From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Bowdon, GA

I have heard this one is hard to germinate. Has anyone had any experience with it. I also noticed Marty said his 209 Kent didn't germinate. I sure hope I can get mine up.

4/12/2010 10:45:12 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I had no problems with the Kent's this year. They just sprang from the ground. In fact the plants look some good, I am sure that this strain will dominate my garden this year.

4/13/2010 10:08:58 AM

Grimsley,TN

I have had trouble getting the 268 to germ as well. Some of the other Bright seeds have germinated well. A have a 209 Kent germinated and as well as the 259 and 243.5. So many factors who knows.

4/13/2010 11:01:01 AM

Garner, NC

All of my 225 Brights came up great, but none of the 214 Brights came up. I gonna give the 214's another try later this week.

4/13/2010 11:20:16 AM

Corryton, TN

Same here on the Brights 3 of 4 225's and 0 of 4 214's. Only tried 1 209 Kent. Cotts have holes and curled under but its making progress. Looks like a frog now but it could be a prince by Sept.

4/13/2010 11:59:22 AM

sevierville, Tn

If you need more let me know, i'll be starting mine this week, Your only a day or 2 away by mail.

4/13/2010 2:18:39 PM

Nekoosa, Wisconsin

Lloyd said the 268's have about a 25% germination rate.

4/13/2010 2:53:07 PM

The seeds from the 268.8 from 2005 had a low germination rate but that specific germination rate is not genetic. Seeds of that line have the highest germination rate when they are harvested young and that is generally true of Carolina Cross. An example is the cross between an offspring of the original 268.8 and an offspring of the original 157. The seed melon produced was harvested young and still has near 100% germination and comes up under a wide range of conditions. If you have any the 268 X 157 Bright cross in your freezer, it is worth planting. The good Michigan melons were crosses of seeds from that specific 157 plant.

Don't give up on the 214's. I did send replacement seeds to a customer who planted 10 dozen of the 214's but they will germinate in a narrow range of conditions. I planted 214's in Jiffy 7 pellets that had the excess water blotted on a stack of newspaper for three hours and germinated them at a constant 91 degrees. Too much moisture and low temperatures are the main problems in germinating Carolina Cross seeds. Use a moist planting medium, plant the seeds with the point down, and leave a small part of the seed exposed. Another tip is to plant at the edge of the peat pellet almost to the netting. Some gardeners use a weak gibberelic acid solution to improve germination but I have not used any yet. The 214's I planted germinated but at a lower percentage than the seeds of late season crosses between superior plants.

4/13/2010 3:57:44 PM

Bowdon, GA

Thanks guys I Have my hopes up.

4/13/2010 5:25:17 PM

Bowdon, GA

Mr. Bright, it is good to see you here, I know you probablly get alot of questions but I couldn't resist. Not to long ago we had a discussion regarding the old pics on your website of blue rind melons. What happened to those things. Are the 150 blue rinds you have any relation. Thanks

4/13/2010 5:50:24 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Found out the 209 was hollow so I started another one. Other then that about 6 out of 8 up. The other seed that did not germ was a 200.5,dang it.

4/13/2010 5:58:51 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Thank you Lloyd for all your info.

4/13/2010 6:01:11 PM

Bowdon, GA

That good to know Marty. Your 179 still taking off? Wouldn't be surprised to see large plant size out of that one.

4/13/2010 6:13:05 PM

Mr. Holloway, the big solid green Triumph seed line is extinct. The Blue Rind started as a Cobb Gem. In the late 1970's O.F. Lloyd planted Cobb Gem seeds from Willhite Seeds that produced one plant with with solid green rind fruit. He called it his blue rind melon. Our largest of that type weighed 156 pounds.

4/13/2010 6:21:09 PM

Bowdon, GA

Thanks I have been wanting to know the history on those for a while.

4/14/2010 10:49:21 PM