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Alabama

I crossed your 213 melon with a 162lbs I grew last year, the 162 developed a root problem and the vine died when the melon had been on it about 30 days. Today the cross is at 33 inches girth at 16 days post pollination (60lbs est). This is 5 inches more than any melon I have ever grown. I just hope it continues this incredible growth rate. Thanks for the seeds.

Cliff

7/12/2009 4:32:07 PM

formerly RGG

That is incredible smoky mtn.Sounds like you are well on your way to a 200+ pounder. How long is this incredible melon? It mut be putting on more than 5 pounds a day. Think what it might do if we put together some sunny days instead of all these partly cloudy ones we have been having.

7/12/2009 7:38:13 PM

formerly RGG

Sorry Alabama & smoky mtn. I see I directed this to the wrong person.Anyway, wow I wish I could see this one grow. I hope it continues doing well & you win something nice with it Alabama.

7/12/2009 7:43:31 PM

Alabama

Tennessee Dreamer, Thanks for the encouragement, Its a long melon 4 1/2 centimeters prior to pollination, and your right we have had three days of clouds thats slowing down my other melons. I will get some photo's up on this site for you to see.

7/12/2009 9:55:06 PM

sevierville, Tn

Cliff, Wow I sure hope that keeps growing ! My 213 is a fat fruit, but it was only a 2.7 cm at pollination. Mine is on a finger doing mid 4 lbs per day. I had a set on the main, but it was very short so i cut it off in favor of the other. 4.5 cm is great, the best i have seen this year is 3.0

7/13/2009 7:48:23 AM

sevierville, Tn

Cliff, Is that on the main or a finger & how far out from the stump ? Thanks

7/13/2009 2:40:02 PM

Bowdon, GA

Hey Cliff I got two nice melons set on your 195 and 199 they look nearly identical. They are keeping up with the 255 Mitchell no problem. So far my best one is on a 197 Mudd yesterday afternoon day 14 It estimated close to 45 lbs with 33in girth but it is not a real long melon. 60lbs at 16 days is very impressive, can't wait to see what it does. Chris thought I'd let you know my dad's best melon is on your 213. Despite clouds flooding and some wind damage I'm way ahead of last year to so far. Thanks Chris, Cliff, and Frank. I hope we all have a great year this year. Good Luck

7/13/2009 5:01:44 PM

Alabama

1 and 3/4 in today so its keeping up a good growth rate despite the clouds. To answer all the questions: its on the main vine about 9ft out from the stump. The vine is well rooted the 213 vine is about double the size of my other vines that I started at the same time (199 and 162). This year in Feb. I added 3 yards of sand and 2 yards of cotten seed mill to the patch. I have two other 213's planted in the better area of the patch that are getting ready to start setting melons.

Best of luck to all.

Cliff

7/13/2009 9:09:06 PM

Alabama

Sorry, 34.75 girth 23in length, I had to move it a little today to adjust the tape and center it on the board, I estimate the weight at around 75lbs

7/13/2009 9:17:44 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Boy I wish my 251 Mudd had some length, its 57 inch girth now.

7/13/2009 9:33:17 PM

formerly RGG

I know we went over this last season but what do we mean by girth? Is this the shortest way around the fattest part of the melon; like taking my waist measurement? If that is so then you must have one heck of a big fat melon Marty.

7/13/2009 11:10:58 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Yes it is fat. The circumference is only 72 inches. It may end up almost round by fair time. I will get pictures up soon.

7/14/2009 7:16:06 AM

sevierville, Tn

So far you all are ahead of me, & i'm ahead of last year. Maybe we will all have a great season ! Good luck to all.
Post some pictures !

Marty, wow thats sounds like 1 fat melon !

7/14/2009 2:20:03 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

My 2003 White 187 had a girth of 57.5 inches. Of course it hand a circumference of 88.5 so we are definitely not that different.

Personally, my patch is so far behind that I am still selecting melons to cull. Heck, I still pollinated some fruit this morning. What can you say, it just wasn't good weather this spring.

7/14/2009 2:46:04 PM

formerly RGG

My best melon so far is on the plant that had the double vine on it. I culled the melon that had set on just past the double vine because this one was doing a little better. It was 111" OTT this evening = 37.4 pounds. It isn't skinny like my melon was last year. The length is fair for it's age and that is 19" and it seems to be lengthing about one inch a day right now.I hope it will keep that up for a while. I will post a picture in my growers diary.

Dennis

7/14/2009 10:26:30 PM

sevierville, Tn

Dennis , How old is it ? It looks like it will be a good one !

7/15/2009 2:05:35 PM

formerly RGG

Thanks Chris,it was open pollenated so I'm not exactly sure but it set on somewhere near the end of June.

7/15/2009 5:51:26 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Posted pictures of melons.I still have plants without melons still. running out of time fast!

7/15/2009 9:37:09 PM

formerly RGG

Awesome melon Marty. You are right;too bad it doesn't have any length.My best qrowing melon grew 4.7 pounds in the last day if my OTT measurements are correct. The OTT is 120 and that equals 45.6 pounds.Looks like it could top 100 pounds in about 2 more weeks.I hope my good luck holds up.

7/16/2009 9:08:57 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

Man those are great numbers Dennis! I hope they keep up for you. Melons are still growing here but record cold weather is on the way. We may break 100 year record for low highs and lows. The next 5 days are highs in the low 70s or 60s and lows in the 50s to 48 degrees.

7/16/2009 9:35:08 PM

formerly RGG

Record cold is ahead here also they tell us. The record low is 60 and the forecast is for 58. My black plastic helps keep things heated up. I just wish we weren't having so much rain, wind & clouds.Too bad we can't all afford large greenhouses so as to put us in control of growing conditions.

7/17/2009 7:07:58 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

We have just had one solid week of thick clouds, no rain, and high temps in the 50's. Had my crystal ball worked, I would have forgone the melons this year, and planted all cabbage, broccoli, and spinach.

7/20/2009 10:37:56 AM

formerly RGG

I'm so sorry to hear that James. It's been cooler than melons like it even here in eastern Tennessee. Lows have broken records (upper 50's) and the high for the past 3 days hasn't even gotten to 80.Every year is different and there is no way of knowing what is in store.

7/20/2009 5:34:58 PM