watermelon

landarch 6/1/2012, 1:00 am

I read a recent post about watermelon on a trellis (she was in the desert)...I am not in the desert but trying watermelon on a cattle panel trellis for the first time (crimson sweet)....growth, tendrils, and climbing in the last couple of days.

watermelon 410

cheyannarach 6/1/2012, 2:31 am

I will be curious to hear your results, I am growing as baby watermelon up a cattle panel trellis! Would love to keep up on your progress!

crs 6/1/2012, 12:24 pm

I am growing mine on nylon trellis netting, Sugar Baby. Not quite big enough to put in trellis but it will be. I am going to sling mine with either old tshirt strips or burlap That's the plan any way Very Happy

mmathedrader 6/1/2012, 1:44 pm

Slings! what a great idea... I was trying to figure out if I could grow watermelon without having a super sturdy place to let them rest while growing up!

Thanks!!!

littlesapphire 6/1/2012, 1:48 pm

Slings are a great idea Smile

I'm doing mine on nylon trellis too (with conduit, right from the book), and was wondering what I would do to support the melons. I've heard of using panty hose, but since I don't wear them much, I don't have any old ones lying around. I do, however, have some old t-shirts that can be cut up!

**walshevak** 6/1/2012, 4:46 pm

Watermelon, cantloupe and tomatos headed for a show down at the top of the cattle panel.

watermelon Dscn0722

The melon bed.

watermelon Dscn0723

Kay

rod champion 6/2/2012, 12:48 am

Kay,

What is going to support the actual melons and cantelopes?

Gorgeous set up.

Nonna.PapaVino 6/2/2012, 1:53 am

Last year's bale bed had winter squashes planted around the perimeter, and the ones on the side against the metal horse fencing took the opportunity to climb it. Worried that some of the Australian Butters and Muscade d'Provence might be too large and heavy to hang on the fence, I placed the immature squashes in some thrift shop metal baskets and collanders that I then wired to the fence. Worked okay.

**walshevak** 6/2/2012, 2:14 pm

rod champion wrote:Kay,

What is going to support the actual melons and cantelopes?

Gorgeous set up.

Loads of panty hose left from when I had to work for a living. Never knew why I saved a whole drawerfull, but they are getting used now to tie up tomatos and have a future as melon hammocks.

Kay

UnicycleGrrl 6/2/2012, 4:15 pm

When is the ideal time to plant watermelon?

Great idea with the panty hose!

**walshevak** 6/2/2012, 7:30 pm

You can start planting them after the soil warms a bit. I planted mine around Apr 15 and the first set of plants took forever 3 weeks to germinate. Planted the next set May 15 and they are up and growing already. I plan to plant a 3rd set on June 15. They take around 90 days to harvest. Give or take. I have sugar babies which will not get very big.
Kay

PNG_Grandma 6/2/2012, 9:16 pm

We grew some Sweet Baby and Sugar Baby watermelon last year without using slings. We also grew butternut squash and spaghetti squash...all of them on nylon netting...no slings. The stems just grew bigger as the fruit grew. Amazing to watch, nothing fell. Our neighbors laughed at first, then were as amazed as we were. We're doing it again this year. Thanks for posting the pics!

cheyannarach 6/2/2012, 10:43 pm

PNG_Grandma wrote:We grew some Sweet Baby and Sugar Baby watermelon last year without using slings. We also grew butternut squash and spaghetti squash...all of them on nylon netting...no slings. The stems just grew bigger as the fruit grew. Amazing to watch, nothing fell. Our neighbors laughed at first, then were as amazed as we were. We're doing it again this year. Thanks for posting the pics!

+1

I was going to attempt to say this earlier but I am tired and my brain is not forming words right now, lol. Yes the stems grow thicker as the weight grows heavier.

landarch 6/3/2012, 10:41 am

PNG_Grandma wrote:We grew some Sweet Baby and Sugar Baby watermelon last year without using slings. We also grew butternut squash and spaghetti squash...all of them on nylon netting...no slings. The stems just grew bigger as the fruit grew. Amazing to watch, nothing fell. Our neighbors laughed at first, then were as amazed as we were. We're doing it again this year. Thanks for posting the pics!

I had Sugar Baby seeds and could only find Sweet Baby transplants at a local garden center...what were the differences betwen the two from your experience?

PNG_Grandma 6/3/2012, 11:54 am

landarch wrote:...what were the differences betwen the two from your experience?

Unfortunately we didn't get to try any of them...we had quite a few of each type that grew to almost ripe...and the ants invaded! Well, the ants brought in the aphids and that was the end of our watermelon plants! Sad

This year we're already on the lookout for the ants...they herd the aphids and once they move in it's almost too late when you see them! Within a day or so the watermelon plants were done...it was just so sad...but we're trying again this year! We'll let you know how it goes. happy hi

CapeCoddess 6/16/2012, 11:38 am

So best to get rid of ants as soon as I see them, right? I like to use cornmeal but that can take years to work completely. I bought some DE the other day but am hesitant to use it.

I just planted Sugar Baby and Hale's Best Cantaloupes on June 14. I planted them in a compost/mulch mound inside an unused 10" hi box. It seemed like a good idea at the time as it is very windy and still in the 60' here. As they grow, IF they grow, maybe I can contain them in there.
watermelon 100_0511

SB seeds on one side and HB seeds on the other. If they sprout, do you think I can get away with leaving 2 of each to grow on the mound? They can crawl outside the box if they want to...

CC

landarch 6/18/2012, 10:22 pm

left town hoping the female flowers on the watermelon were polinated...then found a few of these when we got back home...the waiting game continues. I also found around 60 new tomotoes on the trellises and three pickle sized cucumbers.

watermelon Waterm12

CiderSapling 6/18/2012, 11:05 pm

Amazing. This is my first year with SFG and decided that I was too overwhelmed, so the trellis/climbing vine plans were put on hold until next season. I've already got a bed and some wooden trellis in place (from previous vining flowers). I'm wondering about your slope on the trellises. Mine are vertical, no curves. Just goes up until it stops. Any recommendations about using it? I'm making a note about the slings now.

Thanks for posting this pics... I love seeing it in action. Makes tons more sense.

cheyannarach 6/19/2012, 12:20 am

landarch wrote:left town hoping the female flowers on the watermelon were polinated...then found a few of these when we got back home...the waiting game continues. I also found around 60 new tomotoes on the trellises and three pickle sized cucumbers.

YAY! Landarch that's so exciting, I am still waiting for my watermelon to get their 4th set of leaves bounce

I do have tomatoes on the vine, peppers growing and about 5 female zucchini flowers almost open!

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