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formerly RGG

I have germinated plants from several different melons this year. In doing this I have observed that seedlings from the same melon seem to be similar in appearance and growth habbit. And some groups (from the same melon) seem to be a lot more vigorous than others. For example my 259 Kent plants had small and curly cots and slow growth overall. My 113 Kents seem to have straight and extra large cots and they seem very vigorous. Both of the melons these seed came from were genetically superior; it's just that Chris had limited room and so grew the 113 just to get some seed from it. So here is my question: is early vigor any indication that a plant may do a better than average throughout it's lifespan? I am very tempted to grow more than one of these 113 Kents because they are clearly larger and more vigorous at this point in their growth. That said I got my biggest melon off of my weakest plant last year.Does more vigorous plants equate to potetially larger melons as long as the seed came from a good cross?

4/10/2010 8:41:11 PM

sevierville, Tn

If the cots are small, damaged, that seems to give a smaller starting plant. That said, i think you have to see how the plant grows. I would wait till vine stage to choose a keeper, at least thats what i do.

4/10/2010 9:32:51 PM

Frankfort Oh

Dido,but I feel I dont judge the plant ,I wait and judge how ,fast the fruit,growes, but thats funny I`ve got the same two seeds started, along with the 213 kent-April 28th I will start my Sept -Oct plants,others are as follows,225 white-178 Mudd-97.5 Dishong-112 Josh selfed -230-Edwards-219-Edwards-267 Edwards-207 Brinkley-183.5 Crowley-157 James o7-and hopefully I ,can get my hands on the 267 pleasant But as you know some of theses plants won`t make the cut, depends on the fruit growth My goal is to break the state record in ohio,But not only to break it SMASH IT,I`VE GOT THIS MONKEY ON MY BACK ,WHO I`VE -GOT TO BEAT-he`s after the same thing-Gee I wonder who that is??LOL

4/11/2010 2:58:39 AM

Frankfort Oh

MY plants for Laborday are already being started, my buddy Ernie Reeb, has started them for me,he owns a green house,and boy do they look nice when I get them back!

4/11/2010 3:05:25 AM

Frankfort Oh

Laborday plants are my 136s from last year

4/11/2010 3:07:00 AM

Go with as many 259's as your garden space will allow. The vigor of the 113 will be due largely to the younger age of the melon when it was harvested.

4/11/2010 1:50:42 PM

Bowdon, GA

Seems like I can plant the same seed in to types of media and get different results in intial plant size but once they are in the garden out of the pot the genetics take over.

4/11/2010 8:48:24 PM

formerly RGG

Lloyd, I understand that the vigor of these seed probably comes from the fact that they were harvested at a young age. That said, the genetics of the 113 are argueably better that the 259. The 259 was grown from the 239 Leonard and was open pollinated. The 113 was grown from the 267 Edwards and pollinated by the 239 Leonard. If this plant had been grown to it's full potential it may have produced a melon that beat the 259. So I still think the 113 is one I want to grow. I wish I had room to grow one or two of all the different Carolina Cross selections I have.

4/11/2010 9:09:34 PM

formerly RGG

SMP, how many plants do you leave to a hill to make your selection from? Aslo, wouldn't you agree the 113 Kent has superior genetics behind it and that if is extra vigorous due to being harvested at a less mature stage then that can only be a plus to what already appears to be good seed.

4/11/2010 9:13:49 PM

formerly RGG

Another question that has crossed my mind is whether 2 years or older seed have as much vigor as last years seed. I have no experience with older watermelon seed.

4/11/2010 9:29:17 PM

formerly RGG

Hey Rob, what is the Ohio state record? The Tennessee state record I'm fairly sure is 262 pounds and is held by the now deceased Bill Carson. Chris almost had him beat last year. My bet is a new world record will be established this year by someone.

4/11/2010 9:34:49 PM

Frankfort Oh

207 here in ohio

4/12/2010 5:43:09 AM

Frankfort Oh

The monkey hasn`t seen this post yet or you`d know who it is,lol

4/12/2010 5:45:43 AM

Ohio

Monkey boy here. lol Yes im after the samething you are Rob. Have my labor day plants started and ready to go.Just got the garden tilled, so watch out. The state record comes to Clarksburg.

4/12/2010 9:15:23 AM

Frankfort Oh

LMAO, YOU WISH IT`S COMING TO Frankfort!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4/12/2010 12:59:45 PM

Frankfort Oh

Danny make cure you get a couple of my 136s from Ernie,if you want them.

4/12/2010 1:01:13 PM

sevierville, Tn

Your record is only 207 ? You guys should beat that if MI can get 267 !

4/12/2010 1:51:57 PM

sevierville, Tn

TD, as long as the seed grows, then the age shouldn't make a difference unless the plant is somehow damaged or held back say because of missing cot or something like that. Even then once the plant gets going, then the genetics take over as Jake said.

4/12/2010 1:54:38 PM

sevierville, Tn

If i knew which was the better seed, then my job would be easy...i'd plant all of those !

I put 2 plants in a hill, the best one gets the spot.

4/12/2010 1:58:13 PM

Ohio

i will rob. will start my other watermelons soon for our weigh-off

4/12/2010 2:35:01 PM

Bowdon, GA

I didn't think about it yesterday but I have had different intial plant size depending on how hard a seed is to start, temp, and moisture. I got Doug to start some last year I couldn't get to come up. They were much smaller in the three leaf stage but took off when they hit the dirt. I like a big plant but your never know what is going to happen after the melon sets.

4/12/2010 5:07:10 PM

Bowdon, GA

I hope this doesn't open up a can of worms but it looks like the 239 was a better producer last year than the 267. I know the 267 has a big plant size and bad luck may have been the down fall of some of the 267's, but I like the 239.

4/12/2010 5:13:12 PM

formerly RGG

That still makes the 113 sound good to me Jake since it was pollinated by the 239 so has 1/2 of the 239 genetics.

4/12/2010 9:00:43 PM

Bowdon, GA

They both have good genetics, so maybe you'll get a good one out of it. I'm going to plant one 251 Mudd/267 cross. It ought to be a monster plant. By the way I planted some of your Mtn Hoosiers at my patch at the other farm.

4/12/2010 10:28:17 PM

formerly RGG

You'll enjoy those Jake, they are big, early, productive & tasty.

4/12/2010 10:38:06 PM

Frankfort Oh

SMP YES WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BREAK THAT MARK,but seems to me when we get one going really good ,we get a crappy weather outbreak,that stops us in our tracks,But we`ll give it a run for it`s money,ROB

4/13/2010 5:45:22 AM