The Great Melon and Watermelon Experiment

applestar · Sat May 17, 2014 9:09 pm

This is year of cucurbit experimentation which I held off in favor of the great tomato experimentation last year. I started by pre-germinating seeds, then sowing the pre-germinated seeds in approx. pint size to quart size containers and starting them early inside.

Winter squash in planted in several different ways. And now I'm starting to plant watermelons.

I planted 5 of the watermelon seedlings in a designated Watermelon Patch (SHX). Two of them looked very wilty after yesterday's heavy rains had pooled in the catch tray and they were sitting in it this morning even though I'd emptied the tray twice while it was raining and after it stopped raining. The wilty ones were both Charleston Gray. I wonder if they are more susceptible? After considering my options, I decided planting in ground might be the best urgent care treatment. First one perked up, but the second one was still wilty looking at final round before coming in for the day.

: image.jpg (53.07 KiB) Viewed 801 times

: Wilty CG

This one was as wilty as the other one but perked up after being planted.

Here's a healthy looking seedling

applestar · Sun May 18, 2014 7:58 am

It went down to 46Â°F last night. With all the planting activities, I dropped the ball and forgot to check the weather forecast

(Went out to the patio at 4AM and brought in the peppers, melons, and zinnia seedlings)

Looks like it will be cool for the next 10 days (70's/40's-50's) If I can, I'm going to move the low tunnel supports from another location and cover the watermelons with a thin (3mil) slitted plastic. But jal_ut's Charleston Gray may just shrug off the low temp

Some of the melon seedlings are getting too big to stay in their containers and have to be planted out. --

: Melon starts

While pulling out the hay and straw from under the tarp cover for the 3rd tomato garden, I pulled out a black garbage bag I had used to cover the bales under a hole in the tarp. I think I'll use that to temporarily cover the 2x4 melon patch over the hay/straw mulch and plant through it. I can just cut the plastic off from around the stems and remove it later on. I might also rig something up to keep the upper foliage warmer too.