How to prevent squashamelons?

Question

For two years my wife has been trying to grow watermelons and yellow squash in our backyard. The first year she planted both of them in the same garden, and we ended up with a squash-shaped, watermelon-colored hybrid with insides that were yellow and light pink and tasted kinda bland like cucumber. So this year, my wife planted watermelon in one corner of our yard and yellow squash in the opposite corner, about 100 feet away. Lo and behold, our watermelon vine grew the bland-tasting hybrids again. I'm guessing that bees or other insects are responsible for this. Is it possible to grow watermelons and yellow squash in the same growing season?

Answer 1

To be honest, I don't think its from cross pollination if it is 100 feet away. I think the problem is the soil where the watermelons grow. They are probably not fully developing, and growing fairly small, and elongated.

They could also not be ripe yet and a watermelon vine with a watermelon developing before the flower shouldn't be able to create a hybrid in the immediate fruit since it takes the seeds to make a hybrid.

You should try loosening your soil, put some manure in it, and mulch over it and hopefully get some bigger watermelons.

Answer 2

Only if you hand pollinate the watermelon plants.I have okra shaped zucchini.I feel your pain.

Answer 3

Not sure what happened to your plants, but watermelons and squash can not cross pollinate because they are different species.  Watermelon can't even cross with cantaloupe.  Even plants that can cross, like yellow squash and zucchini, will show no effect this year.  The seeds that you save and plant for next year will show the effect of the hybridization. The taste of watermelon depends upon the concentration of sugars which is a result of photosynthesis in the leaves.  The vine must be healthy and unstressed for best flavor.  

Mo. University answers this same question here: http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/qa/h...