I've heard of the moschatas and maximas crossing, but my understanding is that the VAST (capitals for emphasis) majority of such crosses are sterile. Anyone out there with actual experience in crossing them, want to chime in? I'm planning to try two c. maximas this year. But in my experience, in the US, which has been limited to the Eastern half of the United States, I have rarely managed to nurse a maxima through to fruition. Back in 1984 I grew a melon squash by Thompson & Morgan. I also grew Ponca butternut. Both did well. The melon squash was incredible in vigor and production. Borers that year (in Northern Indiana) were so bad that the Melon squashes were attacked, severed at the ground (not the butternuts). Yet the vines never slowed. They only rooted along the leaf nodes and kept going. My only complaint with the Melon Squash was that they didn't have as fine a texture as the butternut. In 1984 I was given a squash, a local heirloom, by a customer at the supermarket where I was working. He didn't have a name for it. But I dubbed it the Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin. I received it in Warsaw, IN. It was buff colored, like a butternut, and about half the fruit were pumpkin shaped. The other half were like large fat butternut squash. It's flesh is completely fiberless and sweet, being dark orange in color. This is one of the only vegetables I was able to grow out and maintain everywhere I've traveled, which included two very distinct micro climates in Mexico. A good butternut (or my beloved Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin) is hard to beat. My guess is that the Musqee de Provence is a great one too. As long as I live in squash vine borer territory I will always have a c. moschata as my main crop squash. George Tahlequah, OK

Thanks for the input. This year I started them earlier and honeydew & cantaloupe have formed. I will limit it to 2-3 per plant. I had a difficult time identifying the tendril drying so I hope this year is easier. As for cucumbers, the one in the middle of this pic is super skinny in the middle. Does that mean it's lacking potassium? I noticed the leaves but thought it was nitrogen deficiency. Lots to learn... Fruit are dumb-bell shaped - This is caused by an acute deficiency of potassium in the fruit. Before the fruit is affected leaves will show potassium deficiency symptoms as chlorosis on the edges and then necrosis. Make sure that adequate potassium is available to the plant. http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/opp4556

Fantastic. I got some melons and seeds out of some melons from some oriental people. They do not speak English so it is very difficult to talk to them. Very nice people. Now I know which one is the winter melon. However, there was another melon type with white interior that have seeds like the bitter melon. like arrows. I understand these may not germinate so easy. Anyway these melons are longer and green. As they get old in storage they tend to dry out almost. I did not want to grow this one next year. waste of time. or else I should eat these when young. The inside is a little more stringy than the better one. I like the one with the cucumber type seeds which must be the winter melons. and the other ones I dont like as well because the skin is very tough. very difficult to get the skin off. the one with the cuc seeds the skin comes off super easy if you simply cook it with the skin on it comes right off when cooked. so incredibly simple. just grab a corner and the entire skin comes off in one easy pull. The most amazing thing I have ever seen. The winter melon with the cuc seeds is very good to eat in soup. everyone should try it. It is really nice. I kept some seeds out of that one and hope they grow true to form. Thank you Dennis Peace Garden Dawgie

Bush zucchini or melon plants are compact and have nice, tropical looking leaves held high on stalks, so are nice for a front garden. The flowers are a nice addition. Ditto compact cukes, except the flowers are too small to be of interest. The prettiest leaves, in my opinion, are watermelon. You can also find compact varieties of those, though they still tend to sprawl somewhat. They are pretty growing on a trellis or fence, though, and if you pick a small-fruited variety, you can put the fruits in cute little slings hung from the support! For tomatoes, pick a determinate variety, especially one meant for pots. You can still grow them in the ground, and they need little or no support. Some of the new varieties are pretty good. I used to grow "Patio", which was a very compact 18" bush loaded with small but good-tasting tomatoes. Don't know if it is still available. As for peppers and eggplant-- can't go wrong with them. They are just plain pretty no matter where they are planted, or which variety you use. Dayle Ann