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Dodge city

Hello. I am asking about the possibilities to try to create a new giant watermelon cross. Since I decided not to do the heaviest cantaloupe record attempt after I cancelled my application to gwr. So anyways. I'm gonna cross hybrid giant black diamond with moon and stars. Would that make a good possible new giant? Or is it gonna come out pretty much not in original format. Thanks. And I'm gonna be planting today cause of the weather and our growing season here in southwest Kansas.

6/7/2017 11:44:50 AM

Lexington, Ky

If you want to grow giant watermelons, there's no point in reinventing the wheel unless you're gonna dedicate many years and many growers to the project. There's tremendous upside with the current cross.

6/8/2017 6:09:29 AM

formerly RGG

The original Carolina Cross melons came from inadvertant crosses between large round melons and large long melons.You will probably need both the long gene and the round gene and tremendous luck and patience to come up with a new variety of giants.

6/8/2017 5:27:46 PM

Bethlehem CT

The moon and stars is not known for huge size. However, the best "Black Diamond" I have grown was from a seed that Cliff knight gave me, he told me it was a black diamond with some moon and stars genes in it..

6/8/2017 6:56:02 PM

Omaha, Nebraska

A bit of a tangent, but I wonder if the trend toward grafting will remove one of the gene selections for growing giants. A real giant needs a combination of genes. Fast early vine growth, good root system, and of course large fruit (plus probably fast healing of wounds to the plant, resistance to disease, etc. would help too). Grafting doesn't change the genetics of the melons, but it does eliminate the requirement that the plant have excellent genes for roots. After many generations of selecting seeds from giants grown on grafted roots (because those are the ones winning contests) could it be that grafting will be an absolute requirement to grow from their seeds, not because of disease or some advantage from gourd roots, but because the gene for good roots isn't there any more because it didn't matter?

6/9/2017 10:55:45 AM

simpson,KS

Well i have started and grown many melons and the seeds from traditional plants especially the 251 Kent have exceptional plant growth and desease resistance over the grafted type of melon and the seeds are larger and more willing to germ. My 120 UOW Pro from the 251 Kent i planted a tray of 40 seeds and they all came up without being in the germ chamber. SO i am staying traditional for now and will try to get the biggest traditional melon like the 316 Edwards.

6/11/2017 7:34:25 AM

Bethlehem CT

faeldaz I think you are right, it will be hard to know what did what when selecting genes for breeding. We won't know the answer to this question: Was it the rootstock or was it the melon or a combination of both that caused the pumpkin to grow so fast and get so big?

6/11/2017 9:21:56 AM