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Jamul

My fastest growing plant is pretty noticeably thinned vined.It just looks less dense overall too. Does this one factor have a downside for potential fruit size? It looks great in all other ways. Has lots of long secondaries on the main.

Thanks.

7/1/2011 12:15:36 AM

formerly RGG

I think you might get a thicker & healthier main if you will deadhead some of the secondaries that are starting to crowd each other. This may also help with melon growth rate after one is set.It seems to me that plant growth is stimulated and the remaining vines are thicker after pruning of some secondaries takes place.

7/1/2011 7:43:34 AM

Jamul

Thinking about trying what you are suggesting, Dennis.I 'll probably do it. I am leaning towards trying to get a few fruit set first, which I realize is a little different than what you are saying.

7/1/2011 9:26:11 PM

formerly RGG

Rustico, I think pruning some secondaries will actually help with fruit set. The only set I have so far is on a 194 Brinkley that has been heavily pruned; so much so I don't know if it's possible to grow a giant melon out of it. The whole vine would fit in about 10' sq. The vine is growing really good and I ended up pulling my 264 Kent ( since it has no sign of a female so far) to give it growing room in my main patch instead of leaving it to grow on the perimeter of my patch as a seed melon.

7/2/2011 7:17:57 AM

Jamul

Mine is still pretty small too,Dennis.Just a larger span relative to the others. The main is about 9 feet.Just stringy with lots of secondaries. There is one melon a few days pollinated now. I might take off one or two fingers if the fruit sticks or another one on the main does, and then dead end secondaries off the main as they get 9 or 10 feet. It would be a pretty nearly a classic christmas tree pattern. It's all trial and error at this point anyway. What do you think of that?

I am not sweating this plant that much, just thinking trial and error with what it is.I probabably shouldn't worry about it at all. Back to the original question though, do you think thinned vined plants are generally less viable as producers of big melons if all other factors were equal?

7/2/2011 10:07:43 PM

formerly RGG

Yes, personally I would much rather have a melon set on a nice thick vined aggressive main than on some thin puny looking secondary.In my opinion large vine size has little to do with growing a large melon. I believe it can actually be detrimental sometimes. If you get too much top for your roots to keep healthy then you have run into problems.The vine has to be growing for melons to be growing and as a vine gets larger and larger it will eventually begin to slow in it's growth and I think this will be reflected in much slower melon growth.

7/2/2011 10:17:47 PM