Literally had a large orange pumpkin and when it decayed, i put it in one of my garden boxes (not really expecting anything but wow!!) im so happy it bloomed! But these aren't what i was trying to get! Now i just have a bunch of… decorative pumpkins? All over my house haha
Any explanation would be helpful, because google is telling me 100 different things and im new to gardening!
by SomeoneYouWillBlock
21 Comments
The plant that grew your orange pumpkin probably got pollinated by some other squash plant and you are now growing their mixed babies.
I love these ones and currently have tons growing all over again this year. I however did intentionally leave ornamental pumpkins to decay about 4 years ago, and each year leaving more for the next year.
I wonder if the orange pumpkin was pollinated by an ornamental pumpkin in the fields thus resulting in the next generation being these?
I know it’s not what was intended but they look lovely! Ours typically average 8-12 pumpkins per plant.
It’s decrotive gourd season, Motherfuckers!
Yep cross pollinated
Your pumpkin was a hybrid.
Thank you for posting this. The seeds from my mini white Halloween pumpkin from last year is growing white pumpkins, green pumpkins, and maybe orange pumpkins. The answers in this thread are helping me understand what’s happening in my yard now.
That’s genetics. All pumpkins are squash and they can cross pollinate
Your pumpkin from last year was likely cross pollinated by a different type of winter squash. While the fruit that forms that year will be true to type, the seeds are a genetic mishmash and thus you get lots of cool fruit the next year. Hybrid seeds also produced in a similar way.
If you’d like to collect seeds of a non-hybrid squash (including pumpkins) for use in the future, tie an organza bag around a female flower that hasn’t opened yet. Once it opens, hand pollinate using a male flower from the same variety of plant. You can use a paint brush to pick up pollen or just cut off the male flower and smush it against the female. Replace the organza bag until the blossom falls off and tie cloth or otherwise mark the fruit you hand pollinated so you don’t forget which one it is. This will ensure both parents are of the same variety and seeds will produce true to type. I also like to place an organza bag around the male flower before it opens so I can ensure no accidental deposits from pollinators but that’s a little extra!
For now, enjoy decorative gourd season 🙂
Curcubits LOVE to hybridize.
Well, see, a “pumpkin” technically refers to any winter squash… Squash… Cucurbita… Now yuo see…
Cross pollinate probably
Though tbh these look like a type of tiger stripe pumpkin
Oh. My. Gourd.
All those “seed saving hack” videos dont tell you that most plants we grow will hybridize at pollination and will never breed true unless the process is directed by humans.
Pumpkins almost never breed true. It hybridized with random other plants in the field it was originally grown in.
Like you can save seeds from store bought plants but they won’t give you exactly the same thing
They are adorable!!
Those look like they came from the mail man
Pumpkins are a squash.
You do Coldplay concerts in the garden?
If you grow pumpkins then plant the seeds from that plant, you get gourds.
Pumpkins are squash. You got some mixed up seeds.
Surprise!
Curcubits are promiscuous…