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Pataskala,OH

Mice killed one of my watermelon plants by biting it right at the stump. It had a watermelon that was growing well on it too. :( Will it ripen?

8/16/2011 4:54:23 PM

formerly RGG

Depending on the age of the melon it may be able to mature the seeds enough to make them viable or they may already be viable. If you want to give the seeds a chance to develop in the melon place it in a shaded area and wait a few weeks.

8/16/2011 5:02:53 PM

Muddy Waters

No! Melons only ripen on the Vine!!The seeds should be good long before majuity!80 days on vine to be 100% ripe have eaten many over the years as I have done little spraying till this season!!

8/16/2011 5:16:43 PM

Muddy Waters

the melon does not need stump to grow. If you have rooted leaves,it will continue to grow & ripen,just smaller growth!

8/16/2011 5:18:54 PM

Muddy Waters

How old was the 35 kent??wernt the seeds Good??

8/16/2011 5:20:20 PM

Pataskala,OH

It was grown on black plastic no side roots.

8/16/2011 5:23:21 PM

Corryton, TN

The melon I cut for the Indy fair was 53 days old and was still gaining at 3.4 lbs per day average for prior 7 days.
You know I don't like them but it was eaten on day 55 by a group and I was told it was pretty good.

8/16/2011 6:01:25 PM

Muddy Waters

with no rooted leaves I think its a loss!Sorry!!

8/16/2011 6:06:42 PM

Muddy Waters

It was good to eat at 53 days???Wow You learn something new all the time!!

8/16/2011 6:08:13 PM

formerly RGG

I'm not talking about eating good. I am talking about maturation of seeds. No fruit will ripen up, sweeten and be better to eat if it sits a long time after losing support from it's mother plant. But I do remember Chris talking about a melon that were without a plant at a young age and sitting in the sun. The outside texture of the plant changed and when he cut it it was nice and red inside. I don't remember him talking about the viability of the seeds after this. Help me out here Chris.

8/16/2011 8:43:45 PM

formerly RGG

Here is a link to a picture and comment about the melon I was talking about: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=144565

This was a 33 day old melon when it was picked and the seeds look mostly good to me.

8/16/2011 8:48:28 PM

formerly RGG

How old is that melon NP ? If it was at least as old as the 109 Kent melon I am referring to and you are after seeds I wouldn't give up on it yet. Actually I think some of us are growing the 109 Kent seeds this year. Chris?

8/16/2011 8:51:13 PM

Pataskala,OH

I have no idea what it crossed with so I don't know if I want the seeds. I want to know what I am growing will produce well next year. The plant is still hanging on by a thread so maybe it will be enough for the melon to ripen.

8/16/2011 9:10:02 PM

Muddy Waters

TD I dont think Ripen & seed majurity are the same thing!!

8/16/2011 9:17:05 PM

Muddy Waters

I did have a 126 last year that stopped growing early!It was Delicous !!

8/16/2011 9:18:32 PM

sevierville, Tn

Some Seed will be ok if its at least 30 days & you let it ripen some.

8/16/2011 9:22:25 PM

formerly RGG

Mark, if you will read my original comment again you will see I wrote only about seed viability.I said nothing about melon quality or ripening off the vine. Then when you talked about not ripening once removed from the vine I remembered the 109 Kent. Chris just said :
"Some Seed will be ok if its at least 30 days & you let it ripen some". When he wrote that he was talking about picked melons ripening off the vine. So if you want to argue about this point then do it with Chris.

8/16/2011 9:44:14 PM

Muddy Waters

No thats ok TD! Im just going by the books Ive read,say 80 days on the vine to ripen!But you cant believe everything you read!I just have found it to be pretty acurate in the north,it may not apply in the heat of the south!!

8/16/2011 10:14:04 PM

formerly RGG

NP, I have had a lot of my vines chewed on this year and most of them are still growing. Good luck.

8/16/2011 10:42:41 PM

formerly RGG

Mark, I love your diary picture of the Supersteak tomato smoking a cigarette.Looks like it has 2 eyes a high nose and a mouth.You should send that picture to the local newspapers and television stations. I think anyone who sees that picture will get a smile on their face. lmao

8/16/2011 11:07:06 PM

Muddy Waters

Thanks TD,I was getting ready to hand that Tom to a friend,when I saw the glasses on it,I back peddled real Quick!!LOL

8/17/2011 7:17:59 AM

Bowdon, GA

Down here we'd never have anything to eat if it took 80 days LOL. Grow quick burn up quick is ussually the way it goes in GA

8/17/2011 10:43:15 PM

Western PA

My melons went down with downey last year. They only grew for around 30 days. I left them on the vine for close to 1 month after no measurable growth, until the plant was totally gone.

They both had mature seeds and one of them was excellent tasting.

8/17/2011 11:29:33 PM

Muddy Waters

So they were 60 days on the vine!!Days on the vine is what counts!I still dont believe they continue to ripen off the plant like a Tom or lope does!Just what Ive read in several places!!No arguement needed!!lol

8/18/2011 6:43:30 AM

Western PA

Yes, they were on the vine for approx. 60 days.

8/18/2011 7:14:10 AM

Bowdon, GA

60 days seems plenty to get one ripe down here, ussually the older fruit are over ripe.

8/19/2011 3:05:28 PM