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sevierville, Tn

ok here's the choice. Small(120 sq ft) plant. No more time to set new, so these are your choices.

Think nice shape melon long stem on a small finger vine. Melon is open pollinated probally 10 days old today. about the same OTT as the main one at the same age.

Think dipper gourd shaped melon very short stem but doable on the big main vine. Controled pollination. Growing on a good pace OTT wise but the shape means its probally not what the OTT says. Now 13 days old .

What would you do????????

7/26/2011 2:48:06 PM

sevierville, Tn

It looks like the gourd shaped one is improving slowly....but no clue if it will continue, but i'm shue it will never look "normal"

7/26/2011 2:50:48 PM

Garner, NC

If that were in my patch, I would go with the 10day melon. I open pollinate, so that wouldn't bother me. I personal just don't like the odd shaped melon. But the gourd might end up as gourdzilla, you never know.

7/26/2011 3:18:25 PM

Trinity River Bottom

I would for sure go with the open pollinated melon for size and shape.. but you could go with the gourd shape if you were just wanting the genetics from the cross you made.Nothing wrong with an open pollinated melon every now and then.. go with shape and size..

7/26/2011 3:21:28 PM

Indiana

is 120 sq ft big enough to get a great melon? If not, keep both. Fugly for seeds, and Perdy for shape.

7/26/2011 4:15:40 PM

Forest Hill,md.

Same here, shape with the size.10 day melon !

7/26/2011 4:17:38 PM

SW Ohio

If the difference between the 2 ends is not so much, I think I would go with the gourd shaped melon on the big main vine that is already growing at a good pace. The fatter end should make up for the skinnier end when it's all said and done unless it's really a big difference.
120 sq ft is not a ton of plant. I think your best shot at getting some serious weight on a fruit with a small plant is to use that big main vine set.
Just my opinion though. I am hardly expert at growing melons LoL

7/26/2011 5:08:56 PM

formerly RGG

Chris, I would go with the one on the small finger vine. Most of my melons are on fingers this year due to that was where the first decent melon appeared. The vine will thicken up nicely as it begin to feed the melon. I really don't think the fact it's on a small secondary should sway your judgement much. Only go with the one on the main if you think it will out perform the other one. And there are lots of good seeds being produced and you still have plenty of time to produce controlled pollination seed melons so that should not come into play if you are growing this one for competition.

7/26/2011 5:45:43 PM

formerly RGG

Hey Chris,aren't you glad everyone is in agreement on this one ? LOL

7/26/2011 5:46:35 PM

Bowdon, GA

In the spirit of making sure no two of us give the same answer. Same OTT, same age, if the ends aren't too different that it won't straighten out. Go with the longest one. Of coarse it don't matter which one you pick you'll still beat me. LOL

7/26/2011 6:49:29 PM

sevierville, Tn

well the ends are NOT close. i did a girth about 2 inches in from each end.
Stem end = 14 inches
blossem end = 29 inches.

see, not even close.

7/26/2011 6:59:37 PM

sevierville, Tn

tom, well 120sq ft is all it gets, so we we see.

Todd, Gourdzilla is a good name for it !

Dennis, the finger is the size of a pencil, the main is like one of the kids fat pencils.

7/26/2011 7:03:04 PM

sevierville, Tn

The charts say i should go with the younger open polinated one. I guess i just had my heart set on the main vine one. If the melon was even shaped, it would be my biggest at that age ever. REALLY PISSES ME OFF !

Yea, I know , 10 days really means nonething. Going to think about it till dark.

Thanks for the input, keep posting, you may save a melons life ! LOL

7/26/2011 7:12:25 PM

Sevierville,tn

LOL It is what it is!

7/26/2011 9:15:52 PM

Bethlehem CT

Hey Chris I would go with your instincts on this one, They are what got you to where you are!

7/26/2011 9:20:44 PM

Corryton, TN

Go with the gourd!! Most of us would cut. We're average and don't take to many chances.---- Its the only way you will ever know what could have been

7/26/2011 9:47:03 PM

sevierville, Tn

Well they got a another night to grow. the morning tape will be the key, someone dies at sunrise ! Well maybe 9am LOL

7/26/2011 10:36:51 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Startin to sound like the shoot out at the OK Corral!!! I hope the "tape" brings you greatness!!! Fun post!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...maybe one more day?

7/26/2011 11:28:08 PM

Arden, NC

Geez Chris why not give them both a 10 day reprieve and see if Gourdzilla straightens out. Two melons growing on that small of a plant isn't that big a deal. Unless you don't have any other competative melons (and I seriously doubt that) let em both live for another 10 days and see what happens. That's my "take".

7/26/2011 11:37:53 PM

sevierville, Tn

LOL , its my experiment plant, i just want it to do well. Of cource i have lots of other competive melons. This one just makes it fun !

Its doc gourdzilla vs the straight eight kid !

7/26/2011 11:54:20 PM

Lexington,IN

I'm in the same situation Chris. Biggest is pear shaped, to the max. Another open pollinated is sorta pear shaped. Both on your 230. On the 291, all I have seen is pear/gourd shaped melons. I think it's a stress related issue due to extreme heat this year. I'll prolly end up keeping one of the pear shaped ones on the 291, at least it's the cross I was looking for this year, looks like it'll be a seed melon...

7/27/2011 10:01:00 AM

Corryton, TN

I didn't make it to the front of the saloon. Who won? It's past high noon.

Did we have a shoot-out or was it all a bunch of chest bulging yammerin'

7/27/2011 1:58:18 PM

sevierville, Tn

they each forgot their bullets, when i measured this am, neither had grown enough to win, So i'll do the deed tonight, but it now looks like the kid's gonna win.

7/27/2011 2:45:28 PM

Muddy Waters

Go with the odd shaped, you said it was your experiment plant!!I m probably late u done chopped her!!LOL

7/27/2011 9:36:31 PM

sevierville, Tn

I cut "gourdzilla" Neither melon grew well today, so someone had to go. Pict posted so you will see what they looked like when approved in MsJanets diarey.

7/27/2011 10:56:08 PM

SW Ohio

I just took a look at Gourdzilla. You made the right choice LoL

7/28/2011 8:37:14 AM

Corryton, TN

Dang it was ugly!

7/28/2011 8:51:57 AM

formerly RGG

Gourdzilla looks a lot like my 194 Brinkley AKA 40 pounds.But I would take my 100 Masterson in a ugly contest over any melon I have seen. You did the right thing Chris. But then it seems you always do.

7/28/2011 9:00:34 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Time for a group hug?....LMAO!

7/28/2011 3:11:46 PM

Muddy Waters

lol

7/28/2011 8:32:16 PM

Gatlinburg, TN

Gourdzilla is not ugly! It makes a very lovely table centerpiece. :)

7/28/2011 8:36:12 PM

Muddy Waters

Dang shes a beauty! You cut the wrong 1 Dang Burn it!!

7/28/2011 8:37:56 PM