I'm in south-central Missouri and have already planted some corn. Of course,
the day after planting, the forecast changed to include one night with a low
of 31 degrees, that will happen just about the time the corn is sprouting.
Will this hurt it? If so, would it help to cover the plot with black plastic
that night?

Also, I tried growing watermelons for the first time last year, and they did
rather poorly, in that the fruits were much smaller than normal (delicious,
though). They got enough water, so it must be something missing in my soil.
Anyone got any ideas?

On the corn .. if they haven't sprouted you're ok. Except if they take so
long to sprout because of cold weather they rot.
On the melons .. two words ... cow poop. You need it.

"Pat" wrote in message
...
I'm in south-central Missouri and have already planted some corn. Of
course,
the day after planting, the forecast changed to include one night with a
low
of 31 degrees, that will happen just about the time the corn is sprouting.
Will this hurt it? If so, would it help to cover the plot with black
plastic
that night?

Also, I tried growing watermelons for the first time last year, and they
did
rather poorly, in that the fruits were much smaller than normal
(delicious,
though). They got enough water, so it must be something missing in my
soil.
Anyone got any ideas?

"Pat" wrote in message
...
I'm in south-central Missouri and have already planted some corn. Of
course,
the day after planting, the forecast changed to include one night with a
low
of 31 degrees, that will happen just about the time the corn is sprouting.
Will this hurt it? If so, would it help to cover the plot with black
plastic
that night?

Make sure the plastic isnt touching your plants. They can get frosted where
they touch the plastic.


Also, I tried growing watermelons for the first time last year, and they
did
rather poorly, in that the fruits were much smaller than normal
(delicious,
though). They got enough water, so it must be something missing in my
soil.
Anyone got any ideas?

Last summer none of my melons did anything. They split while they were
still small. They looked ripe inside, but I never tried to taste one.

I dont know anythoing about using fertalizer for them, but it wont hurt.
Using "Poop" you have to be sure it is aged at least 2 years. If you dont
you will plant a lot of other seeds into your melon patch, when you put it
down.

I would also suggest you be picky with your seeds. If you use some out of a
melon, they may have crossed with something else. If your melons were sugar
babies, they wont get big. I suggest Crimson Sweet (for a red melon) and
Dixie King (for a yellow melon).

Have fun. Dwayne

"Dwayne" wrote in message
...

"Pat" wrote in message
...
I'm in south-central Missouri and have already planted some corn. Of
course,
the day after planting, the forecast changed to include one night with a
low
of 31 degrees, that will happen just about the time the corn is
sprouting.
Will this hurt it? If so, would it help to cover the plot with black
plastic
that night?

Make sure the plastic isnt touching your plants. They can get frosted
where
they touch the plastic.

They won't be out of the soil yet. It should be OK because it's only
supposed to be chilly that one night.


Also, I tried growing watermelons for the first time last year, and they
did
rather poorly, in that the fruits were much smaller than normal
(delicious,
though). They got enough water, so it must be something missing in my
soil.
Anyone got any ideas?

Last summer none of my melons did anything. They split while they were
still small. They looked ripe inside, but I never tried to taste one.

I think they split when they get too much water.

I dont know anythoing about using fertalizer for them, but it wont hurt.
Using "Poop" you have to be sure it is aged at least 2 years. If you dont
you will plant a lot of other seeds into your melon patch, when you put it
down.

I don't have any cow poop, but do have lots of horse poop. I presume that
will do...


If your melons were sugar
babies

They were sugar babies, but they were less than half the size they should
have been.

Have fun. Dwayne

I will. Thanks!

"Pat" wrote in message
I don't have any cow poop, but do have lots of horse poop. I presume that
will do...



Pat, horse manure will work. Here is a sugestion, try digging a hole 3'
ft deep, where you want your hill. Then fill it about 1/3 full with manure,
now put your dirt back and plant your melons. Melons spread a great deal,
but the roots go staight down. Also, they need warm weather. I live in zone
7b/8a and I wouldn't think about melons til later in April. This works for
us. Len

Pat wrote:
..................................
I don't have any cow poop, but do have lots of horse poop. I presume that
will do...
....................................

I was going to keep out of this one, since I live in the frozen
north and shouldn't know anything about watermelons. (It IS still
frozen. The lake is still frozen, the ground is still frozen and
mostly covered with snow.)

The ONLY way I am able to grow melons here is with fresh horse
manure. It has to be fresh because I need the heat it produces. I
get out there and dig a trench close to two feet wide and at least a
foot deep. Maybe closer to 18 inches deep. I go get a pickup truck
load of horse manure and fill the trench to the top. I then take the
soil from the trench and pile it on top, so that it is at least 6
inches deep down the center. Last of all I stretch a sheet of black
plastic over the whole thing.
I make a series of small slits in the plastic where I plug in pre
started melon plants. I have sometimes had leftover plants that I
put in another location without all the preparation. The difference
is like day and night (at least!). I get big sprawling plants and
good melons from the prepared beds. The other plants make a vine
about 5 feet long with one green, golf ball sized, melon when the
frost comes.
Now, in Missouri, there is little need to do all of that (unless you
want ripe melons in early June). You might want to try parts of it
though. Maybe you would want to try a test by just digging a hole
and filling it with fresh horse manure, cover with soil and plant
some seeds. See how that spot compares to your other melons.

Steve in the Adirondacks

I am going to try the poop-hole method, but will wait a couple of weeks for
the soil to warm up a little more. We've got mostly 70-degree days and
50-degree nights right now, it may not be warm enough yet.


"Steve" wrote in message
...


Pat wrote:
..................................
I don't have any cow poop, but do have lots of horse poop. I presume
that
will do...
....................................

I was going to keep out of this one, since I live in the frozen
north and shouldn't know anything about watermelons. (It IS still
frozen. The lake is still frozen, the ground is still frozen and
mostly covered with snow.)

The ONLY way I am able to grow melons here is with fresh horse
manure. It has to be fresh because I need the heat it produces. I
get out there and dig a trench close to two feet wide and at least a
foot deep. Maybe closer to 18 inches deep. I go get a pickup truck
load of horse manure and fill the trench to the top. I then take the
soil from the trench and pile it on top, so that it is at least 6
inches deep down the center. Last of all I stretch a sheet of black
plastic over the whole thing.
I make a series of small slits in the plastic where I plug in pre
started melon plants. I have sometimes had leftover plants that I
put in another location without all the preparation. The difference
is like day and night (at least!). I get big sprawling plants and
good melons from the prepared beds. The other plants make a vine
about 5 feet long with one green, golf ball sized, melon when the
frost comes.
Now, in Missouri, there is little need to do all of that (unless you
want ripe melons in early June). You might want to try parts of it
though. Maybe you would want to try a test by just digging a hole
and filling it with fresh horse manure, cover with soil and plant
some seeds. See how that spot compares to your other melons.

Steve in the Adirondacks

I'm in south-central Missouri and have already planted some corn. Of course,
the day after planting, the forecast changed to include one night with a low
of 31 degrees, that will happen just about the time the corn is sprouting.
Will this hurt it? If so, would it help to cover the plot with black plastic
that night?

Also, I tried growing watermelons for the first time last year, and they did
rather poorly, in that the fruits were much smaller than normal (delicious,
though). They got enough water, so it must be something missing in my soil.
Anyone got any ideas?
1. Corn will stand a light frost. Some varieties do have germination in cold
soil, but if it emerges a light frost will yellow it for a few days but do no
permanent damage.
2. If your watermelons were delicious it probably means that you planted one of
the "icebox" type cultivars. These range from 3 lbs (New Hampshire Midget) to
about 15 lbs (Gem Dandy). Full size watermelons usually do not have good flavor
when under developed. To reach full size they need space 10 ft spacing on 20 ft
centers and a loose preferably sandy soil. They are not particulary heavy
feeders, but manures will help. If you have a heavy clay soil you will have to
work at amending it and to a depth of at least two feet.

The last time I used fresh horse poop, I raised about a ton of other plants
from the seeds that were in the poop. If you have a good weeding program,
that might not be a bother.

Dwayne



"Pat" wrote in message
...
I am going to try the poop-hole method, but will wait a couple of weeks
for
the soil to warm up a little more. We've got mostly 70-degree days and
50-degree nights right now, it may not be warm enough yet.


"Steve" wrote in message
...


Pat wrote:
..................................
I don't have any cow poop, but do have lots of horse poop. I presume
that
will do...
....................................

I was going to keep out of this one, since I live in the frozen
north and shouldn't know anything about watermelons. (It IS still
frozen. The lake is still frozen, the ground is still frozen and
mostly covered with snow.)

The ONLY way I am able to grow melons here is with fresh horse
manure. It has to be fresh because I need the heat it produces. I
get out there and dig a trench close to two feet wide and at least a
foot deep. Maybe closer to 18 inches deep. I go get a pickup truck
load of horse manure and fill the trench to the top. I then take the
soil from the trench and pile it on top, so that it is at least 6
inches deep down the center. Last of all I stretch a sheet of black
plastic over the whole thing.
I make a series of small slits in the plastic where I plug in pre
started melon plants. I have sometimes had leftover plants that I
put in another location without all the preparation. The difference
is like day and night (at least!). I get big sprawling plants and
good melons from the prepared beds. The other plants make a vine
about 5 feet long with one green, golf ball sized, melon when the
frost comes.
Now, in Missouri, there is little need to do all of that (unless you
want ripe melons in early June). You might want to try parts of it
though. Maybe you would want to try a test by just digging a hole
and filling it with fresh horse manure, cover with soil and plant
some seeds. See how that spot compares to your other melons.

Steve in the Adirondacks

The last time I used fresh horse poop, I raised about a ton of other plants
from the seeds that were in the poop. If you have a good weeding program,
that might not be a bother.

Dwayne



"Pat" wrote in message
...
I am going to try the poop-hole method, but will wait a couple of weeks
for
the soil to warm up a little more. We've got mostly 70-degree days and
50-degree nights right now, it may not be warm enough yet.


"Steve" wrote in message
...


Pat wrote:
..................................
I don't have any cow poop, but do have lots of horse poop. I presume
that
will do...
....................................

I was going to keep out of this one, since I live in the frozen
north and shouldn't know anything about watermelons. (It IS still
frozen. The lake is still frozen, the ground is still frozen and
mostly covered with snow.)

The ONLY way I am able to grow melons here is with fresh horse
manure. It has to be fresh because I need the heat it produces. I
get out there and dig a trench close to two feet wide and at least a
foot deep. Maybe closer to 18 inches deep. I go get a pickup truck
load of horse manure and fill the trench to the top. I then take the
soil from the trench and pile it on top, so that it is at least 6
inches deep down the center. Last of all I stretch a sheet of black
plastic over the whole thing.
I make a series of small slits in the plastic where I plug in pre
started melon plants. I have sometimes had leftover plants that I
put in another location without all the preparation. The difference
is like day and night (at least!). I get big sprawling plants and
good melons from the prepared beds. The other plants make a vine
about 5 feet long with one green, golf ball sized, melon when the
frost comes.
Now, in Missouri, there is little need to do all of that (unless you
want ripe melons in early June). You might want to try parts of it
though. Maybe you would want to try a test by just digging a hole
and filling it with fresh horse manure, cover with soil and plant
some seeds. See how that spot compares to your other melons.

Steve in the Adirondacks

Yes, I went once. I'd go every year if I could remember when it is!

"The Watcher" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 11:09:06 -0600, "Pat"
wrote:

I'm in south-central Missouri and have already planted some corn.

Have you been to the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Show? Interesting event,
but if
you eat meat you better bring your own. It's near Mansfield, in case
you've
never been there. They also usually have a sale that weekend.
(snip)

On Sun, 2 May 2004 01:44:56 -0500, "Pat" wrote:

Yes, I went once. I'd go every year if I could remember when it is!

They just had the spring festival two weeks ago. They'll have one in the fall.
Their website is at www.rareseeds.com