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Wood River, IL (kennyw_49@yahoo.com)

I was wondering what makes a good cross or a great cross? I've been reading about this cross being a great cross or that being a good cross. Is there a good cross handbook that I wasn't told about. This being my first year I'm working toward getting 4 plants with pumpkins to the beginning of October. I have guys wanting to know what me crosses are. And I don't have and answer right now. What do I need to know about good & bad crosses?

4/25/2006 12:32:34 PM

they only way to tell if a cross was really that good or just hype is 3-4 years down road when the weights and hapbits of the children can be studied.

4/25/2006 1:44:44 PM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

Try listing the seeds you plan on growing and there will be more input.

4/25/2006 3:45:12 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Kenny,
Can you tell us what seeds you're planting? Then maybe we can give you our opinions on what to cross.
I'm no expert, but consider the folowing good crosses:
.....a cross between two proven seeds(seeds that have produced well in the past).
.....a cross where both plants crossed produced large offspring(ex. 1233.5 Reiss, 1333 Connolly..time will tell)
.....a cross between to good orange producers(if you are looking for orange(ex. 1233 Riess, 781 Frantz, etc...time will tell).
.....a cross between two relatively unrelated genetic backgrounds(ex.1068 Wallace...already well proven)

Many growers also consider it a plus, if the fruits grown on the plants that made the cross, produced pumpkins that were considerably heavier than the estimated weights(ex. many of this year's Delatas' 2005 crosses...time will tell)

4/25/2006 3:54:18 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Very good question...It is a personal opinion which makes a good cross or a great cross. Some people prefer Orange crosses such as an 801.5 Stelts or and 846 Calai. Some prefer something big and orange crossed with something heavy and dense to increase its percentage heavy to the charts. Others go with what is popular now and make a remake. Hoping to get some of whatever it is that makes these things grow so big. On a side note you can plan all the crosses you want. It only works if the pumpkin plant's cooperate.

4/25/2006 3:55:18 PM

Rhode Island

there are no guarentees you will create a great seed stock no matter what you do.
sometimes you can catch lightning in a bottle with a little luck and for whatever reason the genetic strain in your cross just lined up perfectly.

example our 1068 and 500 wallace seeds. the 845 bobier and 898 kanaus to our knowledge were both derived from different yet very productive backgrounds.

when we crossed them it was with the intention of adding to the genetics ( picking up traits from both seeds in the next years offspring ) rather than reinforcing what was already there ( crossing with the same genetic background)

a lot of luck is also involved. consider how many 1068 crosses have been duplicated with limited results? i dont think there is any way to guarentee a particllar cross will give you championship results in its offspring however, giving thought to the results you are looking for is most important when planning your crosses.

pap

4/25/2006 10:52:13 PM

Simi valley, ca

I think someday if several of the great growers that grow sucessfully a seed like the 1068 would try growing 733 t ciliberto, (same cross) we would probly see similar results & maybe 50-50 chance that it would beet the 1068 . Now iv not been in this long time , but im not to sure same crosses have been growen by the better growers ,,maybe ocassionaly but not many , they all want to go with the one thats proven ,, its just that i havent herd of many experaments to prove this proven seed theory , I say theory yes ! If its been done i havent herd about the tests , eather way !!!

4/26/2006 12:09:00 AM

Pumpkintown, SC

self!

4/26/2006 8:56:51 AM

Wood River, IL (kennyw_49@yahoo.com)

Thanks for your opinions. here is a list of the seeds I'm growing. 1248 Ford, 1314 Beauchemin, 1150 Daletas, 682 Edwards, and 720 Noel.

4/26/2006 12:38:52 PM