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South Arkansas

Luling, Texas promotes its local watermelon growers association with a festival that includes an auction of the best watermelons of the qualified members. This year the number of growers that qualified for the auction was nine. For the past few years most growers went with the Porter Black Diamond for their contest entrees. This year they largely went with the Jumbo Black Diamond that was developed for the contest. The 2019 Grand Champion melon weighed 141 pounds, 1 ounce and was grown by Mike Donaho. The Reserve Champion melon weighed 123 pounds, 5 ounces and was grown by David Johnson. The auction prize money results was interesting. The small melons auctioned off for as much as the large melons and sometimes more.

7/2/2019 12:46:17 PM

Kansas

Looks like fun Lloyd! I wish I knew about it and I will go next year for sure I’m only a couple hours away.

7/3/2019 12:45:57 AM

Bethlehem CT

Lloyd does the watermelnon association provide the seed for the grower or can the grower use his own seed line? (As long as it meets the criteria of a Black Diamond.)

7/3/2019 7:23:38 AM

South Arkansas

The grower can use his own seed line.

7/3/2019 11:13:16 PM

NE Arkansas

They must have black seeds right?

7/8/2019 6:12:47 PM

South Arkansas

Seed color for the contest is not as important now but the melon has to be a marketable watermelon of the Black Diamond type. The contest is limited to association growers with four or more acres of watermelons. They grow an assortment of watermelon types and put the contest type melons at the front or on top of the watermelon displays. They have a market for big watermelons so it important to them to grow big watermelons that look good and taste good when sliced out.

7/9/2019 12:31:23 PM