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stoughton WI

if i have a melon on my main vine and only 12ft of main vine should i pollinate it or cull it.

6/11/2012 9:28:38 PM

Muddy Waters

how far out from the stump is it?How many lineal feet of vine do you have counting all vines?

6/11/2012 9:37:33 PM

formerly RGG

It is not a matter of how far out the main vine the flower is. It is a matter of the overall size of your plant. If you have several vines run out in all directions nearing 12' long then your plant is certainly large enough to grow a giant fruit. Conversely, if you have little more than a 12'main, then your plant is not yet large enough. Timing is important. Try to set a melon about 90 days before your intended weigh-off if your plant is ready.

6/11/2012 10:18:47 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Often the fruit size will tell you something. Is it a little "starter melon" not much bigger than 1cm to 1.5cm? Pick those off and weight for a good big female.

6/12/2012 9:22:46 AM

stoughton WI

melon is 3 and a half ft out from stump, only have 12ft of vine on the whole plant, melon is 3/4 of an inch long, could i grow it until the plant is big enough to grow a different on or would it take away from the plantand its on 252 neptune if it makes a difference

6/12/2012 11:13:42 AM

Corryton, TN

Could you, yes. Would I, no. Can't say for sure how much of a drain it would put on your plant but the idea is to get to the end with the largest one possible. As MMM said many if not most times the first and the very late ones are much smaller than the ones that come along in the prime time. That 252 should produce some really good ones. When it blooms, measure it. I don't pollinate anything under 2.3 cm long, not counting bloom.

6/12/2012 1:41:15 PM

formerly RGG

Setting a melon on that small of a plant may very well stunt your plant. I did that last year and it took forever for the plant to reach any size and the melon was a joke. I wouldn't take the chance if I was trying to grow the largest melon I could.

6/12/2012 5:30:55 PM

Muddy Waters

pinch it off to small of plant need over 50 feet of vine to set a fruit.

6/12/2012 5:54:55 PM

Mass

Why are we dealing with centimeters??? All our OTT measurements are in inches? How many tape measures kicking around in my trucks are in centimeters,.... NONE!!! Sure I can carry a special ruler for them, but why? Metric!!!! I had one somewhere, but I think it to my daughter for her school kit.

6/12/2012 6:13:23 PM

virginia

Brotherday,,,2.3 .what inches is that???? Thanks,,,,,,greg

6/12/2012 6:43:26 PM

Corryton, TN

It's about 15/16ths. I use cm because it was on the tape that I swiped from my wife's sewing room. It has both inches & cm's on opposite sides. I found it easier to count the 10 little lines than the 16 or 32 or 64. I'm old and blind.

6/12/2012 7:59:18 PM

formerly RGG

lol Dave

6/12/2012 10:04:47 PM

virginia

Lol,,,Thanks Dave

6/13/2012 11:24:26 AM

Muddy Waters

Why are we measuring melons at conception?Do they measure pumpkins at conception???

6/13/2012 10:59:25 PM

Corryton, TN

Looking for that edge. You know, that "secret". Don't know if there is anything to it or not. Collecting data is the only way to find out if there MIGHT be a link. From what I've seen so far there could be some sort of correlation. In the mean time I'm going to keep asking myself "what if I......"

6/14/2012 6:57:17 AM

sevierville, Tn

big at conception doesn't mean big at the end, but small at conception = smaller at finish ! that we know.

6/14/2012 12:38:42 PM

Muddy Waters

Ok That sounds like a good reason to measure.I'm In.

6/14/2012 9:45:48 PM