Hi Rich,

My wife tells me to just go to the store and buy a
watermelon. I'm starting to think that's a good idea. I'll buy some
watermelons and place them in my garden, and tape the vines to them.
That's
not cheating is it?

If you feel happy in this way, just do it. g

Cheers,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

well, Dill, I am tempted. I do have a new garden that is beach sand (I
dumped several tons of compost on it), and next year I do want to grow
either melons or watermelons. But will melons grow in sand (heavily
mulched/composted)? What about vine borers (plentiful here)? And twice
a week watering too much? Sand in midsummer around here dries in two
days.. (this is Michigan, Zone 5.5). Oh, and finally: what about cover
(hoophouse) for early starts? Does it help? I do have that.

1.Watermelons will grow on a sandy soil so poor that it won't sprout Blackeyed
peas. They have lots of feeder roots that extend laterally the lenght of the
vines and if conditions are suitable down to six feet. They need aeration and
cannot go deep into a heavy soil. An old sandy field that won't grow hay, with
the addition of 300lbs /acre of 10- 10 -10 grows beautiful watermelons here in
GA,
2. Squash vine borers don't bother watermelons. The only insect problem that
has been serious in over 60 years is the striped cucumber beetle. They do most
of their damage to emerging seedlings.
3. Watermelon is a heat loving plant. When I lived in Virginia, I did
experiment with hot caps to get a faster start. On average I could gain about
10 days. Never tried hoophouse or polytunnel culture. Should buy you some time,
but only you could decide if it is worth it.
4. SInce you are in Michigan, I would suggest you start with a small short
season cultivar. Yellow Doll (yellow flesh) and Tiger Baby(red flesh) come to
mind.

zone 13, Phoenix AZ and planted on March 11th... at this point (74 days) the
vines are just 2' long at most, there are blooms on the vines but no fruit.
They get watered twice a week and get direct sunlight from morning to 4PM. I
would expect them to be ripe by 90 days.. What do you think? I still have
time to plant something else there if they aren't going to work out. This is
the second year I've been trying to get them to grow.
I agree with Loki. With a plot that small, any kind of sprawling,
vining plants like melons or pumpkins is the worst possible option.
Definitely tomatoes. Throw in some basil and pole beans.

If you insist on melons, I think others will agree that melons
generally like abundant fertility, in addition to the other
requirements.
DaveH

(FarmerDill) wrote in message ...

well, Dill, I am tempted. I do have a new garden that is beach sand (I
dumped several tons of compost on it), and next year I do want to grow
either melons or watermelons. But will melons grow in sand (heavily
mulched/composted)? What about vine borers (plentiful here)? And twice
a week watering too much? Sand in midsummer around here dries in two
days.. (this is Michigan, Zone 5.5). Oh, and finally: what about cover
(hoophouse) for early starts? Does it help? I do have that.

1.Watermelons will grow on a sandy soil so poor that it won't sprout Blackeyed
peas. They have lots of feeder roots that extend laterally the lenght of the
vines and if conditions are suitable down to six feet. They need aeration and
cannot go deep into a heavy soil. An old sandy field that won't grow hay, with
the addition of 300lbs /acre of 10- 10 -10 grows beautiful watermelons here in
GA,
2. Squash vine borers don't bother watermelons. The only insect problem that
has been serious in over 60 years is the striped cucumber beetle. They do most
of their damage to emerging seedlings.
3. Watermelon is a heat loving plant. When I lived in Virginia, I did
experiment with hot caps to get a faster start. On average I could gain about
10 days. Never tried hoophouse or polytunnel culture. Should buy you some time,
but only you could decide if it is worth it.
4. SInce you are in Michigan, I would suggest you start with a small short
season cultivar. Yellow Doll (yellow flesh) and Tiger Baby(red flesh) come to
mind.


thanks. It sounds ideal and I will keep one tunnel up until June next
year. Territorial Seeds has all the latest short season watermelons.