North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mark & Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>]

Alan wrote:

 

"I find the contradiction here to other peoples experience with melons to be quite perplexing." 

 

Something else that's perplexing is that last year my melons were grown in compost.  I have a huge compost pile in my orchard area.   The trees on the edge of it grow like mad.  It's only a couple years old, so maybe that's my problem but last year I harvested around 10 large watermelons and a few cantelope that were acceptable in flavor, but after that the melons were bland.  I probably let 50 of them rot.

 

Richard mentioned melons need high phos.  Maybe that's my problem.  The soil around here is fertile with a high organic content, but low in P.  I'm slowly bringing mine up.  The last soil test showed 20ppm.  I've read on the internet that watermelons like it at 45ppm.  If that's the case, I won't be able to grow watermelons because 45ppm is probably too high for the fruit trees.  I've also read not to mix watermelons with squash or cucumbers (both of which I've done) because it gives them a bitter flavor.

 

I'm trying watermelons again this year.  It was suggested pinching off some of the buds might concentrate the carbs/sugars.  Makes sense.  Anyone tried it?

 

Mark

KS