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  • From: Allan Balliett <igg AT igg.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Late melon planting
  • Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 09:45:07 -0400

How about this: I've still got about 100 heirloom cantalopes in large peat pots. I'm thinking about putting them into a plastic bed, but am having similar fears: a lot of work with a risk of no return. These plants were started some time back and have held very well. If they were not in peat pots (and my investment so great! ;-), I'd not even ask for opinions on this. -Allan

Jacob

Planting direct-seeded melons now is not likely to work in the upper
Midwest. It probably wouldn't here, near Chicago. If you decide to do it,
use plastic mulch and a row cover to accelerate growth. Then be prepared to
use a heavy spun-bonded cover in the Fall. Unfortunately, the shorter
daylengths will result in less sweet melons at that point. I've played that
game a few times and it's often disappointing.

Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center



-----Original Message-----
From: jacobl AT dakotarural.org <jacobl AT dakotarural.org>
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Monday, July 12, 2004 7:54 AM
Subject: [Market-farming] Late melon planting


We've had rabbits taste-testing our various melon crops this year and while
we tolerate
a lot of damage, they've gone a bit overboard. What I'd like to do is
replace some of the
hills with new plants, but no one has those at this point in the season.
So, I'm
wondering if I can still direct seed (or start transplants) this late and
still get a ripe
melon. Seems to me that if melons are daylength sensitive I'd just get
smaller plants
with less fruit, but maturation wouldn't be that big of an issue...but I
don't know.

FYI, I'm in zone 4 (east central South Dakota) and the melon variety would
be Noir des
Carmes...normally 75-80 days. Thanks!

Jacob Limmer

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