Not those kind of melons!!!! I'm a guy! Sheesh....I'm talking about watermelons. It's no secret that i'll trellis any melon on the planet, because let's face it - i've got the trellises for it. Oh, I just love seeing people's confused look while visiting my garden in late summer for the first time. A few 25 pounders suspended in mid-air is definitely something you don't see everyday, and I love doing it this way. Hehe...
Photo below - it's kinda hard to tell which is vine and which is blackberry cane, but you should be able to see the vine that is running horizontally along the top of the trellis to the left. This is what is being grown in the gray colored swc on the right side, and has already vined out around 10 feet so far. This swc has to be filled up every couple of days, because these plants are drinking alot of water!
Photo below - just look at this little stinker. I hope it was pollinated by the bees, because what few that's been seen have been in the cucumber area (more flowers for them to visit). Just as a precaution, i've began to hand pollinate as well. This one is a Congo Watermelon, and there are 4 more out there just like it....
Photo below - here's the honeydew melons that are beginning to vine pretty well, too. Gosh, they are so far behind the congo, but should start to grow pretty fast since hot weather has finally arrived. This "cool green" variety is just awesome, and probably the best melon i've ever tasted. It's impressive!
Photo below - here's a tiny "sugar bowl hybrid" watermelon growing in the big box that's ready to be pollinated by a bee. Oh...you can bet that this one was hand pollinated too, just as insurance. These typically grow to around 25 lbs. too, but my friend James, from work grew one to almost 40 lbs last year. Yikes! I'd love to grow one to that size! Hehe....he calls himself "EG jr."......
In other news, the blackberries are everywhere now! Chance and Shawn Jr. are supposed to come this weekend to pick some, and i'll probably get out there with them. Although I won't pick all that many, somebody has to be there to show them how it's done. Lord knows i'm a real pro at it!
The green beans are coming in now too, but only a few at a time. Jude gets those, 'cause she loves them! About 10 ears of corn were pulled the other day and made their way to the dinner table, which were "Ambrosia" variety, and far less impressive as the "peaches and cream" from previous years. I'll not grow that one again, that's for sure....
Take care, and happy gardening!
EG
11 comments:
You sure have some fuzzy little melons EG :)
Those melons are slung in contraptions just as uncomfortable as other people's so y'all do have something in common!
My cantaloupe are so small right now, I wonder if they'll grow this year. I'm trying what's supposed to be a true bush variety. So far...pretty bushy if you ask me.
I love the hairy little melon pictures!
Awesome. My melons are no where close to this stage but I'm sure once summer gets going, things will really pick up. I've never grown melons before and am really anxious to see how it all turns out.
I feel like it's been YEARS since I've tasted a great cantaloupe or honeydew melon. What you find in the supermarket is crap these days...hard, picked way to early and completely flavorless.
I toyed with the idea of going vertical with my melons this year since it's a great space saving method. The problem is that it doesn't get very hot here and I think the melons will stay warmer on the ground. Growing good sweet melons around here is pretty iffy. But the winter squash, now that's a candidate for verticality.
You must have watermelon feasts when the melons come in!
I'll keep watching. I've got to see these melons in the air!
EG, My cukes are always on a trellis, but I've never trellised melons before. Space is not a problem, though, and I mulch with straw. If you had more space, would you still trellis, or let them go horizontal?? Wondering if they do better off the ground.
Nice melons, by the way!
~~Lori
Dang too bad I don't live close. I would love to pick some blackberries. Yummy. I'm not much of a watermelon or honeydew person, but I love cantaloupe. I wish I had planted some this year as we actually have heat. They would have grown.
robin - haha, I sure do....
ribbit - bush cantaloupe? Never heard of that one before. Maybe things will pick up for ya...
Megan - hehe...yeah, those melons sure are hairy!
Thomas - I agree - melons from the store taste pretty pathetic.
michelle - I've never grown them on the ground, and critters would surely get them if I did....
Gardener - oh, just wait - you shall see them for sure!
Lori - even if I had plenty of room, i'd still grow them vertically. It's easier to tend to the plants, inspect for bugs, and it's downright fun, too!
Daphne - I know it! There's gonna be tons of blackberries this year, and most will likely go to waste.
What cool melons!
Beautiful baby melons! Hope your pollination was successful and aided by the bees.
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