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Lexington, Ky

Are we leaving pounds on the table? Is there a secret method of growing a round bottom melon? I have grown many over the years, handled many at weigh offs over the years, I have only seen one that was flat free on the bottom and it was huge......

12/22/2017 12:56:00 PM

NE Arkansas

I think Frank had began to address that issue with the "hammocks" he is growing his melons in. I know a few other growers who will be trying different things this year too

12/22/2017 2:03:02 PM

Lexington, Ky

Is it an issue?

12/22/2017 3:58:35 PM

Frankfort Ohio

I think franks hammock is the ticket I have seen several of his have a nice rounded look don't know if it does us any good as far as extra weight but it seems like the best idea for air circulation under the melon

12/22/2017 4:33:27 PM

Liberty nc

Hammocks could actually help your melon be more stress free. A flat top or a dip could put more pressure on your melon. Less stress would make for a happier melon. Maybe frank is listening an could give his opinion on this also?

12/22/2017 10:38:11 PM

If you look at the melon and the bottom is flat it has a tendency to pull the center of the melon apart and make it hollow. I removed the seeds from the 321 as soon as weighoff was over and center was almost solid and we left the 332 for a couple of weeks on a hard surface and the bottom flattened out and you could see where the center separated.

12/23/2017 8:56:30 AM

sevierville, Tn

but the big question is... do you think that the center separating affects the weight and growth? I know it would affext the OTT, but what about the actual weight and growth potential ?? Thanks

12/23/2017 9:04:05 AM

SW Ohio

There are a lot of growers that think a hole in the center causes a melon to be light. I am more of the belief that it throws the OTT chart off by causing the circumference to be out of balance with the height and length. Growing on a scale could teach us a lot about that.

12/23/2017 7:42:54 PM

NE Arkansas

On what Mrs Sue said... my thoughts on hollow heart... I think that a CC melon ripens around dap 60ish... so my idea of hollow heart is the growth in length and girth the melon puts on after that. Yes the rind will continue to grow but I don't feel you will add any flesh to the inside.

12/24/2017 12:04:25 AM

NE Arkansas

So as the rind expands it pulls the flesh open inside and makes the hollow heart. I could be way wrong but just my idea.

12/24/2017 12:05:50 AM

Corryton, TN

I think HH starts well before day 60 but probably not in all cases. Case in point: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=239214

I think anything you can do to maintain the internal integrity would have to help in weight gains. Most of us have seen the flat top that has cracks well into the rind. My simple mind says that has to affect the flow of sugars to some other part of the melon.

12/24/2017 8:42:52 AM

A flat bottom on the melon seems to have a thinner rind on the bottom which would cause it to weigh less maybe.

12/24/2017 10:51:53 AM

Liberty nc

Would an internal split of the rind cause a melon to stop growing?

12/24/2017 12:57:53 PM

Lexington, Ky

Thank you Frank

12/24/2017 9:33:20 PM

Fenton, MI

Andrew, I don't think it would stop all the growth, but might in that area and that could stop all the growth. Hard to tell what's going in there until it's over sometimes on somethings.

I hear you Frank

12/25/2017 8:33:21 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

Frank,have you got any photos of your hammock?

12/25/2017 8:08:49 PM

Kansas

And a photo of your 332 too please

12/25/2017 9:49:52 PM

Was wondering if you cut your melon in half if the seeds from the stem end would grow bigger melons than the seeds from the blossom end?

12/29/2017 3:07:13 PM

East Tennessee

Did u separate yours Frank?

12/29/2017 5:09:48 PM

sevierville, Tn

i have more seeds in the blosem end then the stem end.

12/29/2017 5:57:05 PM

sevierville, Tn

Why would they grow bigger, same genetic possibilities i would think.
Some seeds might be bigger, giving a bigger seedling.

12/29/2017 6:00:08 PM

Grant, AL

I have wondered about a similar question Frank: Do seeds directly in the center of a melon develop first before other seeds and does a melon ripen from the center out? The reason I ask is we have cut open two melon in the last two years with the center being dark red and the meat was a lighter pink the closer you got to the rind. Also, the seeds in the center were black/dark brown while seeds further out were lighter brown with some white streaks in them.

12/29/2017 6:37:13 PM