Melon Question

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Ozark Ozark, MO(Zone 6a) Jul 06, 2007

I planted a row of Oran's Melons, which are supposed to be good in the Ozarks, in early May. After they were up good and spreading, we started to get 'way too much rain - about 10 inches in two weeks.

The leaves got brown spots on them, then holes developed in the spots. I figured I was going to lose them to some disease. Now it's been hot and sunny for a while, and the plants seem to have recovered. The old leaves have spots and holes but the newer leaves are fine, and I have a lot of blooms and little melons set on.

What was the deal with that? Just too much water?

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Indy Alexandria, IN(Zone 6a) Jul 06, 2007

Probably too much water. From what I have noticed melons and watermelons handle heavy rains well only after they have grown extensive vines. When the plants are small too much water can be bad unless there is excellent drainage with raised hills or beds...been there. Four years ago I got 10½ inches of rain in one week in July. It mafde the watermelons grow like a jungle instead of raising babies!

I noticed your corn there. If it was here in corn country, the corn root worm beetles would likely be eating those silks up in a hurry.

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Ozark Ozark, MO(Zone 6a) Jul 06, 2007

Indy - I think I'm real glad I've never heard of corn root worm beetles.

We get corn earworms, of course. I keep the cornsilks dusted with 5% Sevin powder for those.

Would that also protect the silks from the critters you mention?

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Indy Alexandria, IN(Zone 6a) Jul 07, 2007

Yes, it works on those beetles really well, but they can emerge by the thousands suddenly. and could eat silks and leaves right quickly.

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Ozark Ozark, MO(Zone 6a) Jul 07, 2007

Indy - I read up on those corn beetles after you mentioned them. They won't be a problem for me - they only lay eggs on corn plants, the grubs can only feed on corn roots, and they can only move 10 to 20 inches underground from where they hatch. No corn roots within 20 inches and they starve.

I rotate my garden around every year, so those grubs would have a long hike to get over to where the corn is. I can see they'd be a big problem in commercial fields where corn is grown every year, though - and that's what you've got in Indiana.

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Indy Alexandria, IN(Zone 6a) Jul 07, 2007

Ozark,
It's the beetles with wings that fly in from the field that is the problem. I rotate my corn but that doesn't touch this problem. These beetles also like some other things too...like green beans and cantaloupe leaves. They seem worse than Japanese beetles.

The farmer across the fence may not be using the latest technology in his seed corn....be that good or bad in environmentalist thinking..

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