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formerly RGG

When I last raised Carolina Cross watermelons some 20 years ago I remember picking out a good shaped early melon and letting it be the only melon on the plant.I had 4 plants and ended up with 3 melons slighty over 100 pounds and a fourth that was slightly under.In my current situation, I barely have room for a single plant.As you can imagine, it is a very well cared for plant.Reading posts from different growers I am aware that most of you set more than one melon per plant and let them grow awhile befroe thinning down to a single melon per plant.My question to you is this: How many melons should I initially set on my plant and how long should I wait befroe making a decision on which one to keep?
Thanks for any replies,
Dennis Masterson

6/18/2008 7:36:11 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I set them all up to around July 4th, and then I cull from that point forward. I then start culling the set fruit, and there usually isn't that many based on shape, length of fruit at pollination time, and finally vine position. I hope this helps.

6/19/2008 9:37:41 AM

Bowdon, GA

Melon man what is the best vine position? Iwas also wandering my fastest growing melon is not very pretty it has a funny shape to it, but it is ahead of all the others. It was pollinated 7 days ago and is 14" long and 7" in diameter. Is this good? I never can remember from year to year how fast they grow.

6/19/2008 11:52:56 AM

formerly RGG

Melon Man, thanks for the good information.Holloway, 14" in just 7 days? That is an incredible growth rate.I'd hang on to that one for sure!Let us know how it turns out.

6/19/2008 6:47:41 PM

formerly RGG

Hey Holloway - I believe vine size has a great deal to do with how fast a melon grows.So, if you don't mind me asking, just how big is the vine this week old giant has set on?

6/19/2008 8:46:27 PM

Bowdon, GA

The vines are much larger than I have ever had. They are about 12ft long from stem, but have filled out to almost circles 12ft in radius. The trick is going to be keeping them alive full term. It is already very dry here. I started out good last year but no matter how much I watered it didn't seem to keep up with this drought we are in down here. My father in law-grew a 117 and an 87 on the same vine last year with very little maintenace and watering. He used a lot of mulch to help with the water. I'm doing the same this year hope it works. Don't think I drowned them this year. Right now I'm just praying for some rain. I've already given up on the pumpkins the heat has really stressed them, but maybe I can pull a decent melon.

6/20/2008 6:09:35 PM

formerly RGG

Holloway,thanks for the reply.It was extremely dry here last summer also.My vine is just about as big as yours.My melons however are just beginning to set.I have been pushing this plant really hard and am concerned I may end up over fertilizing it or over watering it.Just now though, it looks pretty darn good.It will look much better when some nice shaped melons start swelling up on it.I am running my vines on straw with black plastic mulch underneath.I water about 3 gallons of diluted soluble fertilize and fish emulsion twice a day.It has been cooler and somewhat cloudy the past few days and I am hoping for lots of sunshine and heat in the coming days.

6/20/2008 6:46:11 PM