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Rochester, Minnesota

I have sprouted so many watermelons that you would think that I was in the business. But I currently have around 40 plants in dirt at this point.

I tried three different ways.
1) Just sand and put in soil.
2) Just sand and put in wet paper towel
3) Sand, soak in 10% Hydrogen Peroxide 90% water in wet paper towels.

At this point I can't tell a startling difference between each of the methods.

My choices for including in the garden this year are:
225 White 2006
218 White 2005
211 White 2006
202 White 2006
172 White 2006 (really big seeds)
#5 White 2007 (no weight taken, but had a great plant and big seeds)
157 James (225 White x 247 Bright) Thanks Victor!
146 James (247 Bright x 225 White) Thanks Victor!

In the end there will be 10 plants in the garden, and the rest on the compost pile, unless there other crazy people like me that need my replacement plants.

How's everyone else doing?

3/19/2008 11:24:04 AM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

3 melons up for the Iowa State fair.

255 Mitchell
231 Mitchell
200.5 Mitchell

Have 2 spots about ready and working on the 3rd spot.

3/19/2008 7:58:50 PM

Waitakere New Zealand

hi You guys are starting yours, We are going to weigh 2 of Fleurs at the GPC weighoff at the Easter shoe comming saturday

3/19/2008 11:45:58 PM

Sage, Arkansas

What are the current outside temperatures where you are growing these melons?

3/20/2008 12:59:13 AM

Waitakere New Zealand

we are just getting to fall though the temps still say summer running 22-28C except for the nights which are cooling now

3/20/2008 5:09:34 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

Sorry should have been clear. These are started indoors in pots, to be transplanted into very large pots, and then outdoors around mid May. I seriously plan to have a 3 to 5 foot vine as they go in the garden.

As for the temperature, I didn't even let my dog sleep out last night.

3/20/2008 9:22:38 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I'll wait another week or so before we start ours. This year's seeds will be:

255 Mitchell
235 Donkers
207.6 Hunt
207.5 Donkers or 168 Johnson

Hopefully we can keep the moles from digging around & killing our plants this year. If the weather is good this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see a new WR grown somewhere in the Northern US or Canada. Marv Mitchell was only a few pounds away with his 255 last year.

Phil

3/20/2008 10:05:54 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I'm going to get started tonight or tomorrow. My patch is still white with snow and we might get another 6-12" in next 36 hours. I'm not going to get in too much of a hurry.

3/20/2008 12:48:00 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Phil, what r u plannin for mole protection??? I got voles, I think, chewin up all my bulb type flowers!!! What should I do?
PS...back on topic!!! Is sprouting in smaller pots, then moving them into bigger containers better than starting them in larger (1gal) pots? Thanks to all, for all the help!!! Peace, Wayne

3/20/2008 2:38:04 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

The only reason I start in smaller pots is space. This allows me to start 40, select for best looking plants, and then transplant into large pots. I will reduce from 40 down to 16 or so. Wow! I am going to be mixing a lot of potting soil. I also start about 300 other garden plants so it's a busy time.

3/20/2008 5:09:52 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

Mole protection? I use Nash choker loop traps. I have a lot of sand in my garden, so they are easy to set and push into the ground. As soon as I see the pushed up soil runs, I set the traps. I don't get a lot of them, but I will catch maybe 8 of the critters a year. It does keep the damage down.

3/20/2008 5:12:21 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I should have added on the mole traps, that I have three of them I set to increase my odds of getting the mole.

I try to warn the wife about them when I put them in the yard, since they are not pretty when they come out the mower chute.

3/20/2008 5:14:05 PM

Rochester, MN

Let the season begin! Even if the garden is full of snow!
I kept one from my germination tests from 3/5/2008...so that one is big...but started 25 seeds on 3/17/2008 and 21 of them are now up and growing! My best year ever with watermelon germination...went to heating mats, domes, plus warm grow lights and kept it around 90 degrees.

These are seeds that made it:
255 Mitchell 07 (168 Johnson 98 x 157 Bright (grew 268.6 WR))
231 Mitchell 07 (219 Edwards x 157 Bright)
223 Mitchell 07 (219 Edwards x 268 Bright)
207 Brinkley 06
157 James 07 (225 White x 246 Bright)
146 James 07 (246 Bright x 225 White)
225 White 06
195 Bhaskaran 07 (41.5" bowers)
41.5" Bowers
201 Bright (long and slender genetics)
172 Bhaskaran (218 White)

I'll for 10 in the garden this year ;-). Plus I have requests for about 10 plants from other growers ;-)

Anyways, good to all this year...if we don't dry up....I'll have a lot of time on my hands this summer!!

David Bhaskaran
Rochester, MN

3/22/2008 2:59:39 PM