Market Farming

[zaid AT norwichmeadowsfarm.com]

I am interested in growing watermelons and other melon (other than Charentais) in high tunnels. What are your thoughts on that?

 

 

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re:
> [Market-farming] Watermelon seeds
> From: "Bill Shoemaker"
> <wshoemak AT inil.com>
> Date: Thu, August 19, 2004 1:47 pm
> To:
> "Market Farming"
> <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
> Pam
>
>  
>  I used to do a lot of work with watermelons. The key to earliness
> with
> them is heat. It's fundamental and you can't get away from it.
> You use row
> covers. Do you use plastic mulch too? It could make a
> big difference, even
> though you already use row covers. There's an
> additive effect from using
> both. Try black plastic mulch film. If
> that's not good enough, try clear
> plastic mulch film. It generates
> even more heat. But you have to be careful
> using clear to make sure
> weeds don't grow underneath it. If you apply it
> tight to the ground
> and seal any holes you make with some soil, the weeds
> generally burn
> off underneath the mulch. But the watermelons love the heat.
> Another
> big advantage comes from growing them in sandy soils. Sandy
> soils
> warm up much quicker in the Spring so warm-loving crops like
> melons jump off
> to a quick start.
>
> Bill Shoemaker
> Sr
> Research Specialist, Food Crops
> Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort
> Research Center
>
>
> I'd love to get earlier watermelons. We like
> Crimson Sweet
> best (this is zone
> 6b).
>
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