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Post by Drahkk on Jan 7, 2013 22:07:13 GMT -5
Now that's just as annoyingly brain teasing as Joseph still eating fresh tomatoes last week. I thought I'd done something the year I cut my last watermelon on Thanksgiving. I assume you'd only be saving seed if it tasted as well as it stored? I'll have to look for that one. (Like I don't have enough watermelons planned already...) ;D
MB
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Post by steev on Jan 8, 2013 0:14:36 GMT -5
Although I congratulate you, I am envious, it being before I can even start seed for transplants.
Yesterday, we ate a Soykan, which was not very sweet, but flavorful, and in my opinion quite useful, being two months off the vine. I think it has potential as a winter melon. I don't doubt that it would have gone three months off-the-vine, but I was chicken, not the melon.
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Post by wildseed57 on Jan 8, 2013 20:42:25 GMT -5
You guys are killing me, here I'm setting on my butt wondering if I should start a few super hot peppers just to see something sprout and you have melons growing in the garden. I barely have room for a bush squash let alone a watermelon or cantaloupe now when I did have space I liked Burrell's Jumbo, Healy's Pride, Ginger's Pride if you want really big melons and my favorite watermelon that takes me back to when I was a boy was Orange Glo 15 to 30 pounds quite hardy that has some wilt and mildew resistance, very sweet. I sure do envy your ability to grow melons I hope you have a great season for them. George W.
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Post by steev on Jan 9, 2013 0:14:17 GMT -5
I assure you it's not ability, just space and water. I sure don't have melons growing now, which is why I'm watching the last few out of the garden to see how long they last before going moldy. I'd really like to have melons I can grow that will provide adequately "fresh" fruit until I can get fresh Spring fruit.
Sounds like you need to verticalize your garden, Wildseeds57.
Oh! Also vigilence and fencing, to keep off the rodents, gophers, rabbits, pigs, deer, and elk. No, wait, those are my problems, not yours; never mind.
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Post by rowan on Jan 9, 2013 0:48:59 GMT -5
Verticallising (if there is such a word) is great for small gardens, not only trellis but large hanging pots can be planted with Mexican sour gherkins, Minnesota Midget and other small fruited cucurbits, among other things.
I did some experimenting last year and a large hanging pot with plenty of water does restrict the productivity of plants a bit but not as much as I expected. And they look great - I will be taking hanging pots planted with Mex sour gherkins to the markets this year, covered with fruit for an interesting display, if I can do it without damaging the plants too much.
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Post by steev on Jan 9, 2013 1:27:04 GMT -5
How can you question whether "verticalizing" is a word, when we've both used it?! Even if it wasn't, it is now!
We both know what we're saying, which is the whole point of language; communication is more important than adherence to rules imposed from the non-present. Let "authorities" pontificate to their hearts' content (and I say that with affection, as a dedicated "wordie"); the important thing is that we, on the ground, can talk about what we need to, among ourselves.
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Post by templeton on Jan 9, 2013 17:09:09 GMT -5
Ally's mixed up melon patch - seed from a member of an Aust forum, which may or may not be crossed up. corn to the left, squash to left (a supermarket collection, and Winter Luxury Pie T Attachments:
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Post by raymondo on Jan 10, 2013 3:21:38 GMT -5
My green-fleshed melon patch, down the centre line more or less. I'm hoping to develop a locally adapted green-fleshed melon from this lot. You'll also see Joseph's Astronomy Domine corn. It's happily tasseling but none is more than about 1m high. BTW, the lettuce gone to seed is Rougette de Montpellier. If anyone would like seeds, just holler.
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Post by wildseed57 on Jan 10, 2013 23:01:43 GMT -5
I did vertical for a while before I enclosed the garden I went around and put up cattle panels which hold up peas in early spring, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes all intertwine with the panels, the problem with going vertical with my melons was just as they were getting ripe the birds would stop eating grasshoppers and Peck there way into the melons, this was at mid summer and the birds were Blue Jays which even dive bomb a big half lab dog that would eat a guys leg off, but runs under the porch when she sees a blue jay in the yard. I don't know if the Jays were after bugs and just happen to eat a big hole in the melons each time they got ripe, they even help themselves to some of my ripe peppers, So now They are on my list of shoot first and let nature sort them out. Mildew, blight and spider mites are my tormentors now, I wish I could shoot them with my pellet rifle. Ray what are those tall bushy looking plants next to the Corn, Yacon ? they remind me of some sort of Andean plant , but can't quite place it. I have been trying to find Yacon seeds but so far I have just found the tubers. This coming season I plan to grow some squash and a couple of melons and just keep on top of everything with Baking soda and liquid copper. I have some photos of my garden some where I'll have to post some of them.
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Post by raymondo on Jan 11, 2013 3:19:43 GMT -5
The tall plants are Jerusalem artichoke aka sunchoke. There is yacon behind it but you can't see it in this photo. I've never seen yacon seeds. I've only ever grown it from divided crowns. The light green stuff at the front is Lucullus silverbeet (leaf beet). Also in this bed, but either hidden from view or not easily distinguished, are warrigal greens, cucumbers, coriander (cilantro) gone to seed, sunflowers, beans and collards coming back after flowering.
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Post by 12540dumont on Jan 11, 2013 13:55:54 GMT -5
Oh my beautiful photos.
Regarding the winter melons. This is the last week I think mine will be any good. They are starting to ferment!
I'm going to throw a few in the dehydrator today and see what happens.
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Post by adamus on Jan 13, 2013 12:55:15 GMT -5
Well, you could always make some melon liqueur. !!
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Post by steev on Jan 13, 2013 22:33:21 GMT -5
Where are you keeping them, Holly? The ones you gave me are keeping fine, in the kitchen.
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Post by rowan on Feb 8, 2013 4:53:07 GMT -5
I have been keeping an eye on a volunteer melon that came up in the block where I grew my melons last year. I always let them grow if they are not in the way. Anyway, the fruit on this one is really weird It ripened and slipped off the vine today so I took it in to take a picture and have a taste. It was ok, not fantastic but acceptable in texture and flavour. Doesn't really look ripe because of the strange colour but it definitely was. I am guessing that one of the parents was 'Banana' as it was the only long shaped melon I grew last year but I have no idea of the other parent. None of my neighbours grow melons. Out of interests sake I have saved the seeds to see what it does next year. If it isn't hard to stabilise and I can improve the flavour a bit I will have to think up a weird name to suit ;D Attachments:
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Post by steev on Feb 8, 2013 23:11:06 GMT -5
Great-looking melon; good luck.
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