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Jun 28, 2014 12:02 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: tk
97478 (Zone 8b)

Tomato Heads Avid Green Pages Reviewer
Anyone getting ripe watermelons yet? Of my 25 plants, (7 varieties) I now have about 12 watermelons. Largest is bowling ball sized. (I think they're all small types) None ripe. My non- gardening, but gardening expert husband already considers them a failure. "Should have been ripe by now". How's yours?
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Jun 28, 2014 1:04 PM CST
Name: cheshirekat
New Mexico, USA Zone 8 (Zone 8a)
Bee Lover Dog Lover Herbs Garden Procrastinator Vegetable Grower
I don't even have melons on my vines yet. But I planted the melons later than I planned to because that bed wasn't ready. But I also have a few vines in different beds because of the seeds in the compost. Many of those vines, including cantaloupe, are about the same size, although allowed to start growing much later. I think there are probably 50 plants, so I may have to go on a melon diet. It would save a lot of grocery shopping if I could eat that much of them. I will end up giving many away, like I did last year with fewer plants.
"A garden is a friend you can visit any time." - Anonymous
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Jun 28, 2014 1:18 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: tk
97478 (Zone 8b)

Tomato Heads Avid Green Pages Reviewer
Wow, I wish I had so many. We're lucky to get one a week, and up to last year, no ripe ones. They are either not ripe, though the melon has all the ready to pick signs, or they are split from too much rain.
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Jun 28, 2014 6:41 PM CST
Name: Dillard Haley
Augusta Georgia (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Master Level
Most years here I get a melon for the Fourth of July, but not this year. We had very late spring and everything is about two weeks behind.
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Jun 28, 2014 7:53 PM CST
Name: Horseshoe Griffin
Efland, NC (Zone 7a)
And in the end...a happy beginning!
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle I sent a postcard to Randy! I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
For our friend, Shoe. Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Enjoys or suffers cold winters Birds Permaculture Container Gardener
TKitty, dont give up on 'em. "Ripe by now" is determined by when you planted them as, as F-dill said, the weather. As long as they're not rotting or withering I'd hang in there with them.

I set out 13 (or was it 16?) plants and as of yesterday have 19 melons that I can spot among the vines (and weeds/grass I haven't pulled.) If I were you I'd check your maturity dates on the varieties you set out; trust me, it'll ease your pain! :>)

Farmerdill, we've had such cool nights here this past month or so I wonder if ya'll have had them also. It sure slows down growth on certain plants, doesn't it? Hope you are doing well down your way.

Shoe
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Jun 28, 2014 8:05 PM CST
Name: Dillard Haley
Augusta Georgia (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Master Level
Hey shoe. No June has been hot. Problem was April -May. Soil just did not warm up and warm weather crops just sulked. On the other hand getting tons of squash, beans, tomatoes, sweet corn. By the time they finish should be getting melons, cantaloupes, okra. Sweet potatoes have just started growing. Only problem so far is the pickle worm arrived a head of schedule. I can usually work around them, but not this year. Keeps life exciting.
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Jun 28, 2014 8:22 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: tk
97478 (Zone 8b)

Tomato Heads Avid Green Pages Reviewer
I think the problem (difference of opinion?) here is I'm trying to grow melons that taste good, even if they take longer to ripen. Husbands grandfather grew melons for selling, and they all ripened at one time, early. Right now I'm growing:
Early moonbeam 80 days
Orange and green honeydew 110 days
Isreali melon 95 days
Moon and stars 82 days
Charentais 85 days
Blacktail mountain 70 days
Prescott fond blanc 90 days
Sweet passion 85 days
Jumbo melon 90 days
I planted them March 15, and again every three weeks, but its been raining, overcast a lot this year. Couldn't tell you which, if any tastes good, as I've never gotten a melon to ripen.
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Jun 29, 2014 4:48 AM CST
Name: Tom
Southern Wisconsin (Zone 5b)
Butterflies Vegetable Grower Keeper of Poultry Irises Keeps Horses Dog Lover
Daylilies Cat Lover Region: Wisconsin Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Well, My melons are just about 4 inches high right now! In Sept. if we don't get an early frost, I should be able to have a ripe one. Canteloupe are a bit larger, as I planted plants that were started. It must be nice to be able to garden in March and April, Up here we're still scraping frost off the car windows then Sad I start the tomato and pepper plants in April, but in the house!
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.
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Jun 29, 2014 7:12 AM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Thanks for posting, Tom -- I was suffering serious zone envy (why do I even open a thread called "watermelon" ??) nodding

I don't think the frost was completely out of our ground until early June!
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Jun 29, 2014 7:28 AM CST
Name: Tom
Southern Wisconsin (Zone 5b)
Butterflies Vegetable Grower Keeper of Poultry Irises Keeps Horses Dog Lover
Daylilies Cat Lover Region: Wisconsin Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Boy Sandy, You're WAY up NORT! At least you can grow good Rhubarb!!! Most years I can get a good crop of watermelon, but this year our spring was very late, and I was late getting the garden in. I didn't have a veggie garden last year, first time that happened in a long time, but I was working half time, and I just couldn't get it all done. It took me a while to get the ground prepared again, but boy I have a big garden this year to make up for it all. Hilarious!
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.
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Jun 29, 2014 12:41 PM CST
Name: Kristi
east Texas pineywoods (Zone 8a)
Herbs Region: Texas Vegetable Grower Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 2
All right you Northerners! I suffer serious zone envy when it is so bloody hot and humid here that everything in the garden wilts (including me) and dies. We have to plant early or starve down here.

I also am jealous at how fast you get up to speed when the weather does fair off. Closer to the sun or longer days or better soil???

I grew up in the frozen tundra on Minnesota and watermelons were never considered a crop. Growing season was just too short. We frequently grew our own cantaloupes and they were really good.

Now, my mouth is watering for melon.
Kristi ~ who is canning purple hull peas and harvesting some of my favorite herbs.
Believe in yourself even when no one else will. ~ Sasquatch
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Jun 29, 2014 1:29 PM CST
Name: Dillard Haley
Augusta Georgia (Zone 8a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Master Level
Ok. Mine at the moment.


Melon hungry: here are the varieties I have grown since 2004. http://s294.photobucket.com/us...
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Jun 29, 2014 5:04 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
tveguy3 wrote: "Boy Sandy, You're WAY up NORT! At least you can grow good Rhubarb!!! " Tom, don't forget the rutabagas and cabbage! Hilarious!

Pod -- I know I'd never survive in the heat of the summer down south; other than the fact that you don't have to put on 50 pounds of clothing when you DO go out, summer in the south is worse than winter up here as far as I'm concerned. And you're right -- it's quite amazing how much stuff we can grow, even if watermelons aren't our best crop... I tried growing a couple of artichoke plants one year (!) which made pretty darn impressive plants but no flower buds to eat (there's always at least one more or less weird thing going on in my garden Whistling )
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Jun 30, 2014 5:52 PM CST
Name: Tom
Southern Wisconsin (Zone 5b)
Butterflies Vegetable Grower Keeper of Poultry Irises Keeps Horses Dog Lover
Daylilies Cat Lover Region: Wisconsin Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Yes, Sandy, the Rutabaga's and Cabbage, couldn't live without them. Rolling on the floor laughing I did successfully raise some Artichokes one year. I think there's a thread on here from years ago somewhere with pictures. Here is one picture of some that matured. Boy were they good. I haven't tried them since, but I will have to do it again. You have to put the plants through a chill period (not frost) to get them to bloom, as they are not really annuals. I started mine in Feb. inside, and then they needed, I think around 200 days of chill. I just set them outside when it was cool, and took them inside during the night when it would freeze. It was fun to do. If I do it again, I think I will start them earlier.
Thumb of 2014-06-30/tveguy3/307226
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.
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Jun 30, 2014 6:47 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Tom, it's lucky that we can grow rutabagas, onions, carrots and potatoes here -- how else would we make pasties??

Hmmm, might have to try that artichoke thing again... Big Grin
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Jul 4, 2014 2:45 AM CST
Name: Glen Ingram
Macleay Is, Qld, Australia (Zone 12a)
(Lee Reinke X Rose F Kennedy) X Unk
Amaryllis Hybridizer Canning and food preservation Lilies Native Plants and Wildflowers Orchids
Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Pollen collector Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Plays in the sandbox Sedums Seed Starter
What is a Rutabaga? Sounds obscene.
The problem is that when you are young your life it is ruined by your parents. When you are older it is ruined by your children.
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Jul 4, 2014 5:07 AM CST
Name: Tom
Southern Wisconsin (Zone 5b)
Butterflies Vegetable Grower Keeper of Poultry Irises Keeps Horses Dog Lover
Daylilies Cat Lover Region: Wisconsin Celebrating Gardening: 2015
It is a root crop, I haven't checked if it's in the data base or not, but it is great tasteing. Farmers used to feed them to cattle after they chopped them up. People cut them up and boil them until soft, mash them like potatoes, and season with real butter, salt and pepper. Yum! It's one of my favorite winter veggies. Also great in veg. soups and stews. Some people roast them. (Not my favorite way to eat them) After there is a frost in the fall, they seem to be sweeter. That is a funny name though! Hilarious!
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.
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Jul 4, 2014 5:33 AM CST
Name: Kristi
east Texas pineywoods (Zone 8a)
Herbs Region: Texas Vegetable Grower Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Level 2
So true on the name... I think many good foods were avoided because of odd names. My spouse always called Asparagus ~ spareguts and wouldn't touch it. I always said, good! more for me!
Believe in yourself even when no one else will. ~ Sasquatch
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Jul 4, 2014 5:47 AM CST
Name: Franklin Troiso
Rutland, MA (Zone 5b)
Life is to short to eat rice cakes
Charter ATP Member
last year I won a gold medal for the largest watermelon in the state. here is a picture of it.


Thumb of 2014-07-04/herbie43/d670bc

Gottcha
visit www.cookfromtheheart.com
frank
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Jul 4, 2014 7:28 AM CST
Name: Glen Ingram
Macleay Is, Qld, Australia (Zone 12a)
(Lee Reinke X Rose F Kennedy) X Unk
Amaryllis Hybridizer Canning and food preservation Lilies Native Plants and Wildflowers Orchids
Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Pollen collector Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Plays in the sandbox Sedums Seed Starter
Would you believe I have actually eaten it. They call it a swede turnip here. As a kid, I had to be beaten to eat it. It was only in my 50s that I grew to eat it. When I think about it, rutabaga is growing on me as a name. Thank you.
The problem is that when you are young your life it is ruined by your parents. When you are older it is ruined by your children.

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