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Rochester, Minnesota

For those that have requested seeds from me lately, they went in the mail this morning.

Anyone else that wants some seeds, can send me a email to james (at) rconnect.com and I will send you my tips and techniques sheet which includes instructions on how to request seeds.

1/21/2009 12:12:54 PM

formerly RGG

Hi James,

I read on a online gardening site that indoor watermelon seed should not be germinated any more than 3 weeks before you transplant them into your garden.I am wondering if you agree with this or if you sometimes keep yours in a pot for a longer period of time and if so what do you estimate to be the time limit before the plants begin stunting ?

1/26/2009 4:43:12 PM

Rochester, MN

I'll add my thoughts ;-) I think it depends on where you are living...in MN, we need to start 2 months before we set ours out to insure that we can catch up and pollinate bigger watermelons..we need 3 ft vines by mid May and get a plant big enough by mid-june, that we can pollinate some 3.0cm watermelons to get a big one ;-). I'm guessing in TN, you can plant them out earlier and thus might be able to have less time inside...which is better. Hope this is what you were after. I pollinated too many 1.3cm watermelons and it was a nightmare...size does matter on watermelons on pollination!

1/26/2009 10:51:34 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Let's be clear. If you are starting yours in a dixie cup, then yes. It would be a problem. I start mine in a 9" diameter piece of drain tile that stands 12" high. The plant is not root bound when it goes in the garden.

Furthermore, I have cut up the sides of the drain tile on both sides, drilled holes, and then zip tie them back together. I do this so that I can slide the plant into the garden, snip the plastic ties, open the pot, and close dirt around the plant. It generally doesn't even know it was transplanted.

I 100% agree with Dave about the need in northern gardens to get a jump on the growing season.

1/27/2009 11:47:01 AM

sevierville, Tn

I don't supose you have any past pictures of your plants & their pots?

1/27/2009 2:14:36 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Yes. I do, but I never could figure out the online diary. I will see what I can find.

1/27/2009 3:46:44 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Well, I uploaded and commented on two pictures. One shows the pots disassembled, the other assembled. They guy holding the tray with the deer in the headlights look on his face was just some passing stranger. I don't really look like that...anymore.

1/27/2009 4:08:05 PM

sevierville, Tn

LOL, Thanks, now i understand better. What do you use as a bottom ?

1/27/2009 9:29:23 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

A standard growing tray; what is that...9x18. I double or triple it up since it has to hold so much weight. Actually I use old trays that leak as my back up trays. I have done this for years, and it work great.

Just don't give them out to others with extra plants, since you don't always get them back.

1/28/2009 9:32:30 AM

sevierville, Tn

do the roots come out the bottom of your pots ? You have said that melon roots don't go very deep, so i wondered if they go right to the bottom of your pots. Like a house plant, do they get root bound? Thanks

1/28/2009 2:31:02 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I have never seen the roots come out the bottom of the pot. It's a pretty big area for the roots to play in. The roots do hit the sides of the pot, and then turn, but I don't consider that a big problem. Remember that I am forced to start in doors to do this unnatural thing of raising a giant watermelon in Minnesota. So this works pretty darn good.

1/29/2009 1:37:45 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

There was an implied question there. There is no bottom on my growing container other than the black plastic tray. So gravity holds it all together. This allows me to slide a hand under the pot and slip it into the hole prepared in the garden.

1/29/2009 1:40:14 PM