This years melons what are you all growing?

[JimM_SC]

I'm growing Sugar baby and Yellow Doll, I have room for larger varieties, but I'm growing lots of winter squash/pumpkins this year.
Jim

[Douglas14]

I'm not Paul, but I've grown Golden Gopher before. I think FEDCO seeds carries it. It is a very good tasting melon IMO. I think it was bred here in MN.

[FlipTX]

I have some little melons on my Minnesota Midget plant. I sowed the seeds a little less than two months ago. It's taking a bit longer than expected because I planted them so early, and then we had a late cold spell. Once the weather warmed up, the plant really took off.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by FlipTX

I have some little melons on my Minnesota Midget plant. I sowed the seeds a little less than two months ago. It's taking a bit longer than expected because I planted them so early, and then we had a late cold spell. Once the weather warmed up, the plant really took off.

Are you hand-pollinating? I started just a little after you did, and unfortunately am not seeing any bees, or fruitset yet.

[FlipTX]

Suze, yes I'm hand pollinating. I've seen precious few bees and they tend to come just before sunset. I don't know how long the pollen is viable, so I play matchmaker for the blossoms after breakfast. My favorite way is to use the stem end of an ash seed. I scrape up some pollen from three or four male flowers then smear it into the female flower. I've got six M. Midgets, one Green Machine, and a couple Golden Sweet melons on their way.

[FlipTX]

Here's a pic of one my M. Midgets. It's just cute as a button!

[GreenThumbGal_07]

I'm trying Ogen (a.k.a. Ha-Ogen), an Israeli muskmelon, on the office patio. It's supposed to be an early variety (seed packet says 70 days) and widely adaptable to many different climates. It's supposed to also have great flavor. Has anyone else here tried it?

Seed is "packed for 2003" so I planted plenty of it. Seed source was Botanical Interests.

GTG

[nctomatoman]

I am growing Passport, Ananas and Touchdown muskmelons, and a new small yellow fleshed ice box hybrid from JSS, as well as Moon and Stars, Yellow Flesh Moon and Stars, and an heirloom yellow flesh from Fusion. They are taking their time, but we've had cool nights - the vines are just starting to kick in.

[johno]

Originally Posted by johno

Watermelon:
Desert King
Blacktail Mountain
Orangeglo
Moons & Stars - Van Doren
Moons & Stars - yellow flesh
Jemez

Other:
Charentais
Green Machine
Noir De Carmes
Cochiti mix
jelly melon

Okay, haven't got all of them growing yet, but so far the only flop was Blacktail mountain. At least I now have the space to plant Orangeglo. Both of the Moons & Stars are growing well, as is Desert King.

Had several jellymelons growing, but something ate all but one of them. Again, more space for another one...

[caascher2]

Do you plant any flowers in your garden beds to help attract bees? I planted some around my melons, cukes, squash and eggplant. Only thing with a start of a bloom is one eggplant.
How do you hand pollinate melons? Sounds like a stupid question (and I work in a urology practice!), but how do you tell the male flowers from the female flowers?
Thanks,
Carol

[shelleybean]

Carol, the male flower is on a plain stem and the female flower has a tiny little melon at the back of the blosson. You have to get the pollen from the male flower to the female to pollinate it. In squash, this is really easy because they have big flowers, but small flowers are trickier. You can cut the male flowers off and try to transfer the pollen that way. With squash, I use a Q Tip to do this but I know in cucumbers the Q Tip is too big. I think it's going to depend on the size of your blooms.

I have not seen many bees this spring. I usually have a lot of bumble bees but not right now. My basil is starting to bloom and that usually attracts them so we'll see if any show up to help with the melons, cukes and squash.

[Douglas14]

I'm growing:
Charentais
Petit Gris De Rennes
Noir De Carmes

I've grown these all before, and feel they have very good to excellent flavor.

[Earl]

GTG,
You're probably to young to eat Haogen. I"m sure you'll pass out before eating half of one as the flavor is intoxcicating and will make you pant, mewl and etc. :-)

[materlvr]

Can someone give me info on growing Blacktail Mountain? I have flowers with a melon on the end, are these going to become watermelons? Or do I have to polinate them? What happens to the "melons" at the blossom end if they aren't pollinated? I know these are stupid questions, but the above post has me confused!

Thank, guys!

Janie

[shelleybean]

Hi, Janie. The flowers you see with the little melon attached are the female flowers. The blossoms on a plain stem are the male flowers. If you have bees in your garden, they'll pollinate for you. If not, you can do it yourself, taking some of the pollen from the male and transfering it to the female flower. If the female flowers are not pollinated, the little melon with shrivel up and die. Sometimes I don't have many bees early in the season and I need to bring some flowers in to attract them. If you have any herbs in pots that are flowering, that will probably help bring the bees. Right now I have them hanging around my oregano because that's flowering. Good luck!