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Rochester, MN

Since we're only a few weeks away from seed germination time for watermelons...here is my lineup... 10 plants again...
2 - 45" Long Jerry Vaughn's 217 lber in 2008 (I have a picture! a different one than the web...ask if you want to see it.)
2 - 41" Long Bright
2 - 255 Mitchell 2007 - Grew 267lber in 2008!
2 - 231 Mitchell 2007 - Grew 12th largest watermelon in the GPC (mine! ;-)
1 - 225 White - MN record holder
1 - 223 Mitchell - want another crack at this one!
That's 10!
Good luck to all!
I'll be trying a few different soil additives this year as the pumpkin folks are using some new stuff...so we'll see if we can't fatten up these long ones! lol

David Bhaskaran
Rochester, MN

3/1/2009 10:32:38 PM

Rochester, MN

oops...forgot to mention that the 41" Bright grew my personal best at 195 lbs...from a 2.5" cm fruit!

Also feel free to post what you're growing.

3/1/2009 10:33:57 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Well as of now for the fair I have,

267 Edwards
251 Mudd
178.5 Mudd--Grew the 251 Mudd
160 Knight

For fall,

267 Edwards- This plant should kick ____ !
255 Mitchell-- It won Me the Iowa state Fair.
231 Mitchell-- It was my largest till 7 inches of rain late took it out.
223 Mitchell---Won me Anamosa Pumpkinfest.
I will start several plants and pick the best

3/2/2009 7:06:22 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

Wow! I have so not even considered what I am planting at this point. I will probably be cutting back this year, to six plants. I am thinking of planting side by side plants and seeing which ones set the nicest/longest fruit, and then pulling the other plant.

Thanks to Dave, I also have some of the Jerry Vaughn seed. I might even have some of the 225 White. I suppose I better get busy and figure this all out.

I have felled four large trees around my garden to open it up to the sun again, like in the earlier days.

Well, let the games begin.

3/2/2009 10:03:14 AM

Western NY

255 Mitchell
177 Crews (231 Mitchell x self)

I think those are the two i'm going to go with this year.

3/2/2009 10:46:58 AM

Lloydminster/AB

Andy my 177 was a 223 Mitchell x self. Sorry if there was some confusion. My 177 is top on my list. Looking hard at the 239 Leonard as well.

3/2/2009 12:45:10 PM

sevierville, Tn

Marty, cool you got a 267 Edwards ! Where did you find that ? Probally A state secret. Can you at least tell the cross ? I know the female was the 255 Mitchell, what was the male ?

Got to work on my lineup, too many seeds, not enough spots ;)

Dave, i'd like to see the picture, can you email it ?
thanks christopherkent@mindspring.com
Chris

3/2/2009 2:28:31 PM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

219 Edwards
john

3/2/2009 4:16:50 PM

Western NY

whoops, i knew i'd screw it up going from memory, lol.

I also like the 239 Leonard and 267 if I have problems with the intended ones.

3/2/2009 5:24:58 PM

Alabama

I just planted 8 seeds and have them in the greenhouse. I hope to have them transplanted in the garden 1st week of April, I hope to have a 200lbs plus melon to enter in the Hope Watermelon Festival 1st week of August.

I am growing a total of 15 plants this year:
4 213.2 (from Smoky mtn Pumpkin)
4 199 (2008 Alabama Record)
4 195 (from the Bright 246 of 2005)
2 160 (dark skin Carolina Cross)
1 140 (yellow meated Carolina Cross
Some things I am going to try different this year are:
I tilled in 1 ton of composted cotton gin trash on eight hills.
Will use inline .5GPH emitters as opposed to point 2GPH emitters on my micro irrigation system for a larger coverage area.
Best of luck in 09!
Cliff

3/2/2009 5:38:56 PM

Frankfort Ohio

138 kent 207 hunt selfed and the 213.2 kent 211 leonard selfed and 3 or 4 more if i can find some seeds

3/2/2009 6:03:45 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Chris, I got them from the Michigan growers auction. The 267 Edwards cross is 255 Mitchell x 262 Bright.Can't wait to grow it this year.

3/2/2009 6:57:26 PM

sevierville, Tn

Cliff , Whats the prize for winning in Hope ? Don't worry, its too early & too far for me to enter. My wife is from AR, so i was curious. Good luck this year.

3/2/2009 9:47:32 PM

sevierville, Tn

So far I'm looking at :
255 Mitchell
251 Mudd
178.5 Mudd
239 Leonard
197 Leonard
213.2 kent

problem is I don't have 6 spots. ( at least not yet).
All subject to change.

3/2/2009 9:55:02 PM

Rochester, MN

Chris,
Picture sent to you of the 45" in the field...amazing it is! Just can't wait to "fatten" it up with compost tea and rabbit manure tea ;-). 300lbs...here we come!

3/2/2009 11:16:12 PM

Long Island,New York

My daughter Carly will be growing one of them there Mudd-monsters this summer.....

3/3/2009 6:09:36 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Im growing some Mudd in my patch!!!

3/3/2009 7:18:01 AM

Alabama

Smoky mtn pumpkin, 1st place is $1000, after the weigh in they have an auction and you can sell any watermelon you bring. 160-180 fetch $300, 180-200 fetch $400 to $500, over 200 pounds can bring as much as $800. Last year 180lbs took 1st place.

3/3/2009 9:13:11 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I have several seeds that I got last year from Dave Bhaskaran and Marty Schnicker that will get planted this year. Plus I got a 255 Mitchel from Marty's raffle. I just hope they don't get drowned out like they did last year.

3/3/2009 9:16:44 AM

Youngstown, Ohio

So far I will be planting:
224.0 Westfall
267.0 Edwards
199.5 Crowley
207.6 Hunt
184.5 Crowley (This grew the Canfield fair record breaker 148.5 and my 199.5)
174.5 Crowley

3/5/2009 7:10:26 PM

formerly RGG

I am making room for 5 plants this season and have high hopes for better luck than last year. I will be growing:
225.0 White
166.5 White
180.0 Bhaskaran
175.0 Bhaskaran
213.2 Kent
Thanks again everyone for the wonderful seed you have helped me acquire.

3/9/2009 5:49:24 PM

Youngstown, Ohio

UPDATE (since I can't go back and update original post)
So far these are the seeds that I have now and will be planting, not sure how many of each:
267.0 Bill Edwards
255.0 Marv Mitchell
224.0 Westfall
207.6 Hunt
199.5 Harv Crowley
190.0 Marv Mitchell
184.5 Harv Crowley (This grew the Canfield fair record breaker 148.5 and my 199.5)
174.5 Harv Crowley

3/9/2009 5:58:42 PM

formerly RGG

OOOPS,I about forgot the seed from the largest melon I received seed from.Guess I'll be trying for 6 plants.The last one is:

251.0 Mudd

Thanks Frank

3/9/2009 5:58:56 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Let's see...I did start the starting process. I don't know what I will get out of it, but I do a lot of selection, so there's a lot of throw away. I started some of each in directly in soil, and in wet paper towel under heat. I throw lots of quantity at it, and see what happens.

The LineUp:
225 White
218 White
202 White
166.5 White (Really Nice seed)
217.5 Vaughn
190 Bhaskaran
180 Bhaskaran

And a few others that I threw in for good measure, and can't remember right now.

3/19/2009 2:24:24 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

We started these seeds
267 Edwards
255 Mitchell
235 Donkers
224 westfall

We're hoping the new location will help keep any diseases & viruses away from the plants this year.

Phil

4/9/2009 8:29:30 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

198 Brinkley
251 Mudd ... if the bubblie I sent today comes home!!!
I live in Kentucky, and will grow Kentucky !!! LOL Best of luck to all!!! Grow em BIG!!! Peace, Wayne

4/9/2009 7:01:20 PM

Ohio

Have 255 Mitchell and 178.5 Mudd in the ground now. More to come later

4/21/2009 6:11:49 PM