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Deep South, USA

Only one melon made any size at all on the main plants. I went down to the garden today and discovered the dark green stripes had yellow faded patches on them. I remember from last year someone said yellow like that meant the melon was ripe (maybe it was overripe) or beginning to break down, so I pulled it. It didn't do very well on size though.

Age: about 51 days
Final OTT (roughly) 102 3/4"
Final weight (bathroom scale) 34.4 lbs

Better than last year, but nothing special. A throw away melon for most giant growers.

There's actually one more left on the main plants, and it's gained a bit over the last few days. I don't think end rot will get this one, but it only weighs maybe 10 lbs as best I can tell, and the plants' leaves are dying from the crown outward. Unless I'm completely surprised, the ~34 lb melon described above is going to be the only one from this season's main plants.

The late Carolina Cross are faring no better. The plants are ok, but all of the fruit is in the early stages of end rot. I guess the variety is just too demanding for my soil.

The Cobb Gem look promising. No world records there, but a couple of large late melons there would end the season on a brighter note. BER doesn't seem to bother them.

8/25/2011 10:22:53 PM

Garner, NC

Hey Yoshi, I would recommend you send a soil sample to Craig Lembke Farms and have him look at your soil sample. Or send one off to A&L Labs and get Tom @ ExtremePumpkins to go over with you. You may have something very off in your soils that you may need to address. Both guys are extremely helpful and will be able to help you alot. I would just think you need to get your soils balanced and you will see a great improvement next year.

8/26/2011 8:23:32 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

If you want an accurate test done I would highly recommend A&L western labs, we have been using them for years. We've tried other labs and got very mixed results.
I would be happy to read your soil test results and make recommendations.
Shoot me an email at tprivitera@optonline.net

8/26/2011 12:14:06 PM

Ut

Yea, something ain’t right there Yoshi, sorry to hear. This is my first year growing CC and I have a 150ish OTT on one plant and a 134 OTT and 114 OTT on another plant(kept 2 when I saw I was late on pollination). I may have the same problem as you though- leaves dying from the crown outward on both vines. This happened to me last year and the dead zone stayed in the middle 5 feet or so for a couple weeks and then it took off and the plants dropped dead very quickly. I think it is a wilt from the soil after talking to the extension office. That was the first time I’ve planted cucurbits in that soil last year and the first time in this soil this year so I don’t see why a wilt is concentrated enough to drop ‘em dead? I’m taking every measurement like it’s the last. I’ve sprayed for bugs and foliar fungus, but I really think it’s from the soil and there’s nothing I can do. I’ll have to get soil samples next year. Can they identify diseases in the soil as well as nutrients present? Does anyone recommend getting tissue samples to identify disease and who does it?

Yohsi are you watering a large root zone/ have plenty of room for the plants?
How much surface area do you guys recommend watering / allowing for the vines to grow?

8/26/2011 12:46:34 PM

Bowdon, GA

Yoshi, Craig helped me this year too, I seen alot of improvement. Toms fert. program on his website works well for melons too all of the products in the program are found on the web site. Its probablly likely in the deep south that your ph needs ajusting and with all the BER that the calcium is too low. Only a soil test will tell for sure.

8/26/2011 1:08:49 PM

Bowdon, GA

WMDentist I would get a tissue test for disease if you can't identify it. Wilt is serious stuff. I'm not an expert on diesease but I would think if you had a form of wilt it would not have lasted weeks more like days. I have had two plants get it before both died within days of the first symptoms. Might add if it is a foliar diesease, Its not just about spraying, its spraying with right stuff, right intervals, correct coverage and even weather conditions: humidity, temp, rainfall, etc.

8/26/2011 1:25:11 PM

Bowdon, GA

Oh Yoshi, is there a watermelon or pumpkin grower near you you could visit? It helps alot.

8/26/2011 1:30:22 PM

Deep South, USA

I thought old age is getting my main plants, they were started in April. The late plants look alright. Maybe one or two dead leaves, but nothing prevalent.

I've tried growing in three different places. Last year I watered nearly every afternoon. end rot. This year, did not water so much, end rot. Year before last, beautiful plants, but still end rot. The one or two melons that survived the season, 30-45 lbs. Most melons don't get much over 10 lbs before showing signs. How would I get in touch with A&L labs? I bet it's expensive.

What I don't quite get though, is the other melons don't seem to get it. Moon and Stars did alright, the Cobb Gem don't seem to be affected, and Cobb Gem is supposed to grow very large themselves, though granted not as large as Carolina Cross.

As an aside, the 34 lb melon is ripe, and actually a very eatable melon for a variety that is not raised to eat.

8/26/2011 5:25:33 PM

formerly RGG

Yoshi, I have one plant in my patch with dying vines. It's my 291 Kent. It failed to set a melon in a timely fashion and I became neglectful of watering for a few days. It wilted from dryness and hasn't recovered. It is a stark contrast to my other plants. Never let your plants go dry as they have little ability to recover from this type of stress. The only thing is you have to have very well drained soil to water frequently and deeply. Water is not the cause of your melons rotting but it could be a water related issue such as poor drainage. Do you grow on a hillside or on a flat area? If you grow on clay soil consider a load of sand to mix in it for next year.I'm not saying this is your problem but it may be something to consider.Also I agree that soil analysis should help you a lot; and might help in figuring out the cause of your BER.

8/26/2011 5:41:38 PM

Deep South, USA

This year, I grew on flat red clay. Most of the soil around here is either red clay or red sand.

Mississippi State's cooperative extension service will provide what they call a "Routine Analysis" for $6.00 a sample. It doesn't really outline what they sample for. Has anybody here tried them?

http://msucares.com/crops/soils/testing.html

8/26/2011 9:44:06 PM

Bowdon, GA

20-30 bucks according to what you get worth every penny. You might be surprised at how much water it takes. Those other varieties aren't nearly as demanding.

8/26/2011 9:44:12 PM

Watervalley Ms

I use them for my soil Analysis, but my best overall year did not take one.

8/26/2011 10:04:04 PM

Muddy Waters

Are you using the same seed line every year??some diseases due carry in the seed itself!!

8/27/2011 6:17:31 AM

Muddy Waters

You need to get rid of weeds in you garden area & clean up soil. Fumigation is several hundred dollars I did it 1 year it seemed fruitless!Burn your garden this year ,dont till old plants into soil destroy & compost or put to the curb.I use a roofing torch & burn all weeds& seeds.any diseased plants are pulled roots & all taken to dumpster!Use proven seed & ask grower what issues they had.Just because a fruit gets huge doesnt mean it didnt get virus the last few weeks,it does carry over in seed !

8/27/2011 6:28:49 AM

Deep South, USA

Well, I spoke too soon. One of the Cobb Gem does have end rot. I'm not happy about losing that melon, but so far it seems to be just the one melon, it doesn't seem to be thoroughly pervasive like on the Carolina Cross. I note most of the Cobb Gem have odd shaped blossom ends, but they are filled out, and not rotting as best I can tell.

99.7% of the Carolina Cross melons have end rot.

Something's not right. I'm sure moisture is part of it. I can't help but think it's as much if not more a nutrient issue.

It may be awhile before I can sample the soil, as I'm waiting for the Cobb Gem to play out. I'm wasting time expecting anything from Carolina Cross in that soil as is.

I think Handy's idea of burning up the weeds at the very end of the season was meant for another poster, but I'm considering it all the same. Depends on how dry it is. This part of the south tends to get rather dry when the weather starts turning cooler.

Were I to burn the garden off, would I need to wait until AFTER that's done to take a sample?

8/27/2011 1:15:05 PM

formerly RGG

No, burning or removing weeds wouldn't make your soil any different in a test.

8/27/2011 2:34:42 PM

Watervalley Ms

Hi Yoshi,Burning off a field puts some fertilizer back into the ground but not much it is good to burn for many reasons. The soil test as TD said really wouldn't change.The Mississippi Extension service checks for p, k, CA, MG, ZN, NA, CEM % OM, and the amount of salt. The service recomends only on the N, P, K, the others are just said to be high or low. I agree with you Yoshi the nutrients seem to be a problem. If you don't get a soil test try this if you have not fertilized the ground before. 15 x 20 area 2o pounds garden lime broadcast 20 pounds of comercial fertilizer 888 or triple 13 or 8-24-24 till in top 5 inchs of soil. One more thing, buy a how to grow giant pumpkin,s book part 2, they have a watering & feeding program that will have your back hurting from loading the melons in no time at all, and lots of other good information. good luck and see you at the festival. Jerry

8/27/2011 8:42:34 PM

Watervalley Ms

Would not leave out MR Lloyd Bright,s book on growing giant watermelons a must read for a giant watermelon grower.

8/27/2011 8:47:24 PM

Bowdon, GA

Good advice Jerry, the ph on red clay around here if it hasn't been limed in a while is ussually mid 5's so lime is ussually needed if your clay is the same as ours. Might add the easiest way to start building soil is if you can find a good source of composted manure. Sure takes less ammendments to balance it. Be sure not to get it from pastures that have been sprayed with 2-4d or grazon in the last year.

8/27/2011 9:46:20 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

?, is the cure for BER on melons, the same as maters? Calcium? Peace, Wayne

8/28/2011 12:14:50 AM

Watervalley Ms

Yes thats the cure almost 100 percent of the time. I also believe that low nutrient levels will cause problems in plants and fruits not only just the calcium. MR Holloway i am glad you said something about the pastures being sprayed.I have some compost cooking, and I did not ask about their spray program.

8/28/2011 12:56:24 AM

Deep South, USA

We keep cows, so we have a source of fresh manure, as well as dried manure. One of the good things about keeping cows.

I just bet the red clay here is low pH also.

I'll probably start ripping plants out of the ground very soon. In particular the older ones, they're mostly dead anyway, and I don't want to leave them for Squash Bug vermin to overwinter in.

8/30/2011 1:16:33 PM

Ut

Yoshi I’m curious enough that I sent a tissue sample out today. It’s only $7. I want to know for sure what is causing the leaves to die from the center out.

Believe it or not we add sulfur out here instead of lime. Our soil pH is high (8-10) because of lime occurring naturally in the soil. I guess that’s why I don’t have BER- lot’s of calcium. I’ll get it a little on my tomatoes and peppers but I think it only happens when I don’t water enough.

Also in clay I understand you shouldn’t water as often- deep but infrequent. That’s what I’ve done in our poorly draining soil with reasonable results. I’ve tilled in lots of organics to break up the clay but it’s still not well draining.

8/30/2011 5:04:39 PM

formerly RGG

Watermelondentist, it helps a lot with drainage if you have a hillside to plant on. Hillsides are mostly what we have to plant on here in the hills of eastern Tennessee.

8/30/2011 5:20:49 PM

formerly RGG

Yoshi,please consider amending your soil with a truckload or two of sand.I believe nearly all of the big ones are grown on sand. It drains extremely well.

8/30/2011 9:09:06 PM