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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Late melon planting

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  • From: Lucy Goodman <goodows AT infinet.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Late melon planting
  • Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2004 11:20:46 -0400

Last fall we filled a small hoophouse with French type melons with the hopes of having them the last couple of weeks of market (end of October). because the melons were planted early to mid august they were not ready until the 1st or second week in November.

We had the best melons I have ever eaten from November until the end of December. A shame we missed the farmers' market.

This year we are planting 3 weeks earlier, today as a matter of fact, so we will have some ready for the last few weeks of FM season.

we have tried the late melon thing using just row cover (agripro 30 and 50 wgts-don't use anything less than a 30 wgt for this project) and have had pretty poor success getting melons in October. If it freezes there is usually not enough protection to save the melons. In a hoophouse we use heavy row cover along with 5 gallon buckets of water for heat sinks for frosty nights and even than we have gotten some frost damage but far less than with row covers and plastic on small hoops.


Lucy Goodman
Boulder Belt Organics
New Paris, OH




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