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Bowdon, GA

Looked at your diary. "little boy" is on a roll, keep it going, Good Luck

8/21/2009 12:01:30 AM

Bowdon, GA

I know you don't know what each plant came from, but do you remember what seeds you had planted.

8/21/2009 12:49:50 AM

formerly RGG

Holloway,that is some canteloupe filling up your whole kitchen sink in your growers diary.Got any watermelons you can show us a picture of? I remember I had seed from James White, Frank Mudd, Dave Bhaskaran & Chris Kent. I had seed from a couple more growers also but I just don't remember who they were.

This watermelon plant of mine that is growing Little Boy has been challenged throughout it's life. It came up with just one cot and therefore grew very slowly. I about culled it several times because it was so small. I had killed my entire first round of plants and was having trouble getting enough good ones started. I had 10 hills and had nicer plants in every other hill than this one was. It was in the worst place in the garden anyway. It was way too close to a 70 foot White Oak in the neighbors yard. I thought it would never set a melon. I'm not sure exactly when it did set but I think it into the second week in July.This plant is still the smallest one in my patch and was run over by other plants on 2 sides. On the upper side it runs into my house. Well the plant below it died and I cut some fingers off of the one beside it to make more room. This plant has amazed me as I cannot believe the melon it is producing. It is charting over 190 pounds now and still putting on nearly four & a half pounds a day.Under better circumstances I think this plant could have grown one for the record book.

8/21/2009 9:51:32 PM

Bowdon, GA

I'll try to get some melon pics up soon. Your melon is still young and gaining alot of weight to be this late in the season. I think your going to have a really nice melon.

8/21/2009 11:42:23 PM

formerly RGG

Great looking patch Holloway. You have several very nice melons. I hope they continue to do well for you. Looks like you are bound to win somthing.

Dennis

8/24/2009 9:44:20 PM

sevierville, Tn

Jake, Those look great. That 255 looks really long too !
Just keep em healthy & you should have something to brag on.
Btw, The 213 you have, is the stem long ? & whats the shape of the melon ? Thanks.
Chris

8/24/2009 11:05:07 PM

Bowdon, GA

Hey Chris, most of the 213's that set were fat. I kept waiting for a long one and finally got one, but I'm afraid I waited a little to late. Same thing on the 251. The stem was long enough to reach all the way around the vine. The wind twisted it right after it set. It is hard to see the diesease damage in the photo most of it was covered up by new growth. I started recklessly fertilizing this week. I don't think I'll get a 200 so I thought I'd gamble a little. They picked up a good bit but still to slow.
Good luck

8/26/2009 10:45:54 PM

sevierville, Tn

How old is the 213 ? Seems like you have alot of season left down there.

8/27/2009 2:16:17 PM

Bowdon, GA

I not sure on the 213 and the 251 I quit keeping up with it by the time they set but it is much younger that the others. I probablly have plenty of time to get it to maturity, but it won't grow as good this late. I have never seen it this cool in August here. Not much sun this summer peaking through the rain either. It didn't hardly rain any up till about day 30, but after that it seems about 2 or 3 days of sun in a row is all I can get. I think the intense sun and lack of rain in June and part of July is why I did so good the first 30days.

8/27/2009 4:36:10 PM

Bowdon, GA

I did learn a few things this year that may help next year about our climate down here. Normal watermelons do great down here because they have a shorter season. Our plants grow fast here but keeping them healthly over a long season is difficult with heat and humidity. There don't seem to be as many giant growers down here, so there has been a alot of trial and a whole lot of error. Doug Adams has taught me alot about keeping them healthy longer, but I think he's still holding out on me a little just kidding Doug!

8/27/2009 4:44:55 PM