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I was talking to my dad about the champion pumpkin grower that had great success last year using maple syrup. He used it to keep his pumpkin gaining weight in the late season. My dad commented it must have worked like milk did for his grandfather. My dad said milk worked good but he wasn't sure why. He remembers the watermelons were the big round kind and when he and his brothers played on them there legs just dangled over the sides because the melons were so high. No one in our family recalls how the milk was applied. I do know his grandfather kept milk goats. Would milk from the supermarket do? I am fixing to grow a large watermelon this year and need to know the best techniques. What is the best method for using milk on a watermelon plant?

5/22/2012 11:15:16 AM

Pataskala,OH

Milk is a myth it will not do anything significant, it may reduce powdery mildew slightly if applied to leaves though. But synthetic fungicide seems to work just as well or better.

Maple syrup is applied to the leaves to foliar feed them some nutrients, but that is not a secret to a record, if the grower did not have good soil, a good seed, and good weather maple syrup would not make up for it.

Good soil, a good seed, and good weather, and pest control are the secret.

5/22/2012 2:13:21 PM

Bethlehem CT

Hi Loving it, welcome to our forum, It sounds like your grandfather grew some really big ones! I am not currently aware of any grower using milk on their plants, But that doesn't mean someone hasn't tried it, or that it won' t help. Many Giant pumpkin growers use milk on their giant pumpkin leaves to help prevent powdery mildew. Milk is also loaded with calcium which melons and pumpkins need. Keep your questions coming as there are many very knowledgable growers on this site who are more than willing to share. Best wishes and I hope you grow a big one or two this year.

5/22/2012 8:05:03 PM

formerly RGG

Loving it, I think if I was going to try milk for additional calcium and anti fungal benefits, I would buy the fat free milk as I do not believe that the milk fat would be helpful at all. Unless you had to wisdom to have your soil tested before you planted consider adding some gypsum if you are still able to. It is a great source of both calcium and sulfur and believe it or not it's near neutral in PH.Besides horse manure, I think gypsum is the single most important ingredient I added to my soil this year. That is unless you happen to know your soil is already high in sulfur.

5/22/2012 9:01:31 PM