Glib, I was trying to find more info. about melon-growing in my area and found some similar information in a historical treatise... Only they were talking about keeping melons away from cucumbers. They (the current writers, not the historical ones) said that while these don't cross, sometimes they can with the Serpent (Snake?) melon and are said to give a cucumbery flavor to the melons. Don't know how true all that is, but I thought it was interesting! The relevant info. is in the 2nd paragraph under the section Melons. Sunni Here is a link that might be useful: Historic melons and cucumbers

I'm interested! Are you looking in anything in particular? Check out my list, if I have something you're interested in, let me know! ~ Melody

The more I think about it the less I understand what castor bean is doing in that garden Maybe this: "In 1869 William Allen, one of Sanibel Island's first homesteaders built a castor bean plantation nearby ... " Apparently castor bean had a lot of uses back then. Today they are talking about it as bio-diesel. I agree that having it in a public garden where children might be attracted to the pink seed pods may not be a great idea.

The answer likely will depend on your seed source. It is frustrating that so many varieties have similar to identical names, making it very hard to tell what is what at times. If your seed is from Heirloom Seeds and is the one they sell as "Cornfield Pumpkin", then I agree with busy1 that it would be C. pepo. I think that if it is the same Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin that George (MacMex) grows and which Glenn Drowns sells at Sandhill Preservation Center, then it is C. moschata. So, there's two choices for you. I guess you could flip a coin to choose one if your original seed source is unknown.