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sevierville, Tn

Anyone know what kind they were back then. All the ones were dark green. When the started again in the 70's they were like the carolina cross's we grow now. Here's the link to the photo. http://www.giantwatermelons.com/1935.html

9/2/2008 9:06:35 AM

Western NY

I have no idea, but except for the more rounded shape, it's possible it is related, but the old-timey photo doesn't show the true coloring of the stripes well.

9/2/2008 9:23:48 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

I grew them a couple years back. They are called blue rind watermelons.

9/2/2008 10:01:21 AM

Bowdon, GA

I maybe wrong but I think there was a variety in the early 1900s called Triumph. Most of those giant blue rinds were of this variety, but I've heard that all the seeds were lost. The Brights do sell some giant blue rind seeds but I'm not sure what variety they are. Another variety that produces large melons that was first introduced in the 1880's is the Cobb's Gem. I've grown them before but don't know were you could find some good seeds

9/2/2008 11:40:17 AM

sevierville, Tn

Thanks guys, when you consider how big it was back then, make one wonder how they would do today. I saw the Brights blue rind melons, but they didn't seem to be anywhere near 200 lbs. Hard to tell in photos.
Minnesota Melon Man, how did yours do?

9/2/2008 12:34:47 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I didn't give my blue rinds ideal garden space, so they under produced. I wasn't even able to recover seed from them.

There are so many things I like to grow, and only so much space, even in a 6,300+ sq ft garden. It's tough to spread yourself so thin.

9/2/2008 1:52:17 PM

Bowdon, GA

The pics on giant watermelons are of a 62 pounder I think. But the Brights have seed stock from a 156. Don't know anything about it though. I'd like to give some of the other big varieties a try in a patch isolated from my CCs but We really have to fight the deer here if it's not in the back yard. And your right there was a 195 pound blue rind that held the record for decades before the Brights pushed the Carolina Cross to the front. Image what they might be if they hadn't been lost. Wonder if anyone knows were we could get some good blue rind or cobb gem seeds?

9/4/2008 9:50:55 PM

sevierville, Tn

Holloway, here a link to some Kolb's Gem Watermelon i found on the net http://www.vegetableseed.net/heirloom-vegetable-seeds/melon-seeds/watermelon-seeds/kolb-gem-watermelon-seeds.html

9/4/2008 10:13:09 PM