I just got my watermelons, winter squash and cantaloupe planted 2-3 weeks ago. Very late, so I hope something ripens in time. Many said 85-90 days to harvest, so hopefully will be okay. I forgot some of the varieties, but I know there is Crimson Sweet watermelon, Hopi pale gray squash, and Hale’s Best Jumbo cantaloupe.
They were taking their sweet time germinating, so I went through my seeds to see what else I had. I found some watermelon seeds I got from my stepmother’s fridge in Alabama in 2012 after she passed. They were labeled Foy’s watermelon after my sister-in-law’s father, from whom my stepmother presumably got the seeds. She never bought a seed in her life! Who knows how long she had them before I got them. Anyway, I planted them but was not thinking they would sprout because they are at least 14 years old. Every darn seed came up in 7 days or so.
Now I am terrified at what kind of monsters these may turn out to be. My recollection of those old southern Alabama farmers and their huge watermelon patches is what looked like miles of huge vines with monster size melons that I probably will hardly be able to lift at my older age. But they were always sweet and cold on those scorching summer days. May not have time to ripen here, but it will be interesting to see. I also planted some of her cantaloupe seeds from at least 2012. They all came up in 7-8 days also.
I am so hoping for at least a few good melons this year!
Sandra
Orange Crisp F1 (seedless) on the left, seeds from a red seedless on the left.
I’m wondering if the seeds from the seedless one will be normal diploid from cross pollination gone slightly wrong to turn out right? Or the hexaploid meiosis mishap theory resulting in viable triploid seed? Or something else?
Whatever it is will probably turn out ok. Unless there’s something horribly wrong (i.e. rot or picked completely under/over ripe) a watermelon from the backyard will probably be pretty decent. I’m not that picky.
I would love seeds from your Alabama watermelons if you can get them to ripen
@sgld If any ripen, I will definitely be saving seeds. Just message me this fall and I will gladly send you some if the melons cooperate!
Sandra
Question- started noticing yellowing on all my melon leaves. My strung out brain went to nutrient deficiency instead of the obvious (fungal) until today when I started seeing brown spots as well. The majority of plants on my property have fungal issues right now from the near daily rain and humidity (we have to be breaking a record?!!). I’ve never noticed anything to this degree before on melons but this is also only the 3rd year growing melons. Do they manage with it? Should I be concerned and attempt to do anything about it? Lots of melons on every plant since they recovered from the birds. The ice box watermelons look the worst.
my melon patch is in disrepair this year. bindweed took over early and I never caught up. they are vining though and flowering well. Minnesota midget melon, orangeglo, and replanted seed from collective farm woman and Kazakh melons from last year. I planted blacktail mountain elsewhere, near my nectarine tree, and it’s just starting to make vines. I’ll keep seed this year from the best and earliest ripening fruits to plant next year.
I think next year will be sowing the melon patch and pumpkins in the front yard and aggressively neglecting them all to see what can survive here without help. a test year
Love this.