Watermelon woes

[YumYum]

Yea that might be a problem. The writing may get distorted as the melon grows. Maybe tag it like a cow?

 

[Chuck]

Yea that might be a problem. The writing may get distorted as the melon grows. Maybe tag it like a cow?

I have tried every Marks Alot and Sharpie known to mankind and none of them work a complete season outside in the weather. At least I haven't found one.

 

[gary350]

I worked as a watermelon picker 1 summer after I graduated from high school. They told us, roll the melon over, if the bottom is yellow pick it, If bottom is white roll it back. I have learned to pick melons the same way in my garden then I leave melons in the kitchen 3 to 5 days to get riper before cutting it. Make sure bottom of melons set flat on the soil to block sunlight so melon can turn yellow. I am 30 miles south of Nashville TN area I grow good watermelons and good cantaloupes. Cantaloupes turn yellow too when ripe and stim breaks off very easy. I plant a 25 foot row of melons seed spacing 12" apart in FULL sum. I had about 30 ripe watermelons this summer and cantaloups too. Melons love hot blistering 100° sun all day.

 

[YumYum]

I worked as a watermelon picker 1 summer after I graduated from high school. They told us, roll the melon over, if the bottom is yellow pick it, If bottom is white roll it back.

That just doesn't apply when they are grown on rocks (pea gravel). I've pondered over "the signs" the last few watermelons I picked. The last one barely had any discoloring on the bottom and it was almost overripe but it was very very good, best one I've eaten in a long time. If I grow watermelons or cantaloupes on dirt then some type of soil borne disease eats it first. The gravel inhibits the soil borne disease but has its draw backs too.

That is a nice weed free melon patch you have there, by the way.

 

[gary350]

That just doesn't apply when they are grown on rocks (pea gravel). I've pondered over "the signs" the last few watermelons I picked. The last one barely had any discoloring on the bottom and it was almost overripe but it was very very good, best one I've eaten in a long time. If I grow watermelons or cantaloupes on dirt then some type of soil borne disease eats it first. The gravel inhibits the soil borne disease but has its draw backs too.

That is a nice weed free melon patch you have there, by the way.

I often set melons on a board. Roll the melon over, put a board on the soil, roll the melon back so it sets on the board. If we get rain melons are quick to rot setting in mud. Sometimes I set melons on potting soil or saw dust or anything to keep them from rotting on the bottom side.

 

[YumYum]

I often set melons on a board. Roll the melon over, put a board on the soil, roll the melon back so it sets on the board. If we get rain melons are quick to rot setting in mud. Sometimes I set melons on potting soil or saw dust or anything to keep them from rotting on the bottom side.

I have set my squash on styrofoam plates with slits cut in them to allow water to drain. That does work pretty good for the fruit (rot). Cant remember if I've done watermelons like that or not but I do remember the hoards of weeds when I started. To be fair winter squash is bad for weeds too but I think I've cut my weeds down alot over the years.