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Garner, NC

When setting a melon or lope, is it better to have them near the stump or further from the stump.

6/13/2011 1:23:42 PM

formerly RGG

I remember Chris' 291 was pretty far from the stump. I think vine size and plant health is probably more important than how many feet out from the stump a melon sets.

6/13/2011 1:53:56 PM

Garner, NC

TD, agree 100 percent of size and health, but say a 350sqft plant has 2 melons set, 1 being 3ft from stump and 1 being 8ft from stump, which one is better to grow, or does it even matter at all where it is.

6/13/2011 3:01:37 PM

sevierville, Tn

The reason for them being further out is so that the plant gets big enough to suport the melon. If your at only 3 feet, then the plant would have been very small when it was set right ?? Now you do have XX days till the melon starts really drawing on the plant. that is some time for the plant to grow. So i guess you could plan for the plant to be say 3-5 feet bigger.

Gee, you got me thinking now that maybee i shouldn't have cut that set this morning.... LOL

The 291 was set there cause i didn't get a good flower on that vine till then. There was one on the other side that was closer that i didn't like as much....but it was close. Took me 14 days to decide, it was only 1.7 lbs smaller est at the time.

6/13/2011 3:55:09 PM

Garner, NC

Seems you made the right choice

6/13/2011 5:37:59 PM

formerly RGG

Again, I agree with Chris. The more important thing is the shape of the melon and the rate it is growing. Everything else being equal I'm not sure if I would know how to choose. I might take the one closer to the stump leaving less vine to develop a possible future problem.

6/13/2011 6:09:07 PM

formerly RGG

Hey Chris, how about some grower's diary pictures? Pretty please. Surely you can find a few minutes to let us see how well you are doing. Or maybe you just don't want to scare the competition too much. LOL

6/13/2011 6:14:04 PM

Garner, NC

Hey TD, I thought Ms Janet was out growing him so far, and that's why he hadn't posting anything yet! LOL

6/13/2011 7:55:36 PM

formerly RGG

Well Todd, I know if I was Superman and Lois Lane was beating up on me, I sure wouldn't want anyone watching. LOL

6/13/2011 9:33:30 PM

sevierville, Tn

She is not beating me. We have early plants(mine) & late plants(hers & some of mine) The picts in her diary were her 2 plants. My early plants are bigger, About Todds size. She will post some of my plants in a week or 2. So far they are all doing great. I'm trying to finish my irrigation, just got the pump installed tonight...She just shook her head when she saw what i did. She is so understanding !!!! LOL

6/13/2011 10:28:03 PM

sevierville, Tn

I have females opening on all my early plants. Never had so many so early, even though i planted later. I guess its the heat, still hit 90 today, but supose to be a little cooler tonight & tomorrow. Having a hard time deciding what to cross this year. Going to try a few selfs this year.

6/13/2011 10:33:23 PM

Muddy Waters

sandbaggers!!lol

6/13/2011 10:37:22 PM

sevierville, Tn

Well its not like i can sneak up on anyone anymore ! LOL Besides, at this stage, its just a nice melon plant thats growing well. Mark, your welcome to come see anytime your in the area ;)

6/13/2011 10:47:00 PM

Muddy Waters

Just razing ya for laughs & giggles!!Dammit!!

6/13/2011 11:18:06 PM

formerly RGG

I guess I don't have much of a chance this year. I started my plants too early without providing enough artificial lighting and didn't keep them warm enough. Then there was the hail storm we had and then to add even more injury I sprayed chelated iron on the leaves and nearly killed all of my small plants. I did set a single melon yesterday (if it takes) but in truth my vines are small and most of them aren't even blooming yet. It wasn't hard to decide to use the 113 as a pollinator yesterday morning as it is one of the few plants I have that is blooming already.Well .... maybe next year everything will come together for me.Maybe I'll luck up and come in about 10 or 11th place this year. It's not over till it's over. :-)

6/14/2011 6:47:30 AM

formerly RGG

Chris, to me the thing is I want to see other growers vines. That is where the melons come from and to me it is more important to see what produced the melon than just to see another melon. By seeing other growers patches I can sometimes get an idea to make an improvement in my patch. Seeing pictures of melons that belong to someone else just makes me wonder what they are doing right or wrong but gives me little idea of what the grower is actually doing to get his or her melon to that point.

6/14/2011 5:23:38 PM

formerly RGG

In other words, I try to learn to do a better job myself by observing what other growers are doing. Looking at another patch sometimes helps me. Most of what others growers do to be successful will not be apparent. I cannot see another patch and figure out what has been sprayed on or fed to the roots of their plants for example. But I can observe ground covers ,vine training techniques and vine size restrictions for example. Just looking at a closeup of a melon has never helped me to improve my growing techniques a bit.

6/14/2011 5:30:44 PM

sevierville, Tn

Dennis, come on up. i'm here most every evening in the patch (call 1st) You know your always welcome ! We will talk melons !

6/14/2011 5:58:58 PM

Sevierville,tn

yes Dennis come on up.... and Chris will hide his plants for youLOLOLOLOL!!!!!BTW He is Still Cheap!!! Wait til you see his new watering system!

6/14/2011 6:29:27 PM

formerly RGG

Thanks for the invite Kents. I will absolutely take you guys up on it.Janet, I don't think Chris is cheap; but, I think he tries to get as much bang for his buck as possible. I know I am that way and consider it an intelligent way to live.

6/14/2011 9:42:42 PM

amazing

6/28/2011 3:04:55 PM