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sevierville, Tn

Any benchmarks that you guys know ? As i'm new to melons , i don't know whats good growth. My melon is on the main vine. Only one on the plant. Its 20 days old today and weighs by the chart 60 lbs & growing 5 lbs a day. Is this good,bad or ugly ?? Thanks !

7/25/2008 3:32:09 PM

Bowdon, GA

That's about the same size mine was at day 20. Mine weighed 62 at day 20 and at that time was gaining 5lbs per day. Shortly after that it slowed to 2.5-3lbs per day. They really seem to do alot of growing between day 14 and 20. Wish I could have kept it up. Anyway mine is about day 45 and weighs in the 140's. Don't know what your shootin for but sounds like it's doing well to me. Oh do you have a shade over it? That helps alot. Good Luck

7/25/2008 10:03:56 PM

sevierville, Tn

Holloway, yes i put up shade, Going to try the board thing MMM sugested. mine is in a low spot that gets wet if it rains too much. I would like 200 lbs if thats not too much to expect. :) Last years was 42 lbs, so i'm happy with whatever i get from here.

7/26/2008 6:11:45 PM

Bowdon, GA

Sounds like it's doing well, you need to keep that 5lbs a day up as long as possible. It will slow down some later. If you keep it healthy till it stops growing I think you will be very pleased with it. One mistake I made the first year I grew giant melons was picking it to early. I picked it when the tendrils turned brown and the bottom turned yellow (good indicators for normal melons). I didn't realize that giant melons grow long after this. Keep good tabs on the measurements and don't pick it until it stops growing. Good luck Hope you do make it to 200.

7/26/2008 11:20:07 PM

Alabama

Hi Smoky mtn pumpkin, I am new to the forum, I have been a member of the Yahoo giant watermelon chat group for years but it has died. I have been growing melons for several years now and quit using the OTT scale for daily measurements. I place a tape around the melon when its about 50lbs and record the circumference daily. I will only take OTT measurements about every 10 days because they are difficult and you can disturb the melon and its root system. I use a benchmark system for growth

30 days – 45cir
45 days – 55cir
60 days – 60cir

If you can meet or exceed these benchmarks you are going to have a monster melon, right now I have several that are looking good one at 31 days-47.5cir (150 OTT) the other 23 days 42cir (121 OTT)

I am also trying to grow a pumpkin this year, it looks about as large as one of these medicine balls you use for back pain, maybe 300lbs? any advice would be appreciated.

7/28/2008 5:24:56 PM

sevierville, Tn

1SG My circumference seem alot bigger then your references. Mine on sunday was 22 days old. cir=59 , ott was 129. If i can keep the critters from nibbling on it , i may get a big one.
as for pumpkins....keep the growth steady, watch for bugs & diseases & spray. They are alot harder and seem to take more work then melons.

7/29/2008 2:27:54 PM

Bowdon, GA

Are you talking about circumference around the belly or long ways?

7/30/2008 6:39:48 PM

Alabama

Around the belly

7/31/2008 11:14:58 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

Maybe I am wrong, but I normally define circumference as around the melon horizontal to the ground. I call around the belly as girth.

When I track measures, I take:
Side to side OTT
End to end OTT
Circumference
Girth
Visual Straight length

The first three of course are used in the table measurement for OTT weight estimation.

7/31/2008 12:02:16 PM

sevierville, Tn

I take the measures the same way as a pumpkin. If thats wrong please tell me ??? Thanks

7/31/2008 12:37:09 PM

Western NY

the watermelon chart was designed to reflect measurements taken the same way as pumpkins are measured, i believe.

7/31/2008 2:48:51 PM

Bowdon, GA

The 245 pound melon I got my seeds out of was only 59" in circumference around belly. A 60" girth is one heck of a melon. I quess I'm way behind.

8/1/2008 5:31:51 PM

Alabama

Sorry for creating any confusion, when I am referring to circumference it’s the same as girth.

Its actually not that difficult to achieve a 60” circumference, I have seen a 245lb melon with a 66” circumference. So don’t anyone think your behind the curveball if you cant achieve 60”

As far as my melons are going, we have had rain showers almost everyday in North Alabama for the last ten days, they have slowed down because of the lack of sunshine. My pumpkin on the other-hand has enjoyed the cooler days that the rain brings. Every day I see it I shake my head in amazement.

8/4/2008 2:24:41 PM

Jonesville, NC

I have lost my chart. Can anyone send me one? Email to j_911_m@yahoo.com

Thanks.

8/11/2008 9:27:10 PM

formerly RGG

I'll try.

8/11/2008 10:10:49 PM

Western NY

http://greatpumpkincommonwealth.com/resources.php

8/12/2008 8:26:38 AM