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Muddy Waters

This is how I estimated before Marvin made Chart,worked well for a few years,then I canned it for Mavins Chart!!No Chart will be 100% keep that in mind!Thats not the goal here!Short Fat Melons,will weigh between 30%-40% over pumpkin chart!I use 30% as a rule.For you torpedo growers The long skinny melons will be 10% to 25%over the Kin chart!So if your taping a 172 OTT=113lbs. on kin chart x.10=11.3 lbs add the 2 #s=124.3 or if you water everyday & calcium is good it may be 20% heavier so would +%22.6 .lbs.=135.6 lbs.The goal is to get in ballpark, not perfection!I think The present Chart is fine.I will continue to use it,this may work better with the wide range of growing conditions out there!

8/21/2011 9:39:23 AM

Muddy Waters

Measuring is important OTT is total of 3 weasurements is Circumference at stem Blossum level horizontal the length of melon & back around Again.Side to side is Melon on a flat surface(dont run tape below bottom of fruit,keep level with bottom!tape midway Ground to ground measure straight down.(DO NOT hug melon)Ya Weirdo!!lol If pear shaped,split the difference & measure in the middle.There no girth in any Formula(FORGET GIRTH)does not apply to weight estimating.End to end bloosum end ground to stem end ground,you should be at bottom of fruit with tape.(not bottom of sand pile).this can add inchs to estimating & throw charts off.Forget Length not a factor in estimating!It would be helpful if growers would stop using these terms when talking weights as it is confusing newbies!GIRTH& LENGTH.If you need a visual its same as Kins!Look in book or on line!

8/21/2011 9:54:45 AM

Garner, NC

Maybe my next video will be taking meaurements for OTT. It might help some of the new growers.

8/21/2011 10:52:13 AM

Muddy Waters

That would Great Todd!

8/21/2011 10:58:29 AM

formerly RGG

Excellent idea Todd.

8/21/2011 12:06:45 PM

Lexington,IN

Reggie Elkins came up with the first watermelon estimate chart I saw in 2000. Maybe it's been tweaked over the years, but give credit where credit is due... Nothing against no one else, but the first chart was Reggie's accomplishment. The copy I have from him says it was copyrighted in 2000. In memory of Reggie I will always call it "The Elkins OTT Chart For Watermelons" as he so titled it...

8/21/2011 12:17:30 PM

Muddy Waters

Not looking to give or take credit!Just help with confusion!The charts were copied from kin growers Len Stulfburg who may have copied from Dill Who copied From William Warnock who copied from a Caveman!!LOL

8/21/2011 12:22:26 PM