The rains have slowed down and the melons are getting sweeter. Picked this morning.
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Do you fertilize them enough? With all this rain they may need more, so they can just decide it is too much to feed all the children 
.
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I think I’ve fertilized quite consistently staring from the soil prep stage on. We do have a lot of rain. That could be part of a problem.
I removed those two shriveled ones from that vine. I hope the other 3 will continue to thrive.
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I am convinced that anyone who eats mustard with watermelon is one weeeeeiiiiirrd person!
It is your stomach and if you smother your steak with ketchup, that is your business too!
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Can you explain you watermelon growing technique plz.
Thanks.
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The first bite was awful, the second was better but still awful and about halfway was tolerable. My opinion is that mustard should only be used on hotdogs and hamburgers. One exception was when the previous lunchroom manager at the high school introduced mustard and ham to me. Big no to watermelon/mustard.
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I grow Charleston Gray here… have tried a few others… no luck beating CG on flavor or production.
I got 9 large melons off one vine last year.
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Your watermelons are far more advance than mine. For 7 plants I have just one somewhat bigger than a fist, the rest are walnut size, not even sure if they pollinated. So starting times makes a big difference (I seeded mine direct when you planted out the starters. )
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Growing melons of any kind is a bit of a challenge in Seattle. Rarely hot enough, the dry summer often leads to powdery mildew problems. But I keep trying, and now that I’ve got a greenhouse I put a Minnesota Midget in a container in there, and looks like I’ll be getting some melons soon:
Our heat wave and now hot late July have helped the outdoor in-ground ones size up nicely too this year, and I’m trying to be generous with watering to hold the powdery mildew at bay:
Fingers crossed this will be the year!
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Picked the first Jade Star of the season. It was pretty good, but needed a few more days in my opinion. I’m still a few weeks out from picking Sangria, big stripe, summerflavor 720 and starbrite if they are accurate on how many days needed from time of planting.
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I’m growing Minnesota midget in a container in my greenhouse too! mine is trained against the back wall so I have each melon supported in a hammock. I’m trying a few other kinds also: charentais, honey rock, Hannah’s choice, ambrosia. all in #25 pots and all seem to be pretty happy
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Mine is in a 5 gallon pot… I wonder if I should try to pot it up? I’ve never grown melons in a pot before so wasn’t sure how much space their roots need. I’m training mine up the side too but so far the main fruit that have set are near the bottom:
I leave both doors open all day to let pollinators in and out, but I’m not sure enough are visiting. Do you have any tricks for luring them in?
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I was surprised you said that. When I was at your home the last time, your vines were growing more vigorously than mine and had flowers ahead of mine.
Mine set fruit around July 15 ( I marked dates of the fruit with popsicle sticks😁)
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My first one set on July 20 - it is actually bigger than I thought, about a football size if you make it shorter and thicker, but it is only one. Few others still a nut or a bit bigger size. T
Just pollinate it with the painting brush. It is not like pollinating the a fruit tree, 2-3 babies to pollinate
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I think your experiment is as valid as mine. I would guess more dirt volume would give a higher fruit potential but I’m interested in how yours turns out
my melons are mostly two to a #25 so it’s like a 12.5 I guess
for pollinators I have both greenhouse sides open all day and night (not just doors the whole sides) but I’m not doing anything to lure them. I was prepared to not have any fruit set since it’s a narrow wasted area of the greenhouse and I didn’t want to put any extra time in but I’m getting lucky
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Yayyyyyyy
Picked thinking it’s Orangeglo but turned out to be Georgia Rattlesnake. Duh! Could’ve let it get bigger! It still is better than overripe…
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I heard that Georgia Rattle Snake can be quite large. Mine just set fruit 