From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Gays Mills,WI

What is a good date to set a melon, and how many days until mature?

6/18/2007 7:59:09 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Anytime from now until July 15th for the CC melons if your looking for a real big one (150 lbs +). I'm not sure of the # of days until mature, but we've had pollinations @ June 25 & they are still growing the last week in Sept, if the weather is decent. Maybe someone else on here knows the exact # of days.

Phil

6/19/2007 6:19:01 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

Most of my 10 plants have already set watermelons, but I still pollinating. I consider June 20th to July 1st to be the glory time for setting. I can't seem to get a melon over 170 unless it is pollinated before July 1st.

6/19/2007 9:07:52 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

As for maturity, my melons are generally completely ripe, but not yellowing by competition time, although I did have one that was over ripe once, I think it was other factors that caused that. That's why I am still pollinating, since I might not go with my early set melon.

I have found that if I don't pollinate early, I miss my chance of setting a melon on the primary vine. All my past 200+ melons have all been pollinated on secondary vines.

6/19/2007 9:10:56 AM

southwest MO

Melon man, Do you actually train your melon vines like pumpkin vines? That being one main with secondarys in sort of a christmas tree pattern?
Is it your experience the looong ones grow bigger no matter where they are?
If your already setting melons in Minnesota, when did you start them?

6/19/2007 3:46:11 PM

Gays Mills,WI

Thanks for the info,I have been picking off the little fruits until last week. Several should be ready to pollinate in the next few days.

6/19/2007 9:00:05 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Train my vines? I try, but they end up going all over. I train them by moving them and pinning them down. I do not clip vines, because I think with the smaller leaves than pumpkins, you need more leaves to get the same effect for the plant.

My experience is that the longer the female fruit before pollination, the longer the finished fruit.

I started my plants around March 7th. The plants went in the garden around May 10th and were around 3 to 4 feet long. I know this is early for me, but the weather was nice, and I had to switch gears to get ready for my daughters graduation party.

I have noticed that my melons on the primary vines are quite misshapen. Some are okay, but many I will not go with. Even brand new un-pollinated females are sometimes banana shaped, or round. I might end up with fruit pollinated on secondary vines after all.

Good luck growing.

6/26/2007 1:47:54 PM

Ohio

Hey, Minnesota Melon Man. Can you e-mail me.I have a few questions for you. clarkreeb@horizonview.net Thank you Danny Reeb

6/29/2007 2:58:02 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Sorry Danny, I didn't see your post. I just emailed you as you asked.

7/3/2007 3:22:03 PM