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sevierville, Tn

How old does the melon have to be till the seeds are viable? I picked one at 15 days & was surprised to see some pink flesh. The seeds looked normal size, but when dried, there was nonething in them.

7/14/2010 1:51:14 PM

Corryton, TN

I don't have the answer. I had one from a 199 Knight that went down with YVD this year at 33 days. Harvested the melon then ate it 4 days later. Since I can't stand to eat watermelons, go figure, I have to go on reports on how they taste and it was said the heart was good but the rest needed more time. The seeds appeared to be mature but I didn't keep any to test or open.

7/14/2010 5:00:28 PM

Deep South, USA

My past research indicates that the melon needs to be fully ripe in order to obtain viable seed.

I'm not really sure myself. I saved some seed from one unripe melon last year, but haven't tested it. They looked full size, but I was unwilling to take a chance in planting them.

Maybe the seed coat develops fully before the plant embyro even starts?

7/14/2010 7:00:40 PM

Navarre,OH

Don't know if this apply's to melons as the same with squash and zucchini's but I always waited till fully mature of course and harvested the seeds when the outside of the fruit started to soften.

7/14/2010 7:15:40 PM

formerly RGG

I know from some of the older growers on here that the seed are actually more viable on Carolina Cross melons that aren't fully mature.Seed from the completely mature melons are often difficult to germinate. These melons will grow for up to 90 days. What I think Chris wants to know is how long before 90 days do the seed become viable and at what point are they most viable.

7/14/2010 10:37:09 PM

Garner, NC

I planted a melon last year extremely late just for fun. It reached 88lbs before the frost got it. Keeping fingers crossed, it seems to be my best plant this year. I don't know if the age of the melon and it's seeds will have a effect the following year but so far so good.

7/14/2010 10:49:29 PM

Bowdon, GA

Dennis is correct a 60 day melon is alot easier to germinate than a 90 day melon. Chris that melon I pulled because the younger one was growing faster is still sitting in the barn it's about 50 lbs. I'll cut it open tommorrow and report back.

7/14/2010 11:31:04 PM

Deep South, USA

Does that mean then that other watermelon varieties will also have viable seed before ripening?

After thinking about it, that makes sense - I would think in the natural environment, long-season fruit like watermelons would have problems reproducing if they had to wait till full maturity for all their seeds to be viable.

The cows loved the unripe culls I fed them last year, surely some creatures in the watermelon's normal habitat would gladly feast on less than ripe melons.

I admit my research was very limited. I did not mean to mislead, I shouldn't have spoke up if I wasn't sure.

It's very handy to know that they don't have to fully ripen.
I'm going to try for at least one pure-bred melon.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what keeps the viable seeds from germinating while still sealed inside a watermelon?

7/15/2010 1:20:52 AM

sevierville, Tn

yoshi, pumpkin seeds will often germinate inside the pumpkin, but none of my melons did, don't know why.

7/15/2010 12:44:52 PM