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Frankfort Oh

and when do you know the melon on your vine isn`t the one your after, say at day ten -20-?how do you know?

4/8/2010 8:41:23 PM

formerly RGG

I have 6 plants this year for about 2400 square feet & I consider that a little crowded. I may take one or 2 out if I see a melon I am excited about & want to give it lots of room. I think 20 days is too long to let melons compete and I simply look for the best shaped melon that is growing fast and go with it.

4/9/2010 8:41:55 AM

Garner, NC

What I like to do is mesaure the melons daily, and find out which one is growing at the best rate. It may not be the largest but it's growing at a faster rate. Also the size of the fruit at pollination plays a role in the outcome of the mature melon, so if the fruit is abnormal at pollination I terminate it without letting it go any futher.

4/9/2010 10:08:42 AM

Lexington,IN

I'll have five plants this year. Each plant has it's own 28' X 30'(840sq.ft.)growing area. Yeah I like big plants :) When selecting fruit to keep I look for nicely shaped longer melons and also take into consideration growth rate.

4/9/2010 12:27:45 PM

Frankfort Oh

iteresting thanks for the replys,I was just curious how others prune off,

4/9/2010 1:44:43 PM

Frankfort Oh

myself I give them, up to the first 15 days,by then I think I`ve got a good idae witch ones are growing faster then others

4/9/2010 1:47:16 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I will prepare six circles this year and will put in six plants. This is down from previous years, but it allows me to concentrate on few plants and space them better. As for choosing which melon, it's kind of an art. Placement on vine, growth rate, shape, length of melon at pollination. They all come into play, but eventually in the end, there can be only one.

4/9/2010 2:12:22 PM

sevierville, Tn

I agree with MMM, its an art. "Placement on vine, growth rate, shape, length of melon at pollination" They are all factors.
Also what your growing for....a certain date...beat your rival.... world record or bust! All make a difference.

4/9/2010 2:42:07 PM

sevierville, Tn

Rob, finding all the small melons is the hard part ! They seem to pop up out of no where !

4/9/2010 2:52:54 PM

formerly RGG

Yes, after the vines get interwoven with each other it's amazing how you will sometimes run into 15 or 20+ pounders that stayed well hidden until they reached that size.

4/9/2010 5:35:40 PM

Rochester, MN

I'm doing 6 like MMM....down from 12 from last year.

4/9/2010 8:31:50 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Right now I have 3 outside and 2 are starting to vine. I have 3 more up inside and want to start a couple more so it looks like maybe 6 CC and a couple other different melons. My 179.7 plant is really looking good so far.

4/9/2010 8:51:07 PM

Frankfort Oh

Marty are your melons in hoops?and if so whats the temp inside? ROB

4/9/2010 9:15:28 PM

Ohio

HI Rob, i have 6 started inside right now. These are for the weigh off on Labor Day. I think i will start 6 or 8 at the end of April, for the eeigh off in Oct.The 6 inside are all mine, the 179 and 151.

4/10/2010 8:14:04 AM

Western PA

D=Reeb, not to get off topic but could you say where the weigh off is ?
Thanks,
Lee

4/10/2010 8:26:23 AM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Yes Rob I have 2 plants for the Iowa State Fair in my High Tunnel with soil cables and another small hoop over them so the get very warm like 100 plus degrees during a warm day. They take it very well and grow like crazy.Once they out grow the small hoop it should be Ok I have 1 outside with cables and a small hoop as of now but will have a bigger hoop put up soon.

4/10/2010 10:25:49 AM

Ohio

HI ZAPPA, yes the weigh-off for Labor Day is in Frankfort Ohio. Rob (littlebit) runs the weigh-off. Just started, i think 2 yrs ago. So Rob is trying to build it up. So if you have any questions just ask Rob.

4/12/2010 9:19:59 AM