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formerly RGG

I let the first melon to pollinate on my vine to grow even though it was improperly polinated.It has a small "bottle neck" the first few inches on the stem end.This grows very slowly compared to the rest of the melon.My initial thinking was it might grow out of this.It was hard to tell what the other smaller melons might have looked like; but,at least some of them had the same problem.

One night on impulse I decided to remove all the smaller melons.I even removed the small unfertilized ones. The one melon is now a little over 2 weeks old and is about 17" in length.The part that is growing is growing well.I just know that it would be considerably larger if it was a properly polinated melon that looked normal instead of a misshaped poorply polinated one with a bottle neck.Perhaps this melon will achieve a fair size anyway.I just don't know.I do know I will not make this mistake again.

6/30/2008 9:12:24 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I normally pollinate everything for the first few weeks and sort it out later. I don't know how much of a pear shape the melon has so I don't know if it will grow out of it. I do know they sometimes do.

I normally don't cull until I am absolutely sure. The plant should support a number of small melons for a while.

7/1/2008 9:34:24 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

I would add that years ago, I set some pear shaped melons, and they managed to make 120 pounds or so. That should take a fair.

7/1/2008 11:14:37 AM

formerly RGG

Once again, thanks for the reply Melon Man.Your words are a bit encouraging.As I said,the melon has been growing at a good pace of about an inch a day and today is a good 18" long.I don't think it'll be able to keep up that pace for long though.I would like to email you a digital picture so that you might give me a more informed opinion.If you will send me an email at coolvol@comcast.net or otherwise give me your email address,I will get a photograph to you.Thanks again.

7/1/2008 4:35:31 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

You can email me at james@rconnect.com I would be interested in seeing the picture.

7/2/2008 9:44:03 AM