From

Location

Message

Date Posted

sevierville, Tn

Ok,in past years I got some of these. The ratio was like 1 to 10. This year has been more like 5 to 10 (50%)
Any clue what causes the melons to develope like this?
How can we prevent it?

My weather this year has been very wet, Temps about normal(88-92 day, 68-72 night)

7/21/2011 2:58:48 PM

SW Ohio

I'm seeing it way more this year in my patch. One that was not too bad on the 113 I decided to watch and see how it developed. It's not as bad as I expected, but there is a definite difference between the fat end and the skinny end LoL I was just getting ready to make a post on the correct way to do a side to side measure on these ..since one end is larger than the other. I have been doing the side to side in the center of the melon. Is this correct?

7/21/2011 3:07:18 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I have always considered pear shaped melons to be a pollination issue. Is it?

7/21/2011 3:09:00 PM

sevierville, Tn

Sue, yes that the way i do it, in the middle.

James, I put lots of pollen on the female, so its not that. Maybe there is too much as i don't see it with the open polination melons.....maybe thats it....something to think about.

7/21/2011 3:56:50 PM

Rome Ga

Hey Chris most of the time it is a pollination thing. but not always i have had it more this year also. it seems to be more on the same plants. I had 60 hives on a field of regular melons and had more than usual. maybe hot temps have something to do with it

7/21/2011 4:49:50 PM

formerly RGG

Chris, most of mine seem to be taking a pear shape also. None of them have the classic fat cigar shape I want to see.

7/21/2011 5:33:40 PM

Muddy Waters

The pear shape grew out of the 255 it was real bad at Qt size even gallon but it basicly has disappeared

7/21/2011 5:41:09 PM

SW Ohio

Mine are all open pollinated. Temps are hot and humid now, but have not been abnormally hot or anything. Rainfall about normal..possibly a bit on the wetter side or normal. All 3 have thrown quite a few deformed melons, but the pear shape is very obvious on the 113 and affect most every melon I've seen on it. Once I allowed one of the melons to grow for a week or 10 days, it has turned into a really nice melon.
Oh and I am growing on fabric this year so maybe that has something to do with it? Causing more heat?

7/21/2011 6:09:27 PM

Deep South, USA

I want to throw an idea into the mix. I've noticed female flowers with pistils that have deformed lobes. Could that have something to do with it?

7/21/2011 6:52:57 PM

Alabama

Two of the nine plants I have decent melons on this year had that problem, I just kept culling them till I got a good melon to set. I think its a combination of plant genetics and wet weather.

7/21/2011 6:56:42 PM

Southeast Texas

i think the cc has some jubillee gens in it ..cause all my jubille's are likke that ..but the older they are they staighten out

7/21/2011 8:33:03 PM

sevierville, Tn

Sue, it does seem to be certain plants over other. The 113 has not had any in my patch. Maybe its a soil/fert issue.

Yoshi, thats a possibility, wish i had paid attention to that at polination.

Cliff, ok wet weather, that would affect female development & melon growth by way of soil ferts.

7/21/2011 9:50:32 PM

formerly RGG

Some straw over black plastic mitigates heat very well.

7/21/2011 10:12:41 PM

Bowdon, GA

Been supper wet here, I had some of the early hand polinated ones like that, but nearly all the later hand pollinated sets were good. So I have no idea why. My 113 was a little like that to but straighten out nicely.

7/21/2011 11:03:44 PM

Indiana

In pumpkins, I have always felt it was a pollination issue. Sure enough when we pick them the seeds are not developed.

I suggest perhaps its poor pollination due to the time of the day it was pollinated, or perhaps the temperature.

Just because it has enough pollen on it doesnt mean it pollinates properly.

7/22/2011 12:08:49 AM

Trinity River Bottom

It was hot and dry here all of June all the melons i tried pollinating ended up with horrible shapes I didnt get any nice shaped melons until the temps went below 100.I'm finally ending up with a few nice shaped open pollinated ones. still have 6 plants with nothing on them all culls because of shape... I think its a pollination problem here.There could be numerous factors that cause pear shapeing .. Because we all have different conditions ..

7/22/2011 8:41:12 AM

Hot West Tennessee

Glad it wasn't just my melons. Pulled several odd shaped ones. Chickens don't care what shape they are.

7/22/2011 8:43:20 AM

SW Ohio

I vote for it being stress related. That covers a wide range of things. I was sure mine was from my plants being so big when I planted them out LoL

7/22/2011 9:11:39 AM

Bowdon, GA

My wife claims it was just the ones I pollinated. LOL

7/22/2011 6:29:59 PM

Muddy Waters

I noticed my only long melon the 191 clementz was pollinated during the really hot weather!Ice man has mostly long melons??Is there a connection?? all my Cool polys are chubby!Ok what do you think???

7/23/2011 5:49:42 AM

Muddy Waters

after reading Kirks, I just found,a couple soup can size melons on Sussies 239 funky bannana shapes also extreme heat melons! Mid 90s!!

7/23/2011 5:52:33 AM

Garner, NC

I havnt post here because I don't know a answer, but here are some things I've nocticed this year. It seems my first early plant I had for the farmers market threw a short fat melon. Then when it got really hot,95plus it threw 2 4cm females, and then the plant died. So all later plants threw 4cmplus long females in the heat, so it seems heat does have a lot to do with it. :owever, I have had a ton of weird melons that get cull,on most plants, except the 285 Edwards, it has thrown perfect melons from day one. The 255 Mitchell has done nothing but ugly melons from day 1, to the point I was considering pulling the plant. It final got 1 going, and it's still alittle weird looking. So not sure if its all heat or heat combined with certain genetics of certain plants.

7/23/2011 9:17:16 AM

Muddy Waters

sounds right to me!!

7/23/2011 12:30:40 PM

Muddy Waters

Sharing info is great we will hit 400 pds much sooner if more people would compare notes!Dont be a shy guy your only as sick as your secrets LOL!! thanks for sharing Ice Man!!

7/23/2011 12:34:32 PM

Cleveland, Tenn

Chris, This year I"ve had trouble getting my pollinations to take, especially early on when plants were smaller. I was getting plenty of pollen on the flower but I think I was to early in the morning as the female was not ready to recieve pollen. After talking to Marvin I waited for it to warm up a bit more and they started to take much better. Also the shapes were much more symetrical after the pollination took and they started to grow

7/24/2011 6:39:07 PM

Bethlehem CT

I have noticed the more I want a blossom to take, the greater the chance for it to be misshapen or to abort. The ones that are hidden on a side vine always are always perfect!

7/25/2011 8:23:22 AM

sevierville, Tn

Big Moon, boy isn't that the truth... had 3 bad pears on a plant, all were hand pollinated & supose to be keepers. Found a BEAUTIFULLY shaped melon hiding in the leaves. Open pollinated of unknow age. Just can't win. I'm watching both, the pear better fix itself quick or its off the vine it goes.

7/25/2011 3:42:47 PM

Deep South, USA

I suspect stem position relative to the fruit can also cause problems. For example, if the vine the fruit is growing on is held at a higher level than the fruit itself.

7/25/2011 3:50:49 PM

Muddy Waters

In my melon house there are no hiders yet, nothing to pollinate them!!Try hanging those little pear shapes off the side of a plank or something similar it will straighten the stem for sure!Do it when there at pollinating age.I had a beauty till I stepped on it, it was a hanger!!Look at my post 2 weeks ago!turns out it maybe a blessing the 255 Captain Marvel doesnt need any competition!Shes 13 inchs bigger than her Mommy on day 24!!

7/25/2011 7:13:10 PM

Linden, Mi.,

I pick all pear and banana shape off, don't even try to pollinate.

7/25/2011 7:18:00 PM

Muddy Waters

My 255 was real pear shaped till gallon size now she looks just like Ma ma!!lol

7/25/2011 9:46:25 PM

SW Ohio

I have one going that started out pear shaped. It's a very nice looking melon now. I'll try to get a pic posted.

7/26/2011 6:52:55 AM

Trinity River Bottom

Culled a melon this weekend that started out bad pear shaped.. Kept it because it was the only thing i could get.. It was growing out of that shape but it was still a pear when i cut it loose, it had quit growing little over 100 lbs. Didn't take any pics will have to try and get a couple to post.. gave it to a local cafe to display most people around here have never even seen a watermelon as big as that.

7/26/2011 9:09:25 AM

sevierville, Tn

Well i need to cut one, just can't decide. Its a small experimental plant , so i can't have 2 growing.

7/26/2011 2:40:54 PM