Message Board - BigPumpkins.com

Smoky Mtn Pumpkin (Team GWG)

Oak Grove, Mn

For the past two years, I have traded top watermelon seeds to my neighbor for space to grow my pumpkins. I have watched, while he planted the seeds and then ignored them for the rest of the summer. Last year..after his early failure, tyler sent me a seedling overnight...I watched over it just as little as I could to not interfere with my neighbor, while still insuring it was still alive. I have seeds from this watermelon. Next year, I am not going rely on my neighbor. I am going to grow a watermelon. Looking at the neglected plant, it looks like the only roots come from the main stem...is this correct. If it is...then my watermelon might be rooted in hydroponics..I have a big reservoir that could be used. Do watermelons only send down one set of roots?

2/18/2018 6:15:16 PM

sevierville, Tn

no, they will root at the nodes just like pumpkins. It just takes longer. Where a pumpkin practally has roots before the vine hits the ground. A melon takes a couple of weeks and a little moisture to get the root going.

2/18/2018 7:01:23 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

the neglected plant I watched had only one set of roots..do you bury the nodes like a pumpkin?

2/18/2018 7:04:46 PM

jlindley

NE Arkansas

I don't bob, I let it root down on it's own.

2/18/2018 7:53:26 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

I believe the roots spread just as far as the vines.
Like a tree really.
Width of the canopy,width of your root system.
They are shallow though.

2/19/2018 6:08:57 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

For an October weigh off in Minnesota, when do you suggest starting the seeds?

2/19/2018 6:22:21 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

When does it start maintaining 60 degrees or more at night ?
That’s when I start.
That’s around mid April for me.

2/19/2018 9:11:44 AM

jlindley

NE Arkansas

If you can move outside 150 days prior to weigh off will give you 60 days of plant growth and 90 days melon growth

2/19/2018 10:19:56 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Bob I would plant them around the 10th of April once sprouted I would lower the temp to 58 until planting usually the second week in June. Put up a hoop to warm the area first and keep them in it until they grow out of it. They grow extremly slow until it gets hot up here. You won't see any weight increase after mid sept. I always would pollinated the first several and decide which one ASAP. No burying the vines but you must keep all other fruit off. Raise the fruit off the ground and don't allow rodents to live under it. You can/probally should prune the vines from growing out of an area. I think I should have some seeds from my 224 down stairs. Let me know

2/19/2018 10:46:40 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Bob it should read plant the second to third week in May. Keep covered if frost is in the forecast.

2/19/2018 11:20:59 AM

Charles B.(Team GWG/WWGG)

Oak Grove, Mn

Thanks, this is going a fun learning experience. Bill , I actually have a lot of seeds acquired thru the years. Thanks for the offer of the 224's. I will probably only have room for two plants so I am probably set for seeds. Will have to see how it goes the first year.

2/19/2018 12:52:26 PM

jsterry

East Tennessee

Email me your address Bob and I will send you the seeds I offered in lot 8.
jeremyterry@gmail.com

2/19/2018 1:48:51 PM

West of the Blue Ridge

Waynesboro, Virginia

E-mail me your address also Bob and I will mail you the Zinnia seeds. Thanks for supporting our club. Very cool....Steve
swright22980@yahoo.com

2/19/2018 2:15:42 PM

jlindley

NE Arkansas

Yep, Email me your address bob I owe you seeds too from Lot 8

2/19/2018 3:07:50 PM

Grant, AL

Email me your address Bob and I will also mail you the seeds that I offered in lot 8. Congrats on winning and good luck this year! Thanks for supporting our club!

danjenben4@hotmail.com

2/19/2018 3:27:26 PM

BatCaveN8

The North Coast

Me too. nathanokorn@bellsouth.net

2/19/2018 3:42:56 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Sent to all the email addresses..thank you guys. I thought about sending a group email...and telling you that since you have my address you can come help lift my monster watermelon for the october weigh off...bring beer. Instead I did it individually. Hope I don't bother you too much with all my newbie questions.

2/19/2018 6:06:38 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

That’s what we are here for !
Think you could work up some nutrient blasts for melons like you did your maters ?
Science !

2/19/2018 8:08:11 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I think I need to learn how to grow them normally before trying anything new. I did exchange emails with chris kent. It is tempting to try one outdoor deep water hydroponic with chiller. All I would have to find is an outdoor pool liner.

2/20/2018 5:38:54 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Hydroponically grown Carolina Cross.
Imagine that.

2/20/2018 7:01:03 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Chris Kent has told me he has already tried hydro...in clay pellets in a 6' x 3' x 18 inch reservoir. Good until heat got to the roots. So far I have found a pond liner that is 6' x 8' x 18 inches. With chiller..I can keep the roots out of preferred zone of root pathogens. Maybe by spring, I can find a 10' x 10' x 18 inch reservoir. That would be about 1000 gallons of nutrient solution allowing for some air space. I would have to find a cheaper source of hydro nutrients. $200 per nutrient change might be a bit too much. I have out in the garage..a 4 ft x 4 ft x 18 inch reservoir tank that I might pull inside and do some test starts. Watermelon would be a good step up from tomato. Still way smaller than what a DWC pumpkin would take.

2/20/2018 7:41:46 PM

BatCaveN8

The North Coast

Here are your economical hydro ferts. This plus a bag of calcium nitrate and magnesium sulphate.
https://hydro-gardens.com/product/cucumber-formula-25lbs-bag-8-16-36/

2/20/2018 7:48:12 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Bob: I have a swimming pool to sell, I know it will be big enough.

2/20/2018 8:03:07 PM

wixom grower ( The Polish Hammer)

Oak Grove, Mn

bill, what size swimming pool? Guess I will start some test seeds tonight and see how the roots form in my 4x4 reservoir. How that goes could affect my plans for the summer.

2/21/2018 4:11:24 AM

gwarren

Chapel Hill, NC

Why not just grow in a 55 gallon drum. With a good enough chiller I don’t think heat would be a problem.

2/21/2018 11:34:27 AM

Spence***

Home of happy lil plants

Bob email me and I can halfway get you setup if you want to do it seriously

2/21/2018 1:09:13 PM

Wixom MI.

I was thinking the same thing gwarren why not just use a 55 gallon barrel ? I think that it would be harder to control a shallow wide pond like system than a small deep barrel system ! Just let the plant grow on the Ground let those roots grow in the soil !!! You may even find out what the plant perfers by doing that ? Just a thought ?

2/21/2018 2:29:41 PM

wixom grower ( The Polish Hammer)

Oak Grove, Mn

I have a 55 gallon drum buried in the garden already that I connected a chiller to last summer and grew a hydro tomato. That would be an easy option since it is already in place i am thinking shallow wide basin if it is going to drop roots at every node. The other option would be to use an existing reservoir that I have and then as wixom says let it root past that in soil. I am a starting a test grow indoors. It should give me an idea of root structure and then can plan from there. One problem with a 10 x 10 tank...at nutrient change where do I drop a thousand gallons of solution.

2/21/2018 2:40:56 PM

Wixom MI.

Im no watermelon expert but 6 years ago i grew a 155 lb mellon and i found it difficult to grow roots at the leaf nodes !!! Maybe only 10% of the leaf nodes grew a root ? What is the best way to grow these roots ?

2/21/2018 3:33:14 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I did not see any sign of leaf node roots last year. Jeremy was saying he does not nothing and they form. I am wondering if that is the difference of humidity between this area and the south. For a hydro plant..I was thinking of covering the leaf nodes with a wet rag. That is how John Barlow got the leaf node roots on his hydro pumpkin. Would it hurt to bury the nodes, for my plant that is going to be in soil?

2/21/2018 4:12:40 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Bnot we are talking about one big family pool. Guessing 4ft high by maybe 40 ft around. Most of my melons would root down but not at each node. I used different type of weed fabric and the pro stuff they didn't root through. The melons seemed to be 10 to 20 pounds lighter when using the 10-20 year vs the 5 year. However the five year didn't last the summer either.

2/21/2018 5:36:21 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Bill, that is too big..unless I wanted to try a hydro pumpkin. I have seeds soaking now...going to put them into a 3 ft x 3 ft reservoir. That should be big enough to get an idea if I can get some leaf node roots. I am getting excited for the summer...it is fun to try new techniques.

2/21/2018 5:54:34 PM

Cancersurvivor

Spring Hope, N.C. - USA

bob need your address got some seed for you.

2/21/2018 8:17:33 PM