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Forest Hill,md.

In a prior post there were requests for some pic,s and such on the "turkey" melons.Finally got a few togethor to look at.Anyone have a good running weedeater to slow them down?LOL.In future I will know to give them more planned space.In the meantime just making do.Culled 10 more today ,up to 50 plus on one plant culled to date.Settled on 2 on one and three on the other.

7/12/2011 5:42:39 PM

sevierville, Tn

thats some wild plant. can't wait to see the melons when grown.

7/13/2011 3:27:03 PM

Forest Hill,md.

Iam very curious to say the least.If I could ask,what could I expect the seeds of the turkey crossed melons to look like?As I said ,They were smaller in size and dark black.Will the seeds in this years grown melons have the differant seeds or will that be the offsprings that are grown next year?

7/13/2011 9:18:21 PM

sevierville, Tn

i think the seeds should be just like the ones you planted, the offspring from those seeds will be different.

7/14/2011 3:00:50 PM

Your first generation offspring next year will have equal amounts of genetic materials from both parents for each characteristic. Some of the traits of one parent may mask traits of the other parent and some of the traits will blend so you see evidence of both parents. Most of the first generation offspring should look pretty much alike. The really interesting offspring should come in the second generation after the genetic material reshuffles and you get dozens of new combinations. If you can plant lots of seeds for the second generation, you should end up with a few very special melons.

7/14/2011 4:10:34 PM

Bowdon, GA

Thank Mr. Bright that answers a question for me too. I had some crossed Carolinas and Mt. Hoosiers. First gen, some looked like Hoosiers and some looked like both parents. I thought there might have been two crosses in the parent female. I picked one of the first gen. that looked like a hoosier and it was selfed (showed no signs of Carolina) I was suprised to see when I cut it open that it had seeds that looked like a Carolina.

7/15/2011 10:33:17 AM

sevierville, Tn

Thinking big, I was refering to the seeds only, Lloyd is correct on the plants

7/15/2011 3:21:10 PM

Forest Hill,md.

Thanks to all for theyre help and input.Looking forward to the planting already for next year.So if I understand it correct ,the cc,s that were pollinated from these turkey melons and vice versa will pretty much develop like normal this year.I guess what im asking is, if the 255 mitchell plant was pollinated from the turkey variety will it probally still mature in size as if it were self pollinated?Will its ability to get size be affected this season from the cross pollination,or will all changes good or bad happen next planting from these seeds?

7/15/2011 3:49:56 PM

Trinity River Bottom

All changes wiil be with your next planting.

7/15/2011 3:53:04 PM

Forest Hill,md.

Thanks MHMM !

7/15/2011 4:26:45 PM

My interest in this is that you not get discouraged early. As I understand, you are wanting a watermelon with the best traits of the 255 Mitchell and the Turkey melon. When you do a cross between two good melons that have differences, you want to let your first crop from those seeds self pollinate in order to reshuffle the genetic combinations. Then if you collect seeds from those to plant, the resulting offspring will very likely have a few plants showing the combined best traits of the two special melons you started with. You will have dozens of new combinations if the two original melons were quite different so you will need to plant lots of them to see what is there. What you are really interested in getting will come in your second generation of offspring so be patient. One way to speed it up is to plant an offspring crop now from one of your immature crosses.

7/15/2011 9:47:53 PM

Forest Hill,md.

Thanks Lloyd,As the saying does in fact go; patience is a virtue.In regards to you that says alot.

7/16/2011 3:59:35 AM