I've been reading Breeding Your Own Vegetable Varieties by Carol Deppe this winter. I grow all summer squash vertically on a cattle panel trellis for the sake of saving room, because I have a relatively small area for a garden. Unfortunately there are not a lot of varieties of vining summer squash. I have grown Tromboncino as a vining summer squash (C. Moschata) before, but we didn't love the flavor. This year we're growing lemon squash, table dainty, and tatume (all vining).

I'm thinking of trying to breed some new varieties of vining summer squash. Maybe cross bush zucchini with one of the vining summer squash varieties we like. I'm also considering trying to cross a zucchini (C. pepo) with Tromboncino squash (C. Moschata). I have done some digging and have found that C. Pepo and C. Moschata can cross if forced (though typically doesn't happen in nature). Breeding in the insect resistance of the Tromboninco seems intriguing.

(http://www3.ag.purdue.edu/counties/allen/Documents/Hort ACH31 Cross Pollination in Cucurbits.pdf).

I'm still digging into the literature, but figured now was a good time to look and if others that have done similar things.

Meanwhile check out all these vining summer squash varieties. Vining types are often referred to as "marrows".

Dave

Dave