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South East

Is there anyone that grew over 250 lbs that does either or both. Pumpkin growing has done studies on both to establish parameters for both nutrients in soil and plant. Isnt it for the same in melons, or are some of you already working on it?

12/29/2011 6:06:43 PM

formerly RGG

I believe revealing soil test results would even up the playing field a lot. How about it Chris, Bill, Marvin, Mark ,Todd and some of you other heavy hitters. Any of you guys willing to make pubic the results of your soil tests ?

12/29/2011 7:49:08 PM

Muddy Waters

Yes I will,I dont keep any growing secrets,None!I will post in on my Diary!

12/29/2011 8:13:05 PM

formerly RGG

Awesome Mark, you are the man.Like the Cooks suggest it would help a lot of growers if there are studies done to determine what the optimum soil conditions are for growing giant watermelons. But then universities and soil testing labs have apparently already done some studies on growing commercial melons or they could not make recommendations. I think it will be interesting to see if the commercial recommendations vary any from the soil used by prize winning giant growers.

12/29/2011 9:07:00 PM

Corryton, TN

Did soil test here too. Results were put in the how to letter to GWG. I added what was recommended by the lab except for the sulfur. I was affraid of plant burn that close to planting. Also posted test results after season ended.

12/30/2011 7:06:29 AM

Muddy Waters

There up on diary,any Questions? ask here or shoot me an E-mail.Daves right our storys will be in newsletter hope to be out soon.Thanks for your patience.I used the sulfur in March to lower PH.I think it did burn plants in May,I explain this in my newsletter story.It takes sulfur 90 days to break down.This season sulfur went down in the fall.The biggest thing I learned this year is this.Once you put all this stuff in soil.you dont need to keep hitting the plant hard with fertz.Lite & steady wins the race.I hope to do even better in 2012.I can see now I was killing(slowing) my kins with too much fertz.(water souble).

12/30/2011 8:19:38 AM

Muddy Waters

That yellowed plant fruits(kins) aborting at 200 pds??= soil to hot? Melons never hit them hard I knew they wouldn't take it.I asked a HH this year how his melon was doing,he said it died.Same fertz as kins,same soil.it died??Turned brown & died.

12/30/2011 8:28:04 AM

Muddy Waters

I'm no X-purt TD,but I pretend to be one on BP!lol Do What I did get a soil test & take it to a real College edumacated pro.They will tell you what to add to your soil,if there not familar with the giants,let them know we are shooting for high calcium and ph around 6.5 to 7.5.If you cant find one shoot me your results & will take it to my guy for you.even a HH needs to keep an open mind & get a 2nd opinion.Don't always trust your competition,some guys are not sharing all they know with each other.They share 90% but not all.I believe,you become what you share,Its wide open Baby!

12/30/2011 8:45:08 AM

formerly RGG

I like your sharing spirit Mark.I really do feel the path to monster size melons is in the soil. My soil has yet to be tested and was definitely too "green" last year. Your posts are very helpful sometimes and I really do appreciate you being forthcoming with your knowledge. I agree the race is wide open but we both know that the winner will be a grower who has the dedication and willingness to spend the hours required in the patch to keep their melons healthy for an extended period of time. You can't just throw seeds out in the back yard and expect to see good results unless your name is Kent or Jack (of beanstalk fame). lol If I remember right Ms Janet won first place at a local fair with her "rogue butternut squash" that came up volunteer on a hillside. :o)

12/30/2011 9:24:28 AM

Ut

Son of a nutcracker! I assumed Mark was getting those big melons with perfect pH. Now that he's getting that fine-tuned I might just put my leonards and mitchels in the freezer and wait until he stops growing:) Hope you're all just going for your next PB! lol

12/30/2011 2:31:24 PM

sevierville, Tn

Yep, thats what my goal is next year, a new PB LOL

12/30/2011 3:14:12 PM

Ut

And let me guess you grew your 291 with a pH of 15 and now you've gotter 'er just right:)

12/30/2011 3:29:22 PM

Muddy Waters

I'm going to grow Chris's new PB for him!LOL

12/30/2011 7:48:14 PM

Alabama

Chris, I thought you grew the 291 from WalMart seed in a crack in your driveway???

12/30/2011 10:46:31 PM

South East

So most on here dont shoot for certain number is what im getting. Your using the reccomendations provided by the lab.

12/31/2011 9:02:10 AM

Alabama

Tina and Frank, I am not in the 250 club yet, but I am close. I had my soil tested in 2008 by AU AG Dept, the PH averaged 6.8. They said 6.5 is recomended for watermelon. I use manure, compost and cotton gin trash to lower it. I have since bought my own test kit online and check it twice a year.

12/31/2011 2:16:27 PM

Muddy Waters

No the labs don't really understand what were growing, there more in line with commercial farmers.I think a lot of the old school thinking is no longer true for the giants.Dave Cantrel & I both grew in a PH of 7.9 all the x-purts would have said it couldnt be done a 251 & 260 at that high of a PH.I think we need to find out for ourselves what is true.they recommend 6-6.5 for Melons.I think were fine at 7-8 PH.Chris Kent has a 7.0 ph I believe.

12/31/2011 3:20:45 PM

South East

Mark, its not just ph i,m after: n, p, k,mg,calcium,,all the minor elements, before and during season, and the minimal ammounts you want to see in the plants at all time. Since melons are smaller then pumpkins,,there might be less pottasium needed, Diffrent foliar strategie, diffrent feeding since they have a higher sugar content then pumkins and on and on. I think there is much progress to be made, if there answers found to all these questions

12/31/2011 3:37:50 PM

Bethlehem CT

A.G. pumpkin growers have found out the same thing. Tradition states that the pH for AG's should be between 6-7. I believe many heavy hitters have their pH over 7.
I think that all the foliar stuff we do really helps provide what nutrients are tied up in the soil. (When our pH's are off from the optimum) So pH may be less of a factor. One thing that we have to consider with pH too, is what pH is best for supporting the biology in the soil.

12/31/2011 4:51:03 PM

Muddy Waters

You might be a little more detailed then I am.Im not sure of the Optimum levels.Let me know what you find out.It might come down to opinion on whats Optimum.

12/31/2011 5:18:10 PM

Corryton, TN

If I could wave a wand over my patch I'd have my pH at 6.8-7.1 with mg and minor elements right at the border of adequate and high levels. I'm affraid of the very high levels due to toxicity. N,P,K,S and Ca in the mid high range. My simple mind tells me this is a balanced approach without over doing anything, I've done that. I've never gotten my soils to this point but I'm trying. With a test at the end and records of what went down its easy to calculate what they took up. I assume the lab people and their teachers know way more than I'll ever know about soil and plant needs.

1/1/2012 9:12:01 AM

Muddy Waters

I agree Dave & truly respect the labs & educated folks.I'm just not sure they have the perfect #s for the giants all figured out.

1/1/2012 9:38:56 AM

formerly RGG

I am not sure yet but I am thinking I am going to need to raise my soil PH. I know if I have to use much lime it can burn my plant roots. Are there other good ways to raise PH ? Also, I will no longer be able to use the dolomitic limestone I have used in years past at it will not only raise a low PH but will lower a high PH toward neutral.

1/1/2012 11:30:12 AM

Corryton, TN

TD Have a basic test run now if you think you might need pH adjusting. It takes a while to get it to move either way. Less chance of any kind of burn. Just added more sulfur to my patch last week to get it in line and to help lower my pH.

1/1/2012 12:20:27 PM

Bethlehem CT

One thing I learned in soil science; It is always better to add too little lime, than too much. You can always add more, but you can't take it out of the soil once it's there.

1/1/2012 7:01:53 PM

Watervalley Ms

TD, What kind of lime was it that you were using?

1/2/2012 9:14:36 AM

Taylorsville, California

TD- a great AG grower recommended Mir-I-Cal by johnathon green co., a calcitic" faster acting" lime with much lower Mg, worked very well for me to raise pH and calcium levels without too much Mg which I was fairly high in. I've also used oyster shell meal for years with very good results in slowly raising pH and Ca in the acidic soils we have.
Auston

1/2/2012 3:00:04 PM

Watervalley Ms

I should have said what kind of dolomitic lime!

1/3/2012 8:26:10 AM

formerly RGG

wv melonman I was using just a cheap pulverized dolomitic lime. It brings PH toward neutral and I now want a higher PH.

1/3/2012 9:26:08 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Frank & Tina...a couple of folks (Wallace) swear to tissue testing!!? Might be the answers, as to what is needed, during the growing season! Not sure if melon growers are doing this yet, but certainly think it will be online soonly!!! LOL Peace, Wayne

1/4/2012 12:10:12 AM