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Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Well not many of you melon growers saying much. How are things going so far? My fall plants are spaced out some with one about 4 x4 area and another with a main down only.
Mt fair plants are 251 Mudd with out any females showing up at all to pollinate. The 267 Edwards has 2 set on now and I will cull the other one off soon for the one on the main vine. The main vine melon is not very long but is growing well over 22 inches cir. Not too bad for cold weather just need some heat. Good luck everyone we need to break the 300 pound barrier.

6/5/2009 10:00:23 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Ok I was wrong for awhile on my plants. I was pulling weeds and came across the tags and the one with the melons is the 251 Mudd not the 267 Edwards.Man I hate that now I have to fix my paper work.

6/6/2009 3:19:40 PM

Rochester, MN

Marty, you are well ahead of me! I have some long main vines...6-8 ft and some good secondaries...but I'm waiting for some nice sized melons, plus more plant support...My 223 Mitchell and 41.5" (grew my 195lber) are top 2 plants.
My 217 Vaughns 07 (45"!) are interesting...some of the watermelon are very long...but not as thick...hoping with bigger plants that will come also...then watch out ;-).

We probably didn't hit 50 degrees today...I had 34 degrees twice this week in the patch...so only the plants with heating are doing well.

Anyways, that's a quick update from the watermelon patch.
Good luck to all!

6/6/2009 8:37:33 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

It's cold. Really cold. We need to find the sun and get some warmth. Other than that, it just a matter of watching our plants not grow.

Oh well. At least the broccoli and cabbage look great.

6/7/2009 4:12:09 PM

formerly RGG

Well my plants are late this year since I completely murdered the first round.Late doesn't seem to be a bad thing though and my new plants are starting to take off. No melons yet but it shouldn't take long.

6/7/2009 5:22:01 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Dave sounds like you have some great possibilities, The only reason I have early ones is for the fair for August 18th.James it should get better I hope for some heat.I still just planted one of my 143.5 melons outside. I see they are calling for low 70s highs and low 50s for lows again for the next week. The good news is I found 2 females on the 267 plant while I was cutting vines off. They are on the side vines but I will take it. They should open in the next 2-3 days

6/7/2009 7:54:50 PM

sevierville, Tn

So far so good. The warm weather is really helping (80's day, 60 night). all plants growing about 5 inches a day.
The 255 Mitchel is a hoss of a plant. Thick vines, some started as doubles like the pumpkins do, but all all normal now. All the vines are big while with the 267 Edwards & the 213 kent the main are more dominate.
No fruit yet , but lots of males.

6/9/2009 1:31:40 PM

Alaska

4 plants with the longest main only 4 feet long. All males showing right now but that's okay. I need some more vine before I pollinate my first female. It's been 90 plus in the greenhouse for the most part and on cloudy days it gets up to around 80. Not bad for Alaska. Marty, you say you are pruning back? Can you send some of that vine my way? What's the reason you're cutting back? Good luck all! Later Scott.

6/9/2009 1:45:12 PM

Williamsburg,KY

I dont think I will have any luck this year with melons. First I had a time germinating them. So I tried some others, they germinated and I planted them in the patch and well, its just sitting there. Nothing, it looks so pitiful, two little leaves and that is it. Even the crimson sweet I planted looks bad. Just sitting there. So I wont be winning any prizes this year. My pumpkins look great tho. Sounds like everyone else is doing good.

6/9/2009 2:55:32 PM

formerly RGG

Marty, I just checked out your grower diary pictures and they look tremendous.It looks like you really got a great early start this year. I hope you win something nice or maybe break a record.

6/10/2009 6:17:36 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Marty, you don't have to worry about us competing with you at the state fair. Our plants are still very small. We are hoping to get something decent for Anamosa Pumpkinfest. We are growing 3 of Dave Bhaskaran's seeds and one of yours. Our valley is just too cold to get an early start for the fair.

6/10/2009 11:37:00 PM

Rochester, MN

Marty,
I keep forgetting to ask...do you keep track of the size at pollination? I have found that it is better to wait for > 3cm sized melons. Thoughts?

6/15/2009 11:55:04 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Dave this year I have and not much happens till a week or so then they pick up. The first 5 days they double but still are small about 3-4 inches long. I hope the fall melons grow faster early with the warmer nights a head.

Scott I prune them back inside of the hoop house or it gets really messy. The plant gets much larger vines with the pruning and easier to take care of the plant. Both plants are 20 ft long by 8 ft wide now and will be terminated this week. (no more room) PS both melons on the 251 plant are growing 3-4 pounds a day.

6/16/2009 7:35:07 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

Scott (Spudley) Send me an email when you get a chance. JamesAllenWhite at gmail.com

6/18/2009 3:41:07 PM

formerly RGG

It's been like a rainforest around here for the past week or so. Highs around 90 and then a violent thunderstorm or two or three later on in the day. There is a wheelbarrow in my back yard that was empty a few days ago. Well it is overflowing with water now - no kidding.We must have had close to a foot of rain here in north Knoxville during the past several days. Much of the mulch I put around my blueberries and gooseberries has washed away. Growing my watermelons on plastic is no good in this type of weather. The vines get blown around by the storms and it is difficult to get them back in place.It's much better to be walking on black plastic than on mud though.My plants are just starting to produce female blooms.I haven't seen any I want to set though.I think there is still plenty of time.

6/18/2009 9:38:48 PM

sevierville, Tn

Tennessee Dreamer, yea this may be the 1st year i don't water LOL ! Can't you pin the vines down thru the plastic ?

6/19/2009 2:33:55 PM

formerly RGG

Hey Smoky Mtn - what an excellent idea! So simple but I probably would not of thought of it. I will purchase wire tomorrow and get started. Thanks for the tip.

6/19/2009 10:15:19 PM

Falls City, NE

tennessee just use old coat hangers

6/19/2009 11:16:38 PM