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Location

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Date Posted

Eastern Shore of VA

Inquiring minds want to know !

10/16/2016 10:55:03 PM

sevierville, Tn

trying to learn something. I am always experimenting. thats why i want to know if anyone (pumpkin or melon grower) has ever grown on a scale so i can compare. I want to see if my results are normal or reflect october growth of an old plant.

10/17/2016 6:40:34 AM

Chapel Hill, NC

I was thinking of doing the same thing. Is that scale weatherproof?

10/17/2016 7:10:16 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

Cool idea.
Watch the weight change several times a day ?

10/17/2016 11:00:59 AM

sevierville, Tn

no its not weatherproof

if i had a greenhouse or a shed next door, you could hook the scale to a computer and graph the changes. or maybe a wifi thingy. I haven't had time to do that, but its a long winter ! LOL

10/17/2016 11:37:01 AM

sevierville, Tn

i going to give it a week more to gather data. got to get the plant cleaned up. Besides 80's this week for some good growth, but rain and cold this weekend.

10/17/2016 11:40:19 AM

Grant, AL

What size is that scale Chris? And where did you get it?

10/17/2016 12:24:25 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

It was done but by a giant pumpkin grower, I believe that the pumpkin when down during the process. Most scales today shut off after a short time and re-zero on power up.

10/17/2016 12:43:49 PM

sevierville, Tn

This is where i got the scale.
http://www.palletscales.net/ps250_hog_sheep_scale.htm

they can set it to read constant weight. so i can leave it on or turn off and it comes back to the correct weight. not too bad for 275.00

They have big one for pumpkin growers, up to 5000 lbs for 579.00

10/17/2016 1:33:59 PM

sevierville, Tn

Bill, who was the pumpkin grower??

10/17/2016 1:34:49 PM

sevierville, Tn

Its not that i want to know what it weighs before a weighoff, i'm trying to see how it grows in relation to the OTT measurements.

and any other variable i can think of ! ;)

10/17/2016 1:37:04 PM

sevierville, Tn

or you can get the parts and build your own.

10/17/2016 1:38:35 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

So how close does it follow the chart ?
first 2 weeks ?

10/17/2016 2:34:16 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

I mean after a melon makes the chart,
What are your 10 day,20 day.... ?

10/17/2016 2:36:37 PM

sevierville, Tn

i have only been tracking for 4 days and the melon is 30 DAP It was a spur of the moment thing.

the chart and actual are off significantly. but i always figued that the chart over estimated things when the melons were small.

10/17/2016 5:11:48 PM

Grant, AL

Is the 52.4 on the display showing pounds or kgs Chris?

10/17/2016 5:29:06 PM

Home of happy lil plants

Its lbs.....small little melon and small little scale

10/17/2016 6:51:52 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Off significantly ?
Really interesting Chris.
I expect a full write up ASAP !
With graphs and cool charts !
Lol.
Really cool idea.
I assume sample size would fluctuate based on genetic and environmental factors ?

10/18/2016 9:30:03 AM

sevierville, Tn

when i started the chart was 8 lbs heavy. The melon is slowly catching up. by like .2 lbs per day.
Charts will depend if i can get an old computer hooked to the scale data port.

10/18/2016 10:49:38 PM

Bowdon, GA

I usually weigh my culls as I pull them haven't noticed anything to crazy different.

10/18/2016 10:49:38 PM

Bowdon, GA

Of course in the past mine have been that light anyway

10/18/2016 10:50:47 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Really cool Chris.

10/19/2016 9:16:47 AM

formerly RGG

Outside of the number of days post pollination and the physical maturity of a melon, I think going heavy or light is 90% or so about the shape of a melon. Fat like a ball melons tend to go chart heavy and slim longer type melons tend to go chart light. There is more total cubic area in a sphere than any other shape of the same amount of surface area, so it just makes sense if you consider it in that regard.

10/21/2016 2:56:24 PM

Bowdon, GA

I cant disagree with shape Dennis, fat melons have more potential to appear heavy to the chart. However this has little to do with how "solid or dense" they are. That is all about the shape of the top of the melon. Flat tops will have big voids and you can usually tell from the beginning which melons will be flat. They also distort the circ. which make it measure bigger than it should. So if you have a tall fat dome, you won't be disappointed.

10/21/2016 4:47:53 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Dennis going all geometry in here.
Lol.

10/21/2016 9:03:08 PM

Wixom MI.

just a thought, it may not seem to be much, but while the mellon is still atached to the plant, the stem and plant may be pulling down causing the scales to weigh a little heavy. if your not noticing the culled ones weighing heavy, then what else could it be ?

10/22/2016 8:33:44 AM

sevierville, Tn

good point Chris, thanks i'll watch that when i set up next year.

10/22/2016 12:41:27 PM

formerly RGG

Of course you are right Jake. No one like to see their melon growing flat on top.

10/23/2016 7:14:02 PM