Watermelon Growing

When you are as far north as me you learn to start them inside very very early. This one had a small watermelon on it already when I planted it out. I can’t believe how quickly they enlarge, no wonder they get so big by fall.

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18 brix on a melon wow! I wonder if peddler is ripening too early? Would ripening later in summer with more heat effect sugar?

I’m really glad I didn’t dampen your enthusiasm of Cream of Sask, because just like you said, it may sweeten up a little more for you AND you might like it better than I did even if it doesn’t. Actually, one of the white ones I have grown were a little sweater than the others, and I hate to admit it but I’ve forgotten which one that is- so maybe it was C or S.

I had forgotten how far north you are! No wonder you folks get so excited by a watermelon! It looks like you’ll get some this year (not to jinx you!). Out of curiousity, when does the last frost usually come and when does your first frost of the fall usually hit? (I understand these will just be general estimates)

By the way, here are some taste test ratings and Brix numbers from a study done of Univ. of Washington. My guess is these would vary grately from year to year so I’m not sure how meaningful they are, but its still fun to read. You’ll see Cream of Sask isn’t rated terribly low, so others like it better than me!

http://agsyst.wsu.edu/Yellow%20Watermelon%20Variety%20Report.pdf

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I ate a second Peddler that was much better. It was about 14 brix. Very good for a watermelon.

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That is good. My your system is amazing to be getting melons in your area so soon. I’m going to have to review that post were you describe your methods.

Drew

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Our last spring frost is usually around the first of June, but many springs bring frost June 15. It used to be that we got the first fall frost around Sept. 1st but the last few falls have seen it pushed back as far as Oct 1 st.

I have learned from reading this forum that everyone, absolutely everyone, has problems they have to overcome while growing fruit. We each seem to adapt to our own particular environmental quirks and for me, cold is no big deal. With things like watermelon I start early, pot up often. I will note, however, this watermelon is one that was grafted onto Howden (pumpkin rootstock).

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A few of my trellis watermelons and non trellised crimson sweet seem to be seeping juice. They feel wet and slippery on the bottom. I cannot see any cracks, holes or other obvious place they would leak from. Anyone seen this before?

One more question if you don’t mind sir. This may be the dumbest one yet. Why are you hand pollinating your melons? Were you not getting melons or are you simply needing to maximize your yields? How many melons are ok for one vine to support at a time? Ok that was three wasn’t it!

The bees don’t show up until there are lots of flowers. My melon patch is now abuzz with bees. In May when there are a few open blossoms each day the bees have better things to do.

Melon plants vary greatly in size. One plant with no competition might support hundreds of lbs of melons. Mine are now growing on top of each other. Ten plants have probably given me a dozen melons so far. But they are far from done.

One yr I think I got 1800 lbs of watermelons off three plants in one hill.

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1800 pounds of fruit from just 3 seeds? Wow!!!

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We grow Orangeglo in our farm and I have eater yellow watermelons. But that’s all that I know of watermelons. Thank you so much for this very detailed post.

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Steve that’s quite a feat. You’d have to get 20 melons from each plant
and each one would have to average 30 lbs. What variety was this?

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It was one hill of Star Brite all by itself on black weed barrier. I started it early like I did this yr. Then kept it growing and producing until October. The plants covered a 30ft circle by fall. I have a unique climate that allows me to start melons early with a lot of work but also not too hot or humid to knock them out in summer. It takes fertilizer all summer to keep them growing and some luck. There are things that will stop the plants like mildew, aphids, spider mites, etc but they don’t arrive every yr or I get the sprays on early and correctly. Right now my plants have leaf hoppers and a few squash bugs. But so far the March plants look like they could make it to fall. I did a later planting so that isn’t necessary this yr.

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What fertilizer did you use. If you give them too much nitrogen, you run
the risk of getting white hearts.

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Ammonium sulfate. Not too much or too little. My soil is highly permeable and low in organic matter. Nitrate nitrogen leaches right out. I look at the plants to tell how much and when. The melons were good quality until October. Then the cold nights have an effect.

I’ve eaten melon four meals in a row. I need a break already…lol

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You’ve got a big head start on all of us, as mine are just setting fruit.
I use calcium nitrate at about this time and am planning on doing some
experimentation with my later crop, as the 10-10-10 that I til in is long
gone by then.

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My late planted Super 45 and Sugar Queen have 3-4 inch fruits. I’m not sure if the late watermelons are setting yet. I don’t have to be concerned because I’ve already got fruit and they’ll set soon enough.

My biggest concern right now is finding the ripe Savor below a mass of vines.

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Those were a few left over wm that I just threw into those pots. Man have they done well! They are in a shade Covered gh with a roll up wall and large slide doors so it is open for bees to come in. If I don’t see any I will try some hand pollination and see if I can do it right. Morning time right? Those are Sorbet seedless. Don’t know anything about these yet.

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What do you spray for aphids and other pests mentioned above? Any effect on the pollinators of the spraying? @rayrose, do you spray your watermelons?

On a couple of my plants, I’m seeing leaves shrivel and crinkle up, for lack of a better description. I’m also seeing some.ants on them.

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@northof53 FWIW, I grew C o S a couple of years when we were up in northern NY. I was looking for melons that would grow well in the north, as well as being sweet. So any name that was northerly sounding, or had “sweet” in the name, I tried. My C o S were sweet, that wasn’t the issue. Of course the usual trying to figure out when they were ripe is always an issue…but I forgot where I read it, but was told they were very fragile, and could split when barely touched when full grown. So be careful if you plan to handle them a bit. I found out for myself they were right…barely touched an almost ripe one, and pow, it broke open :slight_smile:

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