit with all the pointy things you better grow your own they are $5 each at the grocery store. It is not very good tasting fruit, it tastes like cucumber mixed with lime juice, it is 95% seeds. Suck up the juice and spit out the seeds you get a few swallows for $5. It might taste a lot better to juice 20 of those, add some sweetener or sugar then pour it over ice. It might be a very good refreshing summer time drink on ice. If I had a garden full of those I would sure do some experiments but I'm going to buy $100 worth of those at the store. I'm not a fan of cucumber it taste like green watermelon rind to me.



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