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Georgia

I am interested in planting a couple of watermelon seeds this year. I might buy some at auction. But the seed auctions never denoted which melon seeds were from grafted plants. I am assuming that I cannot get close to their results without using their seeds and grafting if that is how they achieved their weight.

Also, are their any heavy hitters that never graft?

11/20/2018 11:37:40 AM

Princeton Kentucky

My 300.5 J. Young was grown traditional this year, my daughters 226 P. Young was traditional.

11/21/2018 5:53:00 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Meant to also say that the seed that grew my 300.5 was my own 146.5 J. Young 2015. That seed has awesome genetics and will be in some auctions coming up this winter!

11/21/2018 5:56:05 PM

Georgia

Thanks for answering. I want to buy seeds but what is the point if you cannot achieve the same weights without grafting.

11/21/2018 6:43:21 PM

SW Ohio

2 of the top 3 melons this year were traditional. The genetics are the same whether the plant is grafted or not. Chris and Frank have both been growing grafted melons for several years. Many growers have grown those seeds traditional. I would not be afraid to grow a grafted melon seed traditional. Just my 2 cents..

11/21/2018 8:12:54 PM

simpson,KS

My two cents worth
Been growing the melons now for 6 years going on seven and I have seen the traits of both types of seeds now.
Seeds from traditional plants have more vigor than those of the non-traditional ones.
Time and time again i have grown them in the same soil - enviroment - ect. and the traditional plants out grow the grafted ones.
SO that said the trads. tend to set fruit earlier and i think have a better chance of getting big. My grafted melons do set but later and some do catch up but by that time the days are getting shorter and cooler.
I had high hopes of the 316 Kent and Dawson to put on big melons this year (and had two of each) but the plants were slow to grow. My traditionals out grew all the others not by much but enough to think of why?

11/22/2018 9:38:01 PM

simpson,KS

Not done yet.
Probably my best grafted seed has been the 264 Kent if it is grafted.
Seemed to grow just as fast as the trads.
For trads. the 251 Kent - 257 Boyette and 227 Bright have been really good. And my own seed has been right there also. Oh and of course the 267 Edwards grew my Kansas state record last year and it was traditional also.
So i think if you are going to try to raise a big melon i would stick to traditional seeds they will give you a better chance of growing big.
But if you are going to graft then any seed will do whether trad. or grafted!
MY OPINION Thanks
OK chop me up LOL

11/22/2018 9:50:46 PM

simpson,KS

OK
Trads more plant vigor.
Grafted plants less plant vigor.
Just the way it is!!
You graft they all have vigor!! and genetics !!

11/22/2018 9:55:14 PM

Liberty nc

All plants are only as good as the effort your willing to put in to it. Biggest factors is weather an yourself. Plant vigor with grafted plants comes with different types of rootstock. Most of mine have been on rampart an they all seem to out preform the traditional plants. Squash rootstock would give you more then it can handle. Biggest mistake in grafting is not given your plants long enough to heal an to catch back up. I start my grafts 6 weeks before my traditional. All seeds can get you a big melon but it’s the hard work that gets you there!

11/24/2018 12:13:31 PM

Garner, NC

The GWG will have some lots in auctions this year of largest traditionally grown melons. These might be of some interest to you.

11/25/2018 5:22:14 PM

Georgia

Post a reminder Ice Man on this forum and I will try to drop by.

11/25/2018 7:02:52 PM

NE Arkansas

Doesn't matter if its a grafted seed or traditional seed. You will only get what effort and weather gives you. Grafting isn't always the answer. A lot of issues come with grafting plants and like Andrew said you have to start grafted plants and the healing process very early. If you want to go outside in April first of May you start the grafting process in Feb - March

11/26/2018 9:47:03 AM

Muddy Waters

Yes I grew a 260 back in 2011 when 260 was a big melon 3rd in the world. Nothing wrong with growing traditional whatsever just my 10 cents

11/28/2018 9:08:51 PM