Hi, thanks for reading my lengthy report.
I've had basically no luck at all with growing melons so this year was a big deal for me, it was the most success I've ever had.
Growing mix in the pots was either SuperSoil, Espoma Organic Potting Mix, or Black Gold Organic Potting Mix. I didn't add compost but did add some bone meal along with the organic fertilizers.
The thing about picking watermelon (so I have learned) is that for people who only see a watermelon at the market, they think the "thump test" (pong rather than ping) will indicate a ripe melon. But the melon has been picked already! How to pick a ripe melon on the vine? Brown tendril next to the melon stem, plus yellow ground spot, plus "pong" sound when thumped. I can understand how it would seem size is a good indicator but that's not all of it. Also some melons really change color when ripe. Bush Sugar Baby starts out light ash green and turns very dark green when ripe.
And the cantaloupe is another story. Ripe one should have a lightly soft blossom end, stem cracks off the fruit by itself or with a very light tug, fruit should be very very fragrant.
If you had success with Blacktail Mountain, you should have also had success with Sugar Baby, right? Days to maturity is about the same. I don't know why your melons did not get ripe.
I'm glad you had luck with the hybrid cantaloupe. Don't know what to say about the butternut squash planted in the same place. Should there be crop rotation?
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