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Garner, NC

Now that were in the shorts (getting near the end), what has everybody learned this year, or what have you noticed about a great year of seeds. One thing I learned was not to let the old leaves fall on the runners, when wet they cause all kind of problems. Also I have noticed growing on sand, you really get a lot in the house, atleast that's what my wife says. The 291 Kent has great potenial, as does the 255 Mithchel. I will also try to pay better attention to the melons when first set, instead of....."that one looks nice, I think its a keeper." So what has everyone else figured out for next year?

9/2/2011 8:36:48 PM

formerly RGG

That is a great question Todd. I wish every reader on here would take the time to answer with sincerity. I have learned that young watermelon plants are very sensitive to cold and especially to too much moisture when it is cold. Next year I will make better use of my grow lights and I will also cover the plants more when needed and keep them indoors under lights early in the season. I have learned chelated iron is for the roots only and probably isn't needed at all.I have learned that liquid kelp is great for plant growth but too much of it is bad for melon growth. I know I will use some early in the season but little to none in mid to late season. Moderation is the key here.I hand water and have learned that if time is tight a bucket, or two with a small hole in the bottom placed close to the stump and filled with water is nearly as good as using the sprinkler, thank you Lloyd Bright for the tip.And I have learned that our good friends in Michigan have learned to achieve phenomenal growth rates of as much as 8 pounds a day; thanks for letting us know Mark. :-)

9/2/2011 9:40:50 PM

formerly RGG

I have also learned if there is a possibility of hail, I better get my a** in gear and do as much as I can to protect my plants.

9/2/2011 9:48:04 PM

formerly RGG

Oh, and I have also learned that if an old man like me who does everything by hand tries to grow too many plants there just isn't enough time in the day to give them all proper care. I will never again try to raise more than 6 plants. It's too much like work for me if I go beyond that.

9/2/2011 9:52:12 PM

virginia

well first time grower here. I how learn to lift my melom backwards more. If u dont it will push the main vine out more. Also to build a bigger top,,,,lol,,,,,,,,,,greg

9/2/2011 10:07:26 PM

Muddy Waters

I dont think I ever Hit 8 pds TD! ,was talking smack that day!I may have hit 6 lbs at best.From talking to Chris,I think the chart is pretty close on weight gains,but not perfect by any means.Ive learned that we all cant water the same.If I watered my plants 3 times a day theyd be dead Im on heavy clay!I learned planting early is pointless if God says NO!Wet cold May!I learned once again virus is in the seed.Need to find Virus free seed on the kins.I think I have done that, just recently!The 255 Mitchell is hotter than I thought,it will be as hot as the 239 Leonard,maybe hotter!I learned Paul F cant grow Lopes!LOL Not in 110 degrees!!We learned it can get to hot for Melons,95 is the cut-off in Michigan anyhow!My growth dropped at temps over 95!Good luck Guys!Keep learning!!

9/3/2011 5:12:12 AM

formerly RGG

Mark, I was watering 3 times a day on hot dry days and I am on clay. I am also on a hillside and my soil is well amended and drained.I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad practice. On one hand, I want to see my vines have a good constant source of moisture to encourage constant and even melon growth. On the other hand, lots of available water is not good for root development. If lots of water is available there is no motivation for the roots to grow longer seeking out moisture. BTW Mark, it was 98 degrees here yesterday and my 231 Mitchell gained close to 1/2" in girth in from yesterday morning to this morning, one of the better gains I have seen out of it lately. We have had many hot days here lately, though. There have been lots of hot and sunny days here for the whole month of August and it rained only once and that was lees than an inch. It is extremely dry here right now. I should have had a lot better gains and need to figure out what I have been doing wrong. Perhaps it is just hard for a melon to pick back up on it's growth rate once it has slowed dawn. I will bet that Chris has had some tremendous gains with all the sunshine we have had over the past few weeks. There have been lots of cloudless days and I think that is a melon growers dream.

9/3/2011 11:56:32 AM

Jamul

My first year. I found that it is pretty easy to grow a 150 pounder in my area, probably pretty doable to 200 even with organic methods,with only a couple of plants. I think to get much above that, and especially to be competitive nationally, a greenhouse would be needed(not going to happen).It would be great to be proven wrong on the greenhouse point. The three plants I kept did fine with the vines buried for the first 3-4 feet from the stump, probably because it never rains here during the summer. The plants need to be protected under mesh around here until they start to run at the very least, and the young melons need to be protected from some critter snacking on them and disfiguring the fruit or worse. I found that covering them with green onions or wild sage leaves, which are plentiful here, works well as a repellent.

9/3/2011 4:50:51 PM

Trinity River Bottom

First thing is to fill freezer with rabbits in the fall and winter so there not a problem later. Second thing check long range forecast before you set your goals for the spring so you are not dissapointed. Third it is very hard to grow melons when you have had almost 90 straight days obove 100. Fourth down here in the south i think about 60-65 days is about as long as your going to keep a melon growing. Fifth Im not sure which is better growing on weed barrier or bare ground. Weeds are a problem on bare ground but the plants root down well.So who knows on that one. Sixth The one thing i did do rite was to grow melons on those wire racks the melon had very few marks and kept full coloration .Seventh i will not be joining the 200 pound club this year. Eighth i had trouble with aphids under my watermelon covers so i removed them and went with just a thick white or light colored towel laying directly on the melon it worked great even with the extreme heat we had this year...THE END

9/6/2011 11:57:07 AM

I agree totally with Kirk's entry points. In my case, I need to add that you need a friend like Jake Holloway who will bring a melon a long distance to save a weighoff when the local melons are small. Also, Tom has my recommendation to carry products like Purshade and Surround to help whoever gets the extreme sunlight and heat next year. Hopefully he can find additional products that help growers in the south and southwest. You can cover a melon to keep it warm but it is complicated to try to strap an air conditioner on one. Kirk's point about white towels is a keeper. My melon under a Remay covered cage (which was used earlier for wind protection)has the best rind condition in the field. It is untested for rain but it works great as a sun blocker. The 291 seems to be the seed melon of the year. Expect something extra good next year from growers who self it this year to get seeds with new genetic combinations.

9/6/2011 12:53:33 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I learned that you need to put a jug of ice next to the female at pollination time when it is hot, or it will not take up the pollen. You then put a cover over both to keep the heat down. I will definitely do this for every single melon I pollinate next year.

9/6/2011 3:41:08 PM

Bowdon, GA

I learned 1) I have to be more prevenative of rot on stems. Never paid much attention to them, I took good care of my plants but didn't do me much good when I lost the connection to the melon. 2)to keep using 2X4's not sand under the melon. I know James I knew better LOL. And like Todd said my wife will kill me if I use that much sand again 3)I need to put some dirt in my cow manure. 4) I should have gotten a blower sprayer years ago. 5) and a balanced soil test is your best friend

9/6/2011 10:20:06 PM

Muddy Waters

Are you guys triming your stumps,back at least 1 foot,for good air circulation??This may be a stupid Question.

9/7/2011 5:35:06 AM

Muddy Waters

Hey Kirk! Dont the rabbits just jump out when you open the door??

9/7/2011 5:36:55 AM

Trinity River Bottom

Nope Mark... It's to cold in there without there rabbit coats on...

9/7/2011 8:25:49 AM

Ut

I’ve learned a lot but have many things to learn in the next couple of weeks.
For one I did the 2x4 thing and it worked great. I’ve just pulled one melon for the fair today(my small one) and it looks perfect underneath. The question though, is how do you get the BS measurement when it’s on 2x4s? It seems like a total SWAG to me(scientific wild-a guess).

9/7/2011 12:26:06 PM

Muddy Waters

What is a BS measurement???

9/7/2011 7:01:31 PM

Garner, NC

I would assume he means blossum to stem....end to end. But not sure

9/7/2011 7:06:04 PM

Ut

Sorry I thought's that how they wrote here in the big pumpkins explanation on OTT. Yes, Blossom to Stem and straight down to the ground on both sides.

9/7/2011 8:03:50 PM

Ut

That's how they show it here:
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=37&gid=4
C, BS, and SS
What do you call these?

9/7/2011 8:07:08 PM

Watervalley Ms

I like the half inch plywood over the top of the melon it stops the heat from getting on the melon. The melon will grow longer with the top over it and prune some vines. My 217 plant had a melon growing for 60 days at 3 pounds a day with no change in growth rate, until a coon put a hole in it, most of my melons slow down at 50 days.

9/7/2011 8:45:47 PM

Bowdon, GA

I think most of us call it EE. Mr. Vaughn was the plywood only over the one on the 217

9/7/2011 9:12:21 PM

Muddy Waters

I dont know where the BS came from, can cause confusion some people actually measure stem to blossum for there own records!
The measuring should be side to side straight to the ground & end to end(long Ways)(stem to Blossum direction)ground to ground straight to ground,(dont follow fruit)ya fruit!The biggest thing is having fruit on a flat surface,I think sand is deceiving!Delta plastic is great,you can slide Melon to relieve vine stress,I slide my melons back about once a week you cant do that on sand or 2X4s,ck out my diary,its the bomb!!We need to make a Video on measuring Todd!(iceman)

9/7/2011 9:27:06 PM

formerly RGG

I have always been able to slide my melons back from the stem even on 2 x 4's Mark. But since your melons are so much heavier than mine; that might make be the difference. :-)

Exactly what is Delta plastic BTW ?

9/7/2011 9:33:26 PM

Watervalley Ms

I put the plywood over the top of 4 melons only two melons got going good the 217 and 260 kent the 260 the kent melon had a growth rate of 4 pounds a day at day 26 went to 5 or more pounds per day, day 28 found my sand wet and melon finished bad spot under the bottom. The melon was 48 girth 26 long, 1 and a half inch in girth per day. weighed 115 even after it got the sand wet.

9/7/2011 9:47:23 PM

Muddy Waters

Its a plastic placed on cement slabs for a barrier to OSB or plywood!It allows air under melon & keeps her dry!

9/7/2011 10:03:58 PM

Bowdon, GA

That was a good day 28 weight. Shame that would have been a good one. I'll check out the Delta plastic, but I've never had any problems sliding them on 2x4s or sand.

9/7/2011 11:16:35 PM

Muddy Waters

I know mice & bugs cant get through plastic & it gives you a truly flat surface to tape from.Air is completely under melon so no rotting from that.I can slide a 230 melon with 1 hand.I have 1/4 inch hardibacker board under delta on Captain Marvel!

9/8/2011 6:15:23 AM

Ut

Mark I think you get the most entertaining diary award. It’s more like reading a comic book sometimes. I’m glad to see there is no smoking in the greenhouse even if your tomatoes are headed for lung cancer. I like the look of that Delta Plastic. A google search of it shows nothing of the sort so where do we get it? Impressive labors this year, wow!

9/8/2011 2:21:31 PM

Muddy Waters

Thanks, does that come with a check?lol Its pretty pricy I found mine garbage picking!lol,Ask any lumber yard! about Delta plastic sub floor barrier!

9/8/2011 4:42:49 PM

Muddy Waters

The reason no smoking,Tobacco carries the Mosaic Virus,Smokers can spread it with there hands.I dont like smokers near my plants,if so NO TOUCHY!!I smoked for 30 years! will be free 7 years on Halloween!Praise the Lord!!!

9/8/2011 5:01:09 PM

Ut

Congratulations!

9/8/2011 8:02:13 PM