Watauga X Zephyr is my most prized squash project. To improve Zephyr, the modern-day half green and half yellow market phenomenon squash; uniformity, and texture variations, and increased consistency was a key focal point. Zephyr is an industry secret, an F1 hybrid that does not pass the same traits down in open pollination, at least not yet. Watauga is my cross pollination of several squash varieties with the pollen of strong Zephyr plants. Zephyr is fascinating, but not nearly as prolific, durable, and precocious or consistent in shape, and profile as could be, even as an F1 hybrid. It has vigor, but not uniformity. I am increasing variation with this braided hybrid, by reintroducing fresh Zephyr pollen into the gene pool. So open pollination is the method, but repeated back crossing increases the green and yellow pattern. You will find totally unique shapes, from the classic Zephyr shape, to a bottleneck, crookneck, zucchini, acid washed green patterns, even butternut and spaghetti squashes are possible, all with amazing flavor, and increased resilience. The common trait amongst all these shapes is the split half green and yellow pattern common in the Watauga X Zephyr gene pool. Watauga X Zephyr is flavorful, unusual, novel and unique! What a surprise this peculiar squash is to grow in your garden. The original Zephyr was created by crossing the 'crookneck' squash with a green 'acorn' squash resulting in a F1 hybrid. The only way to stabalize this variety beyond creating that type of cross with hybrid vigor is to make a separate pollen donor from other varieties, and backcross with careful selections.
