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Eastern Shore of VA

Plants are a little leggy.2-3 inches tall.
Had hoped to plant out this weekend.
We are susceptible to high winds here.can I bury him like a tomato?
Soil drains pretty well.
I was either going to do that, or build a berm of soil around it like a big bowl.
Any suggestions for a rookie?

4/29/2015 9:32:31 PM

Home of happy lil plants

Little wind break around plant like a small fence

do not bury like a tomato

Start sunning it now so it doesnt doesn't get any leggier

That are the main things i can think of anyways

4/30/2015 2:38:25 PM

formerly RGG

Unless you already have extra plants,get some more seeds germinated in case of the worst. Always keep backup plants until it is too late for them.

4/30/2015 7:37:39 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Lol TD.some are back up plants!
All six are leggy.
The leaves are big and beautiful,dark green.
When I transplanted to a larger pot, I didn't think about the depth of the larger pot.
Lights were about an inch from plants when they went under.
Transplanting to a deeper pot and didn't account for extra inch or so.
stems are getting fatter,but still tall.

4/30/2015 9:35:34 PM

formerly RGG

Sheel,I think you need stronger lights if you can afford them. HID or LED growlights are strong enough to prevent leggy plants.

5/1/2015 8:25:01 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

Guess I'll look into that for next year.
Live and learn I guess!

5/1/2015 8:36:44 AM

NE Arkansas

Any certain type of LED lights?

5/1/2015 11:30:40 AM

formerly RGG

Yes Jackall, LED growlights will have the proper light wave-lenghts to best benefit plants.

5/1/2015 3:24:19 PM

Grant, AL

Look on Amazon ESheel! I found a 4 foot grow light a couple of years ago on there that was very affordable and accommodates several plants. It came with T5 bulbs also. It has really helped me get my plants started good the last couple of years.

5/1/2015 11:52:18 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

I have a T5 setup now.
I think they got leggy because I moved them to a larger pot and didn't have enough mix to fill them all the way up.
They sat a little lower in the new pot and I didn't think of that.
That's another inch or so away from the lights there.
Did you find anything for a stump cover Charles?

5/2/2015 12:09:49 AM

Grant, AL

Yeah! I am using some glass from old windows.

5/2/2015 12:21:05 AM

formerly RGG

You can also look on Craigslist for a better price on some used HID fixtures.Either metal halide or high pressure sodium will work good to help early plants grow solid and fast. I used to start as early as possible but now I prefer a younger more vigorous plant at toward the end of the growing season. And it seems to me that later set melons, even as late as mid July, seem to put on pounds faster equaling heavier melons. So this year for the first time in several years I have used no grow lights at all. One of my hills is even direct seeded with several small but healthy plants growing slowly right now and a few more still coming up.They are a little slow right now due to unusually cool weather for this time of the year here in Knoxville. That is about to change though as it is supposed to be warm and sunny for the next 7 days or more. And I still have lots of time to grow a large healthy and vigorous vine that is ready to set on fruit from early to mid July. I think rushing the season doesn't turn out well most of the time. And of course there are the growers who want a early melon for a early weigh-off. For that, a grower needs a good inside the house or greenhouse environment with plenty of strong artificial light to promote fast growth and eliminate legginess problems.

5/2/2015 7:35:31 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

Thanks TD.You always seem to help us rookies out of trouble,LOL.
I'll look into different lights for next year.
I am going to start a couple more.
Couple of 220 Brinkley seeds went into germ box tonight.
Try some of those Mudd genetics.
It's become quite warm this week, so I may bypass the lights altogether and set them out when they first pop.

5/2/2015 9:14:53 PM