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Rochester, Minnesota

It's been a strange year for me. Yes, the weather hasn't been wonderful here in Minnesota with lots of really pleasant weather. Darn that pleasant weather. I tell people that if you aren't running your air conditioner, then I am not growing the largest melons I could be growing.

Oh well.

I have taken care of my melons well, keeping the patch weed free and fertilizing with both manure tea, and water soluble fertilizers. What I haven't done is spent any time at all measuring them, or fawning over them in any way.

I have hardly had any time at all to even peak under the tents to see how they are growing, but I did spend some time on Sunday looking at them. I have some really nice looking melons. I don't know how they measure up, but most have good length, and girth, and best of all the plants look really good. So maybe I can have a pretty good finish for the summer.

What has been on my list?
- Youngest son graduated from high school in June
- Built a new 24x28 garage (man cave)
- Oldest daughter married last Saturday.

Hope everyone is doing great this year, and sets new personal bests.

8/17/2009 11:05:50 AM

sevierville, Tn

Glad to hear your haveing a good year. Hope you get that personal best. Your "list" are the really important stuff, sometimes we need to remember that !

8/17/2009 1:26:17 PM

formerly RGG

James,

Growing melons can be a bit of an obsession sometimes (talking about myself mostly). Sounds like you have your proirities in order though.You certainly have a lot of new things to be proud of in your life.Things are looking up in your melon patch from what they were and I am very glad to hear that.I think a lot of growers in the south are setting personal bests this year. I know Chris and Cliff are and I am way past my very old personal best of 102 pounds.I'd love to hear you have a strong finish and get a new personal best for yourself. Hopefully I will be able once again to get some shared seed from other giant growers as I have messed up again and have seed that may have been pollenated by another variety. Here's to a strong finish for everyone.

Dennis

8/17/2009 5:50:23 PM

Bowdon, GA

It has been crazy we have had constant rain in may and april none in june, and constant rain in July and august. I ussually complain about drought so my wife is scolding me now for complaining about rain. I have had terrible problems with diesease and vine rot, Accually had to dig vines out of the mud and wash them off a few times. My 255 Mitchell was 125 lbs at day 30, but plant diesease slowed it's progress. It kind of discouraged me to see one doing so well slow down so I through my hands up and let it go. I kept thinking it would die soon but it keeps pluging along despite the plant looking awful. I don't think it will last long enough to get in the 200+ range but maybe if it will hold on a little longer I might get a PB. I'm just going keep it sprayed with fungicid, and see what god gives me.

8/17/2009 6:36:59 PM

sevierville, Tn

Jake, wow 125 at 30 days was great. That was better then all of mine at that age. Hate to hear that it didn't continue.

8/17/2009 9:43:34 PM

Alabama

It has been the worst year here in North Al. We had 20 inches of rain in may alone, it was not normal rain it was allways thunderstorms that would roll my vines even though I had secured them. I lost 6 of 9 vines around the end of May due to wet soil and wind.

We have had one day over 95 degrees (remember this is Alabama) and have broken records for the coldest temps ever recorded in July.

I have to think positive though, I still hold the Alabama record for one more year, and my wife and father are going to team up and grow a monster in 2010, while I am in Iraq, to keep the record in the family name.

Cliff

8/17/2009 9:47:49 PM

Bowdon, GA

Wind has been a problem until they got established good. I have some that got blown around early on and they don't have leaves for about 4 or 5' out from the trunk.

8/17/2009 10:29:20 PM

Rochester, MN

Hi James!
I heard you stopped by the patch, whilst I was up at the Mega-mall with my nephews from Michigan. Glad things are going well for you...I also haven't been doing well watching over my watermelon and measuring has been very limited...just twice this year...both times revealed that I'm not doing well...I had 2 around 100 lbs on Aug 9th.
I'll measure again on Aug 23rd, I think.
Take care.
Dave.

8/17/2009 11:53:03 PM