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Date Posted

simpson,KS

I am doing several melon crosses here. What would be your favorite cross?
With todays seed v.s. old school seed?
Just going back to 2008 maybe.
New seed crossed with an old school or am i going backwards?
Here we go.

1/24/2017 9:51:58 PM

NE Arkansas

I'm gonna try make a 262.6 Bright 05 x 302 Kent cross

1/25/2017 3:40:12 PM

stoughton WI

296 barber x 291 kent

1/25/2017 5:06:18 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Nice Jeremy.
I would like to try a 239 Leonard x 157 Bright.
I would then pollinate that offspring with a 251 Kent.

1/25/2017 8:09:41 PM

East Tennessee

145.5 cantrell x 290.5 terry

1/26/2017 7:41:38 AM

Grant, AL

I think I am going to try a 290.5 Terry x 282 Dawson and a 318.5 Kent x 282 Dawson and see what I end up with.

1/26/2017 9:59:25 AM

South Arkansas

291 Kent 2010 X 178 Bright 1977

1/26/2017 1:15:31 PM

simpson,KS

OK so good input. I have a 316 Edwards x 350.5 Kent
and a 290.5 Terry x 267 Edwards hoping to pollinate.
The lineup keeps changing every week.

1/26/2017 8:58:47 PM

simpson,KS

251 Kents are gone ESheel Thats why i am trying to make my own.
But as you have said all of our conditions are different so our seeds will be different. Even pollination will be different.
There will never be an exact replica of the 251 Kent
To date this is my favorite seed

1/26/2017 9:08:38 PM

simpson,KS

The 257 Boyette is probably my second favorite . but have only been in this thing for four seasons now.
Have learned a great deal from some of you growers . THANKS

1/26/2017 9:13:21 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Big melons you are correct.
The 251 Kent was the first seed I ever planted.
I have one left and I am hoarding it.
I managed an 86 pounder off of that plant before the voles destroyed it.
I pollinated it with a 209 Schinicker(316 Edwards x self I believe.)
Didn't try it last year,but will give it a shot this year I think.
257 Boyette is nice as well.
Aggressive plant,grew very fast for me.
Gave it to a buddy and he produced a 147 without even trying.
Bill Edwards 219 would be a good one to try.
What would you come up with if you crossed the 302 Kent back into the 251?

1/26/2017 9:29:48 PM

Grant, AL

Hey big melons that 290.5 x 267 could be a really good cross. We grew the 267 last year and crossed with a 255 Mitchell and got a 209 lb melon from it. I think the 267 was a really long melon so crossing it with the 290.5(251 offspring) could be a good one.

1/26/2017 10:20:56 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Good point Charles.

1/27/2017 6:12:18 AM

Hamilton Nj

im going to cross something with the 282 dawson not sure wich one yet maybe 190 holloway and im trying to make room for one more plant one of the terry seeds

1/27/2017 1:58:48 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

I like the prospects of Jakes new melon.
238.5 Holloway x 239 Leonard

1/27/2017 3:20:00 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

229 Holloway I believe.

1/27/2017 3:20:46 PM

East Tennessee

290.5 (251 kent x self) x 236 terry (316 Edwards x 272.5 Neptune)
236 terry (316 e. x 272.5 n.) x 302 kent (251 k. x sib)
302 kent (251 k. x sib) x 236 terry (316 e. x 272.5 n.)
just some possibilities I'm thinking about

1/27/2017 10:40:39 PM

Corryton, TN

Not exactly sure how old "old school" is but don't overlook planting a couple this year. Many of you have some super seeds in the freezer that will most likely out produce the new girls. Many are still available for the asking.
With the top 50 melon weights being basically the same since 2012 consider using some of the seeds that may have slipped your mind. Most were proven pre-grafting, have never been grown on a grafted plant yet they still went BIG and grew PB's.

1/28/2017 9:19:50 AM

East Tennessee

I agree, some of the seeds from a few years back if grown with the techniques today could be good. Example, the 199.5 mudd proven seed that has grown lots of big melons traditionally. Frank grafted it this past year, new Kentucky state record!!! That reminds me of another cross I'm thinking about. 305 mudd x 318 kent

1/28/2017 10:48:25 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

They sound like good crosses to me.
You Tennessee boys are going to be hard to beat at the scales.

1/28/2017 9:56:33 PM

Grant, AL

I have changed my lineup for this year several times and I'll probably change it several more before starting seeds but the plan right now is to plant 6 plants. 3 plants will be "new school" and 3 will be kinda old school. The kinda old school lineup will be 3 of these 4: 285 Edwards, 165 Cantrell, 282 Dawson, and 291 Kent. More than likely it will be the last 3 in that list.

1/29/2017 10:03:58 AM

NE Arkansas

Mine changes daily... and so do the ideas for crosses... my ADHD really gets going this time of the year...

1/29/2017 1:54:16 PM

Spring Hope, N.C. - USA

with the choices out there I will decide morning of pollination.

1/29/2017 2:12:13 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Lol jlindley.
You and I are the same.
Unfortunately,I only see room for maybe 2 this year.
Have to find a suitable area to plant.
Have to be particular.

1/29/2017 9:02:36 PM

Hamilton Nj

Now you guys did it i dug into my box and found alot of nice seeds lol i found 2 , 250 neptune seed paks and a bunch of nice crosses and some more 291 kents really got my head spinning lol

1/30/2017 9:52:04 PM

Corryton, TN

See if you have a 252 Neptune, 267 Edwards, 274 Kent
More to think about before spring.

1/31/2017 7:30:22 AM

Grant, AL

I've got 2 of them Dave! We grew the 267 last year and got a 209 lb melon off of it. They both might end up in our patch this year along with the 291 Kent and 285 Edwards.

1/31/2017 10:13:12 AM

simpson,KS

OK so my lineup is (maybe)
316 Edwards x 350.5 Kent
264 Kent x 267 Edwards
350.5 Kent 257 Boyette
272 Edwards x 290.5 Terry
?>>>>>>?????????????????? now i'm really confused.
Maybe throw them all into one plot and let the bees determine the fate?

2/5/2017 5:03:34 PM