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JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

I am a member of the WGPG and at the nekoosa weigh off i got asked if we sell giant watermelon seeds and we do not. so now i have this guys info and i told him i could get some for him and i would mail them to him so if anybody has a few extras that would be great i do live in wisconsin and so does he. my Email is ggwindowworldmil@choiceonemail.com thank you. I will send out bubbles and postage.

10/4/2010 2:06:59 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

There will be lots of seeds offered. I would guess that for most people whose last name is not Kent, we are probably thinking that our seeds are not cutting edge enough.

But what the heck. I have seeds available from my 149.5 and 193. Good genetics with lots of Kent in there. Send me an email JamesAllenWhite (at) gmail.com

10/4/2010 3:00:11 PM

Garner, NC

I don't want to hijack this thread so I will start by saying I have plenty of seeds if you need any, just let me know.

Something I have been thinking about lately....
Do you believe we growers put to much into what seeds we grow. I know genetics has a lot to do with it, but thats only a small part of success. What I mean is how many people grew Kents seed line?? and how many people came close to what Chris and Janet achieved this year???
I believe genetics is a small part of the end product and location/growing conditions is next and lastly the most important is HOW GOOD OF A GROWER YOU ARE. I think Chris has found away to bring the melon gentetics to it's full potenial,with that said, my hat is off to him.

If I gave my 10 year a seed from Chris's 291 and gave Chris a seed from a 100lb melon with no super genes, who do you think is going to grow the biggest melon?

It would be fun to run a contest with some growers here to all plant 1 plant( all seed from the same melon) and at the end of the season see the different weights and sizes that were grown.

I know some people might think I'm crazy, and don't get me wrong,I want to grow of few of the Kent seed line, I think it would be fun to see what I can grow off them, but with my growing knowledge, not sure I will do any better with them vs. 100lb plain jane seeds.

10/5/2010 12:58:41 PM

Trinity River Bottom

todd i think that would be an interesting experiment. im in i have plenty room for an extra plant

10/5/2010 1:12:36 PM

Lexington, Ky

Good points to ponder Ice. I've always given credit to genetics when I have a good year, blame myself for the bad years...lol...go figure.

The contest would be interesting but you'd hear alot of bitching about weather, locale, etc....

10/5/2010 2:22:03 PM

Trinity River Bottom

it would have to be more of an experiment than contest.

10/5/2010 2:35:06 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Guarantee, plain Jane seed in Chris's hand, will do better than 291 in mine!!! Decication, Knowledge, and Hard Work has made Mr.&(now, after weighoff at Allardt)Mrs. Kent the true World Record Growers!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...Chris K., send addy, and I will send 1/2 Ton pkn patch!!! Congrats!!!

10/6/2010 12:42:47 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

thanks emails sent.

10/6/2010 3:58:34 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

And people like me that managed to take a pedigreed seed and make a micromelon out of it. Good genes are only part of it.

10/6/2010 6:55:29 PM

Mississippi

I have to change up some next year. I have grew 60ish pounders three years in a row. First MMM, Bright, and Dave B. seed, then Holloway, then Kent. 60 pounders every time. Will be watching Letterman tonight.

10/6/2010 9:53:14 PM

sevierville, Tn

I got bumped to thursday night. Watch then.
I'm still here in NY.

10/6/2010 10:04:57 PM

Alaska

Without good genetics you are truly wasting your time. On the other side of the coin all growers aren't equal in their growing ability. The good news, both can be improved upon. IMHO

10/7/2010 1:58:23 PM

El Paso TX.

Ice Man - that sounds like an interesting thing to try - I've got some room for a plant if you do decide to give it a go - maybe even try 2 plants - 1 from a larger melon and 1 from something smaller so you could see what a smaller seed could do in the hands of experienced growers if planted in larger numbers as well ( to see if the larger melon seeds are just having better results from the numbers of people growing them vs. a non proven seed line )

10/7/2010 2:07:54 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

The techniques are important for growing. So is the growing year. Keep those two as constants, and it's the genetics that make the difference.

Even ignoring the "Kent factor", I am seeing tremendous melons being entered in competitions. Up here in the north, if you are not entering a 220 pound melon you are not even in the running.

Anything 150ish is just an eater. This means that we have bumped the general weights by 80 to 100 pounds over the last 6 years all by genetic advancements.

As I said. This is exciting.

10/11/2010 10:00:00 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

What I meant by bumping the genetics, is that you have to consider the weight distribution as a bell curve. The center of the curve has moved over 80 to 100 pounds (in my opinion).

I seriously believe that if keep encouraging growers and sharing genetics we will see a 300 pounder within two years, and probably see a 400 pounder within 8 years.

10/11/2010 10:02:06 AM

Garner, NC

"This means that we have bumped the general weights by 80 to 100 pounds over the last 6 years all by genetic advancements." MMM

So what your saying is that you use the same growing techniques this year you did a few years ago? With all the new products on the market, better soil test, experiments for fertilzers, irrigation/fertigation techniques that we have today you think it was all possible from gentics alone? I have to disagree with you on "all by genetic advacements. I will agree that gentics has come a long way, by growers improving there game plan, and your right it is very exicitng.

10/11/2010 12:39:17 PM

sevierville, Tn

Any good seed with the right growing techniques will get over 200 lbs.
At day 50, 6 of mine were within 6 lbs of each other.
They were from 184 - 190 lbs. After that the lack of problems & genetics made the difference.

10/11/2010 1:12:11 PM

sevierville, Tn

The weights are way up this year. I think the weather helped alot for northern growers.
Anyone know what Neptune's 252 was grown from ?

10/11/2010 1:20:49 PM

Bowdon, GA

What ever is happening it is working. I remember when I first got on here 3 years ago a 160 pounder would get people's attention.

10/15/2010 11:01:38 PM

Sparta, NC

Neptunes 252 was grown on the 267 Edwards if I remember correctly.

10/16/2010 7:57:23 AM

Rome Ga

I think you have a good idea on letting several people have the same seed and see how they grow them off. When do we get started

12/12/2010 8:15:46 PM