Crown Prince Squash Seeds

fatbelly · « **on:** September 03, 2016, 11:28 »

Hi All I have some Crown Prince Squashes maturating nicely on my plot. I have grown this variety before and they never let me down. Can I save the seeds for next season? If so how do I do this? They are a F1 Hybrid variety

JayG · « **Reply #1 on:** September 03, 2016, 12:31 »

As with all F1 varieties, the seeds are produced by crossing two carefully selected parents and will only grow true to type in the first year - seeds saved from the fruits could have different and unpredicatable qualities from the plants which produced them.

Most squashes cross very readily with other types of squashes, and allotment grown plants are likely to have plenty of opportunities to do just that, so even open pollinated (non F1) squashes are quite likely to not grow true from saved seeds either.

If you want to try it though, seeds from fully developed and ripe fruits can be dried and stored and should germinate successfully next year.

jaydig · « **Reply #2 on:** September 03, 2016, 16:16 »

I have grown Crown Prince in the past, and have alternated saving the seeds one year, and then buying fresh for the next. The saved seeds have always germinated well and produced squash exactly like the parent plant in every aspect except one, and that is colour. They are the same size, storing quality, shape and flavour, but the colour seemed to have a slight peach blush to it, rather than the original silver grey. I can't say what the result would be if seed was continuously saved, but it's worth doing for alternate years.

mumofstig · « **Reply #3 on:** September 03, 2016, 17:23 »

Quote from: jaydig on September 03, 2016, 16:16

I have grown Crown Prince in the past, and have alternated saving the seeds one year, and then buying fresh for the next. The saved seeds have always germinated well and produced squash exactly like the parent plant in every aspect except one, and that is colour. They are the same size, storing quality, shape and flavour, but the colour seemed to have a slight peach blush to it, rather than the original silver grey. I can't say what the result would be if seed was continuously saved, but it's worth doing for alternate years.

You may have been lucky with what cross-pollinated your plant. Most squash, courgette, marrow, pumpkin and cucumber cross-pollinate freely. DD ended up with some weird ones, photo here
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=69411.msg794667#msg794667

jaydig · « **Reply #4 on:** September 04, 2016, 14:16 »

Quote from: mumofstig on September 03, 2016, 17:23

Quote from: jaydig on September 03, 2016, 16:16
I have grown Crown Prince in the past, and have alternated saving the seeds one year, and then buying fresh for the next. The saved seeds have always germinated well and produced squash exactly like the parent plant in every aspect except one, and that is colour. They are the same size, storing quality, shape and flavour, but the colour seemed to have a slight peach blush to it, rather than the original silver grey. I can't say what the result would be if seed was continuously saved, but it's worth doing for alternate years.

You may have been lucky with what cross-pollinated your plant. Most squash, courgette, marrow, pumpkin and cucumber cross-pollinate freely. DD ended up with some weird ones, photo here
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=69411.msg794667#msg794667

Looking at what DD got, I think you're right, Mum. I must have been lucky to have got away with it on more than one occasion. Having said that, not many plot holders on our half of the site grow winter squash, so maybe that has helped.

JayG · « **Reply #5 on:** September 04, 2016, 14:57 »

The culprits don't have to be other winter squashes - many types of cucurbit, including courgettes, pumpkins and gourds will cross pollinate with them.

Only cucumbers are above suspicion - although also cucurbits they are a different species from the above.

Crown Prince Squash Started by Gazza76 on Grow Your Own	14 Replies 10909 Views	June 14, 2015, 13:12 by Gazza76
Crown prince squash Started by arugula on Grow Your Own	30 Replies 10433 Views	June 11, 2013, 12:34 by Mark's Sussex Allotment
Crown prince squash Started by Ian321 on Grow Your Own	4 Replies 2336 Views	July 05, 2015, 22:16 by Ian321
Crown Prince Squash Started by fatbelly on Grow Your Own	13 Replies 6053 Views	November 24, 2012, 13:03 by compostqueen

Crown Prince Squash Seeds

fatbelly

Crown Prince Squash Seeds

JayG

Re: Crown Prince Squash Seeds

jaydig

Re: Crown Prince Squash Seeds

mumofstig

Re: Crown Prince Squash Seeds

jaydig

Re: Crown Prince Squash Seeds

JayG

Re: Crown Prince Squash Seeds

Similar Topics

Crown Prince Squash

Crown prince squash

Crown prince squash

Crown Prince Squash