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Franklinton ,La.

I officially started my 2019 growing season 2/4/19 and have the rootstock planted .looking back on the 2018 season I am trying to head off issues that I confronted. I need everyone's advice on (2) problems I faced last year.
(1)-I was unable to set a melon on the main runner. All melons ended up being set within 6-8' of the stump on a smaller runner.
(2)I had (2) melons chosen as keepers ,then I cut the watermelon runner/vine off just past the melon and watermelon growth just stopped. Melon growth just quit.Why ??
Thanks for any advice or recommendations to resolve these issues !!
Thanks for any advice !!

2/7/2019 4:25:24 PM

Princeton Kentucky

I do know that melons require a higher number on phosphates and potash/potassium during the blooming stage and prior for good plant growth along with a 10-20 on nitrogen in the early stages of plant growth. I'll bet if you bump up your potash with a bloom buster ferts you'll do better on setting on the main Daryl. I think your melon growth stopping was probably coincidental too & just bad luck. A good strong growing melon should not be affected by vine termination after the stem although I do know a lot of growers that believe in leaving the vine. Personally I terminate after the melon when I notice no more growth on that vine past the melon. Of course this is my short experience on the subject.

2/8/2019 9:16:45 AM

NE Arkansas

LBD I deadhead after the melon most of the time if it's not set on the main. I've never had one stop after I deadheaded the vine after the melon. Joseph is most likely right with coincidence or bad luck. I've had issues previously with getting fruit set on the main. After tissue testing I believe 100% that the reason for problems setting on the main were due to high nitrogen.

2/8/2019 10:33:54 AM

Grant, AL

Daryl, how old were your keeper melons when they stopped growing?

2/8/2019 1:24:14 PM

Franklinton ,La.

Melons were 25-30 #'s .I had (2) do this in 2018 and a couple in years past. I had already put them on the rack (Very carefully) and added shading, then they would hardly grow any at all.

2/8/2019 9:49:35 PM

NE Arkansas

I've only had one stop and I damaged the stem on the underside putting it on the rack. Could possibly be they aborted at that size.

2/8/2019 11:29:09 PM

Bethlehem CT

I am not sure about melons but I know with my giant pumpkins they always seem to abort a couple of days after adding mill fabric underneath them. I haven't seen too much a problem with cutting the main after the melon. I think that it falls under Murphy's Law. "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong." AKA bad luck.

2/9/2019 8:54:03 AM