From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Canada

I know its a bit late in the season for asking this
question but id like to find out as much as possible
between now and next years growing season

Is it ok to pollinate a Male flower to and female flower
from the same plant? may it be pumpkin or watermellon
or any other type of plants?

Or is it better to pollinate from a male flower from one
plant to another plant or does this really matter?

i just thought i would ask seeing i only planted ONE watermellon plant this season and i pollinated all my female flowers with male flowers from the same plants
yes they are growing ( at a slow pace) seeing i didnt get any flowers till about 3 weeks ago why are some of my watermellons a lightish green and others are a dark deep green?

thanks again

DaveM

9/7/2003 3:47:17 PM

Ypsilanti Michigan

If you want to save seed for next year then pollinate from the same plant. Other plants from the same seed will give you the same results. Anything else mixed in will bring changes. You might get a pumpkinmelon, or waterpumpkins,Ha Ha. It's never too late for questions like this. Nothing like brushing up for next year. My melons are slowing down some also. The light green ones could still be rolling along, while the dark ones are slowing down. If you have too many melons on one plant, they will be kinda small because the plant can only do so much.

9/7/2003 5:43:45 PM

Canada

OK so what your saying is I have too many mellons on the same plant HA HA..and your probably right ya know something
dureing the entire growing season all i got was amle flowers
it wasnt intill 3 weeks ago that the females started to arrive and i went crazy and started pollinating them Id like to get at least ONE good eating size one for this year
when i planted the mellon as a young plant from the nursery
there was 2 plants which i planted togethor in the same hill

NOW problem is i have 2 which are BIG ( about the same size) and roughly 6-7 others that are smaller do you suggest i take ALL OFF and just leave the one and see it were gets me?

do you suggest cutting all the ends of the plants off so no more growth can happen ( seeing its really starting to take off now or what do you suggest?

thanks again

dave

9/7/2003 11:12:29 PM

Ypsilanti Michigan

I thought Id never see a female on my plant. You did right to pollinat them. WOW! sounds like you have a strong plant over there. You have two plants twisted together? You'll have to trace the mains to determin which vines have fruit on them, or else you may pull a fruit that should of stayed. If you can get at least one fruit on each plant, then that would be the way to go. It's probably going to be difficult to get to the base of your plants with vines and all. Your two biggies are most likely drawing from each plant. In the forums somewhere they talk about pruning melons, and dealing with secondary vines. If you can get to them, pull the weakest fruit off to give more to the big ones. If your ends get too long, then trim them down some so they can't starve the plant.

9/7/2003 11:45:50 PM

Canada

well today I cut off all ( total of 5) new ones which i pollintaed ( they were all small) i'm now stuck with 2 larger size ones both are on the same plant but one is on main vine and other is on secondary vine but both are on same plant one is Light green and one is DARK green id like to get ONE big one out this year and i know i gotta cut one off but its A HARD CHOICE TO MAKE what one do i cut off? the lighter one thats an off light green or the dark green one?

Dave growing season is comeing to an end in about 1 months time so need to make a choice ASAP

thanks again

9/9/2003 1:55:00 AM

Montoursville, PA

Your choice.....takes guts. :) When removing the one you want to cull do it in steps. Slice maybe one third the vine three days apart. That will help reduce a spurt to the one remaining. Over all I should think in most instances I would keep the one on the main. Still your choice!

9/9/2003 10:21:46 AM

Canada

Well today was the big day over the past week and a half
ive been watching the2 remaining watermellons i had growing on the plant one was the darker one and the other was the lighter green one well the lighter green one was seeming to
grow a tad faster then the smaller dark green one so i snapped the darker one off the vine this afternoon also because some stupid rabbit invaded my garden and decided to
take ONE small bite out of the darker one so i thought that was the best one to take

as far as the very last one i have left growing on the vine

so over time i remove the rest of the vines off that plant that are in the garden so its left with the one single vine
and watermellon that way everything goes right to this plant or just leave it be?

Dave

9/11/2003 1:47:40 PM

Montoursville, PA

I would keep the primary and all the secondaries. Remove the rest. That is rule of thumb for many growers.

9/11/2003 6:24:55 PM

Canada

Well since takeing off the other watermellon
and trimming here and there day by day ( dont want to do it
all at once as been told not too) the ONLY watermellon i
got left now is about the size of an BIG orange and growing
FAST!! days are getting shorter and nights are getting colder Yesterday i built and Framed Box which in the inside
i put a layer of thick plastic and on the outside a thick later of plastic box is around 4t x 4t x 2 ft high and i put that over my water mellon covers the entire plant
and the mellon as well at the bottom i currently have a 4x4
block of wood in each corner so it

one. doesnt get too hot in the inside and roast the plant

and

2. it allows air flow threw
and

3. a night it keeps the plant safe from getting TOO cold
and keeping the frost of IF we get any seeing its been getting down to like 5 degs at night its getting kinda iffy

was this a good choice or waste of time?

Dave

9/13/2003 1:46:57 AM