Dry garden zucchini

[Lauren]

I have one area of my yard that is designed as a dry garden. A few years ago I planted zucchini there. One zucchini fruited and actually thrived. I got seeds from it at the end of the summer, but I think because of the lack of water few of the seeds are viable.

This year I have two seedlings from that "dry" zucchini. To continue the dry aspect, should I plant them normally this year and revert to dry next year, or put them in a dry area again for the 2nd generation? Recognizing that zucchini are not generally a dry crop, I was wondering if it might be a good idea to give them one generation to recover before I begin torturing them in earnest.

Details: The parent zucchini grew and thrived. It fruited in spurts, 6 to 8 fruit at a time about two to four weeks apart, and they matured very small and very quickly. The seedlings have smaller seed leaves than the other zucchini and the seed leaves on one of them are sharply curled inward.

[Adrian]

You have maybe activated an epygenetics for a resistance at dry. I think that if you sow our seed you could be have a plant more adapted at the dry.

[spacecase0]

I have been saving seeds from plants for a long time,
first thing that I think with your question is that ever notice french seeds VS native american seeds ?
anything out of france is going to fail where I live, they are super fragile plants.
most native american seeds do well where I live,
not that surprising given I live in a harsh place in the USA
but it also gets me looking a bit closer.
people in france are usually very good farmers.
native americans let plants live or die, not good farmers, but likely better plant breeders.
if you coddle your plants, and save the seeds, you plants need that environment you gave them.
so,
looking at this, I ask, what are you really looking for ?

[Lauren]

Spacecase, I live in a desert so I'm working on drought tolerance in all my varieties. This type of zucchini has been growing in our garden since I was a kid, so it is already locally adapted.

It's not just a matter of French vs Native American. It's adaptation. Plants grown in other areas aren't adapted to my soil, water, air, whatever. Plants generationally started in a greenhouse with the perfect water, the perfect soil, all the fancy fertilizers and lighting will gasp and die if put outside in my yard. Literally, many of them are dead within days. Plants consistently grown in clay soil have a hard time because my soil is mostly sand. Plants consistently grown in acid soil, likewise. If I can get one to survive, they have a better chance. When someone gives me seeds I ask them how the seeds were grown, because that gives me a better idea of how or where they can survive in my yard for those critical first few generations.

I carefully planted two of the four seeds that appeared viable, and they went out in the dry area last week. They're struggling. The same day I just threw a handful of the same seeds in the ground and covered them over--three were up as of yesterday, green and healthy. Quite entertaining, in an odd way.

[Lauren]

You have maybe activated an epygenetics for a resistance at dry. I think that if you sow our seed you could be have a plant more adapted at the dry.

That's the hope.

[Adrian]

 Before her germination the seed could  analyzed his environement and conditions (t° ground humidity) and  germinate when the conditions are good for her survival.
For exemple i have sow a seed in a planter the ground is be dry but she has germinate she has make a root more long than a seed sow in a ground humid.

[Lauren]

Normally I sow in the ground, but when I have only a few seeds (something I was given, for example) I really want to make sure they get the best chance--which may actually reduce their chances, depending on the seed.

[Adrian]

The big problem for the squash is the rootening system sensitive. She don't like to be transplant