Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 16 Entries. Monday, February 2 View Page I face a dilemma, well several, every year.   Monday, February 2 View Page There are so many seeds, and so little space.   Monday, February 2 View Page The squash vine borer.   Monday, February 2 View Page Then there is always PM and heat damage.   Monday, February 2 View Page F1s, Atlantic Giants crossed with wild Cucurbita species, can resist PM and SVBs, but they take up a lot of space... and don't flower until late August. This makes breeding difficult.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page I thought there was no end in sight, just one dilemma... after another.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page Then... an idea.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page This is the result of that idea. It is a semi-bush plant that grows 8 to 10 feet long with no side vines. Female flowers are abundant, and begin to form before the cots fall off. Whats so great about that? Many more seeds can be grown, with up to 3 generations per year. Half the progeny will have the gene, when crossed with plants that vine.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page Still need more convincing? If three generations can be grown per year, and each generation is back-crossed with AGs, then it only takes 3 years for the line to be more than 99% AG. Great way to keep a population large enough to introduce PM, virus, heat, insect (avoidance/tolerance/resistance). Good way to improve fruit color, shape, ect. given many more individuals can be grown and selected from.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page Immature fruit on the semi-bush. Think the "outie" would help prevent BES?   Tuesday, February 3 View Page So the goal for this year is to grow 20 wild Cucurbita lines, derived from 4 species, with three replicates each. Evaluate all wild lines for disease, insect, environmental (avoidance/tolerance/resistance), and to cross all of them with the C. maxima semi-bush. I also have some very nice AG seeds, wouldn't mind breaking the state record.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page 1079.5 Duncan (220 DeBacco X open). It went +11%. Side walls were 12 inches thick, top was 10 inches. The DeBacco was the only plant in my Springfield patch so it should be selfed.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page Baby on my 324 Duncan (1357 Stevens X 220 DeBacco) +13% starting to take.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page More embryo rescue. This was from {(lundelliana x maxima) X open}   Tuesday, February 3 View Page For some it's a struggle to survive.   Tuesday, February 3 View Page For others, not so much.