Cocozelle zucchini - Cucurbita pepo

[Tucson Grower]

I acquired seed of this variety several years ago, but, despite sowing small batches of it, from time to time, none ever germinated, until now. I obtained one seedling by germination - woo hoo. I've planted it out. I am anxious to try it.

[triffid]

Good luck! If it is anything like the Romanesco it ought to be very tasty and quite early.

[Tucson Grower]

Update: my single plant of this variety, which has already survived quite a bit of adverse conditions, is coming along nicely in its own 15 gallon pot. Early this morning its first flower bloomed (of course it was a male flower), I plucked it off, dropped it into a small ziploc storage bag and into the fridge. Several female flower are another day or two away. If there are no new male flowers, then, I will use some of this saved pollen. These first two fruits I will save for fresh seed, and promptly sow a few more.

[Tucson Grower]

This morning the first female flower blossomed. I rubbed pollen from the anthers of the two male flower I had kept refrigerated, pushing the freshest anther down into the lobes of the stigma, lodging it there.

[chrysanthemum]

Interesting. I’ve never thought of refrigerating a male flower before to save pollen. I often hand pollinate my squash and in fact just did so the other day with my first [and only so far] female flower. Thankfully there was a male right next to it that I could use.

[Tucson Grower]

It appears that the hand pollination was likely successful. So, this morning there were two male flowers blooming and the next female is still a day or two out. I plucked these and dropped them into the refrigerator. Though other (many) male flowers are also coming along and they may not be needed; stuff happens.

[Tucson Grower]

Second female flower, blooming tonight, accompanied by 3 male flowers. I won't need to use the refrigerated pollen, this time.

[Tucson Grower]

Yep, 2nd female flower started to open soon after sundown, accompanied by two male flowers. Then, just before sunup this morning, a 3rd female flower opened, also accompanied by a male flower. I may not need the refrigerated pollen.

If these three fruits look to be developing well, I should probably not let this one plant, get too many more going, so as to ensure a good crop of seed from at least one of the already forming fruits, though I can still enjoy fruits while they're still small, and blossoms too. I already eat the petals from the male flowers in order to more easily access the pollen for fertilization.

[Tucson Grower]

I just fumbled one. I had a male and female flower, both coming along nicely, but as I carefully attempted to remove the petals from the female flower, I knocked the business end right off of the ovary (the unpollinated, unripe fruit), so I had a small snack. I only really wanted the three fruits, for now - developing seed, and depending on how they develop, I might take that down to two, or even just one. I'd really like to get some fresh seed and start a few more of this variety. Once I'm sure I have seed developing I plan to start quite a few more varieties of squash.

[Tucson Grower]

Tonight: There are three fruits forming, the first I will snack on, in the morning; it was pollinated with refrigerated pollen and looks to be only partially pollinated. The second two look best - I will try to keep them for a seed crop. Tonight there were 3 male flowers beginning to open, I plucked them for a tasty snack. 

Earlier the plant bifurcated, now growing in two different directions, but still only one plant. If a branch grows long enough I plan to attempt to root the tip into a second pot, see if I can get a clone growing from a branch tip.

[Tucson Grower]

Again, a cell phone pic --> (I ate all the other fruits)

[chrysanthemum]

Wow. Nice. Thanks for the picture.

[Tucson Grower]

A pic, the next day -->

[Tucson Grower]

The lighter, grey-green stripes on the distal (outside) end of the developing fruit, are beginning to turn yellowish. I hope that's an indicator that the seed inside are reaching maturity. I think I'll wait until most of that fruit begins turning yellowish, before I try harvesting the seeds. Since I removed the other fruit and forced the plant into growing just the single fruit, it's only produced male flowers. That's okay, but I hope it produces more fruit after I've removed this one.

[macmex]

Tucson, with squash, here's the rule for saving seed:

Don't pick the fruit until you cannot penetrate the skin with a fingernail. Seed is basically ripe at that point, regardless of skin color. Then, for optimum viability, leave the fruit to set for 20 days before scooping it out.