Question
I have been growing heirloom pumpkins in my home garden for 5 years.  I save the seed and use last year's to plant this year's.  We eat all the pumpkins.  Yesterday I was told this could be unsafe as my pumpkins could cross pollinate with a poisonous gourd and produce poisonous pumpkins.  Is this likely to happen?   Thanks for your help!

Answer
Dana, many gardeners save seed and propagate new plants from heirlooms. Never in all of my years of gardening have I heard of anyone being poisoned be a cross-pollinated gourd. Besides, your crops would have to be within 50 feet of other squash plants for cross-pollination to occur. Since this distance is most likely within the perimeter of your yard, it is highly unlikely since I doubt you would be planting anything poisonous.

Anything is possible, but the probability of this transpiring is miniscule.

Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike