Ripening melons

I cut a Sangria or else a very simular variety like Ole. or Rojo Grande. It is fully ripe with perhaps a little extra. It is so very good and sweet. This melon's tendril turned brown probably 3 weeks ago.

I had two plants [Sangia or simular] that set on about 10 melons together. I wished that I had pruned it to fewer than the eight it raised. however the melons have grown some after the tendril turned brown and the one I brought in today was 21 pounds...not so bad afterall.

Not bad, Sangria is supposed to be fairly uniform averaging 22 lbs, the most popular size in local markets. It was popular here a few years ago and I grew it once. But other than to experiment I have not seen the need for the hybrid melons. A pretty good melon, but not superior enogh to open pollinated cultivars to justify seed costs.

My 26½ pound Orangeglo was just excellent. Another melon..either Sangria, Ole, or Rojo Grande [they look alike] was so good we checked the brix on it...13.2% which is excellent.

Pulled a 48 lb Mutt this morning. Had to give half of it to a neighjbor because I could not get it into the refrigerator. Flavor was excellent for a third set September melon. Have plowed down the main patch. Just have a couple of Sweet Princess left in the isolation patch.

Late set watermelons are not sizing up so good this year as they did last year. A late start and mid term hail surely knocked some of the punch. My peppers have not recovered well yet from the hail...it was kind of awful. You should have seen the corn field across the road from me. Sweetpotatoes and corn recovered completely. That field of corn acroos the road has the biggest ears of corn I believe I have seen this year. Cantaloupes recovered pretty well, but watermelons [except the ones protected by trees some] missed out on the first cycle a lot.

Looks like I can't grow the big melons like you guys do but these came out ok - Orangeglo, Scaley Bark and Blacktail Mountain. 11, 15 and 6 pounds respectively.
Flip

Nice going Flip! They look good from my end. Let us know how they taste?

A Gold Strike was superb. This baby was as orange as Orangeglo but had small black seeds[few] .....Orangeglo has large whitish seeds with black tips. Also Orangeglo has a slight bluish gray look.

Famerdill ~ Your melons are amazing! Mine are not half as big as yours but I am pleased with the size I can grow here in Maine. As long as they are sweet and big enough to share...im a happy camper!

Looking good , Pixie. Those Crimson Sweet types are not supposed to grow overly large. But most of them have excellent taste. What variety are yours. It is the old timers that grow big with the exception of Carolina Cross.

Not sure exactly...Crimson Sweet was one of the names on the tags but my 2 yr. old grandaughter played hide-go-seek with the rest of the tags so I basically have no idea whats in my veggie garden this year! I know I have butternut squash, 3 types of corn...early, mid and late, 3 kinds of cukes, cantalope, zuccini, summer squash, swiss chard, green beans, wax breans, 3 types of tomatoes....you get the idea. LOL

Here's a photo of some..care to guess?

pixie --- I have a three year old grandson that does the same to my tomato garden. He'll change the tabs and drive me nuts( LOL )but in a way it is kind of funny. I'm surprised you were able to grow watermelons as you have a shorter season than most of us. Nice going !!

Farmer,

I got my Sweet Princess seeds today from the man in Greenville North Carolina.

Great, I think you will like it.

Farmerdill,
How much space do you give to your watermelons. I'm trying to figure out where I can fit them since DW and "moose" the son have mandated that if I have a garden I MUST grow watermelon and they need to be sweet. Figured I'd give Indy's Raspa a try since I plan to order from Wilhite's for other stuff.
You sir are the best.

I put mine on 10 x 10 ft centers. I am a traditionalist, no irrigation and minimum fertilizer. There are folks with irrigation and copious fertilizer that use closer spacings. I think Indy uses a more dense planting than I do. The "icebox" and "bush" cultivars of course take up to half that space.

Farmer --- What ice box & bush watermelon would you recommend for my area? As you know I grow everything in EBs because I don't have that much room.

If I remember you have grown Sugar Baby which has a smaller vine. Burpee offers a Bush version with 3-4 ft stubby vines. A regular watermelon wil have vines 10- 12 feet in lenght. Most of the "icebox" melons will go 6- 8 feet. These I have not tried but all are space savers Bush baby II http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/92727/index.html Bush Charleston Grey http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/92729/index.html Bush Desert King http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/92728/index.html Bush Jubilee http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/92728/index.html and Bush Snakeskin http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/95454/index.html