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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Watermelons

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  • From: "Tom at Limerock" <limerock AT thirdplanet.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Watermelons
  • Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2005 06:59:57 -0400

We grow Jade Star 4' x 6' on plastic with no drip and have been happy with the results.

Tom
Limerock Orchards
On Lake Erie


----- Original Message ----- From: pam AT twinoaks.org
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 3:42 PM
Subject: [Market-farming] Watermelons


I'm interested to know what spacings others use for watermelons, and any other
spacings you've tried and found not so good. We grow Crimson Sweet, 2 ft apart in
the row, with 5.5 ft row spacing. We used to grow them in rows 10ft apart, but a few
years ago I read some research saying that watermelons need 10 sq ft each, and
don't do better with more. Apparently it doesn't matter if it's 2ft x 5 ft or 1ft x 10ft or 3ft
x 3 ft! Has anyone else heard this? Can you quote me the reference?

Someone here is trying to persuade me that I'll get bigger melons if we go back to
our old 10ft spacing. I'm sceptical, as I don't remember them getting smaller when
we switched to the closer rows. His reason is that he thinks bigger melons are
sweeter. I'm thinking of organising a blind taste test with cubes of watermelon from
different size melons to find out if this is really true. I'd appreciate hearing others'
opinions.

We're in zone 6b or 7, and have irrigation, and hay mulch. And we've just quit picking
the melons for this year as we have a big pile of them.

Pam Dawling, Twin Oaks Community, central Virginia
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