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South East

Was just wondering if any of you growers that get tempatures over 90+ cover(shade) your growing tips(aka Fingers).

5/29/2011 2:00:03 PM

formerly RGG

I have never felt the need. I did have a few black tips the other day and I noticed from Chris' diary that he had a few last year. These were fert burns and had little to do with air temps. So what would be the motivation to shade growing tips? What good do you expect that to do you?

5/29/2011 10:21:27 PM

formerly RGG

Hey Tina & Frank, I enjoy your diary but don't remember seeing any melon vines so far this year. So how is it going & what is your lineup?

5/29/2011 10:35:04 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

I shade the growing tips of my AG's from start to finish for two reasons: I've had temperature extremes burn the tips of of my main vines and had birds nip off the growing tips as well. Nothing worse than either.

5/29/2011 11:10:41 PM

South East

Stuff burns so easy here. Leaves burn here on pkns in one day if not shaded. Last year on the melons, some flowers just burned right off. We had such a hard time pollinating last year. I remember one day last season tip on one of our plants burnt(turned yellow). So I(we) shaded as it grew, the tip(main). Gonna see this season if we can do without the shadeing of the plant. Was just wondering if anyone that grows melons and gets 90+ temps had to shade plant any. Now Im not talking about just lower 90's we get on avg 96+ during the summer. Alot of the days it is close to 100 degrees. So it gets a bit hot here..lol..:)

5/29/2011 11:16:51 PM

South East

Thanks, we love doing the diary...Pic of the plants are up in diary. We are planting two 178 Mudds. Plants are starting to vine out so more pics to come......:)

5/29/2011 11:20:02 PM

Bowdon, GA

I have had the tips burn on mine. I think it was the temps. Air temps were around 100 when they burned. A black mulch or very dark soil can get a 120 degrees on the surface. I don't think it would hurt to shade the tips, especially since the plants are small and tender now.

5/30/2011 11:47:22 AM

Bowdon, GA

It hit 95 already here yesterday, maybe a tough June to set fruit in.

5/30/2011 11:48:22 AM

formerly RGG

The fertilizer burn I am talking about turns the very tip ends of growthy black. I have seen it just a few times. I am pretty sure this isn't heat caused for I have seen 100 degree plus days when nothing like that happened.

5/30/2011 2:07:19 PM

sevierville, Tn

The shade will help. The heat from below is what seems to cook them. If your on black fabric or plastic, that makes the heat that much worse. They are much more tolerant of the heat then say pumpkins, but not immune. Not enough water will also make them burn more.

5/30/2011 2:27:19 PM

formerly RGG

Thanks Chris, I have been putting down straw for them to run on and that seems to keep the heat down for me. And I have been watering 3 times a day and I believe that is helping also. Do you shade your watermelon plants Chris? With all the big trees I have, some of my plants don't get direct sunshine until afternoon anyway; so I like them to receive it full strength as much as possible.

5/30/2011 4:50:40 PM

formerly RGG

Nice looking plants Cooks.

5/30/2011 4:51:36 PM

South East

Thanks for all the info guys. We are gonna shade one and not shade the other to see what happens. If the unshaded one starts to burn then we will shade both. This Wednesday temps will be at 97 degrees...:)

5/30/2011 8:02:02 PM

South East

TD back at ya...Nice plants too..:)

5/30/2011 8:43:21 PM

formerly RGG

Thanks,they are getting there Cooks. The heat and foliar feeding with kelp has really turned around some previously poor plants in the last few days.

5/30/2011 9:20:10 PM

Watervalley Ms

TD do you use neptune harvest fertilizer? I have and when i did i would get black tips and the things that try to tie to something would be black near tip also if it was to strong. Thanks Jerry

5/30/2011 11:53:05 PM

formerly RGG

I started out with the MEGAGROW version of liquid kelp and am now using North American Kelp's soluble powder which is a lot more economical and a very good product. Jerry, I did have some of those black tips but it caused only minor damage and the new growth has been awesome.Foliar feeding liquid kelp rocks baby.

5/31/2011 7:49:52 AM

Bowdon, GA

Mr. Vaughn was it the fish/seedweed or the one with just seedweed that did it?

6/1/2011 12:14:34 AM

Watervalley Ms

Both will if strong when aplied, as the info says it will go to the growing tips or areas. The seaweed will do it first and it will make your plants do crazy things.

6/1/2011 7:57:40 AM

Watervalley Ms

To me the seaweed is to strong.

6/1/2011 8:02:31 AM

formerly RGG

Chris Kent had blackened tips on his 113 last year. Check out his June 21 dairy entry. This was happening to the vine just as he had set his 264. So I just don't see the blackened tips as an indication of any future problems. And if kelp makes your plants do crazy things you don't like then just cut back a little on the amount you are feeding. I will accept blackened tips any day if the result is something like Chris' 264.I use more of the kelp every day. I don't know how much the plants can take but I may be the one to find out.

6/1/2011 8:27:33 AM

sevierville, Tn

Black tips were NOT good. That plant may have been destin for a 300 lb melon. I only had 1 chance. Lucky i had a set when it happened. It was the 1st set on the main. Those 1st melons are often small. I never got a chance at a longer set. i'm growing the 113 again, hopefully i will get a better set ;)

6/1/2011 2:26:04 PM

Bowdon, GA

I've never used the NH seaweed, but have used the fish/seaweed alot. I had some burn last year. Heat or fert or combination? Hard to tell. I noticed in Tom's fert program at extreme pumpkins he has NH fish, but uses soluble kelp. Wonder how much difference there is in the two products (NH seaweed and soluble Kelp). Either way think I shade tips just in case.

6/1/2011 6:23:37 PM

formerly RGG

Chris, are you saying the plant was so damaged that you could not set a melon after the blackened tips? My black tips were around for only a day or so and the plants involved quickly grew out of this and back into rapid growth. So I guess I am lucky to see no obvious lasting damage.

6/1/2011 7:18:46 PM

sevierville, Tn

Dennis. Correct.

6/2/2011 3:10:44 PM

formerly RGG

Thanks Chris.

6/2/2011 5:19:16 PM

Southeast Texas

hey cris i ask for a few of them 113's and 109s when i sent you a bubble.but my note and 100 dollar bill was still there when i got it back.i figured no more seeds are you have plenty money. folks need to check paul f's bubbles out good. 6th time i got my

money back

6/2/2011 8:49:01 PM

Linden, Mi.,

paul f, send me a bubble, (and fill it full of money) I'll find it. "damnit" !

6/2/2011 10:09:05 PM

South East

seaweed doesnt burn

6/2/2011 10:54:06 PM

Southeast Texas

lol...tallcorn grow somthing good you mite see some cash

6/3/2011 1:19:48 AM

formerly RGG

Thanks Tina & Frank. So how can a person tell if they are using too much kelp?

6/3/2011 7:02:14 AM

South East

Dennis, ones or twice a week should be enough. Its hard to overdo since npk values are low but moderation in fertilizing is always a good thing. If the soil is right, less can be often time more. Just our two cents.

6/3/2011 7:37:26 AM

formerly RGG

Cooks, thanks so much for the good advice. I remember Chris saying that he hardly fertilized at all last year until late in the the season.The only thing I am now using with much NPK value is a tablespoon full of blossom booster to about 30 gallons of water and full strength as a foliar spray. I spray a lot. And I have been adding H2O2 to my spray about twice a week along with daily doses of neem oil. Plants are now coming around nicely.You guys seem to grow a little bit of everything. And you win a lot too! I'm sure that is a lot of fun and maybe I'll have to consider branching out in what I grow for competition. I think I need to grow a nice watermelon first though. :-)

6/3/2011 10:58:40 AM

sevierville, Tn

Paul, I thought i sent what you asked for. If there was a 100 in the envelope, sorry i missed it. Send it back, i'll give you whatever you want for 100.00 ! I have spent all of last years prize money ! LOL

6/3/2011 2:52:48 PM

Linden, Mi.,

paul f, I'll be trying, but, old age, diabetes and cancer is slowing me down a bit. I have growen many things good and hope to again. Paul, what ever I have, you can have - no money needed here!

6/3/2011 8:07:22 PM