Question about melons not producing

[juliekru]

Hi all,
I am new to melons in general and have a question about setting fruit. My Prescott and Noir de Carmes melons are doing excellent (thanks Dave) but my watermelons have yet to set fruit. All of them are growing and flowering profrusively but the watermelons don't have any fruit set and it is starting to feel like fall already. Should I have cut it back?
Thanks,
Julie

[canadamike]

I am not sure it would help at that point, but it depends where you are. My fall and Johno's fall for example are 2 very different things. One thing is sure, if you are not in the south, it might be a good idea to cover the melons with some form of greenhouse/tunnel, especially if you have the shitty summer most have. And I think it is too late for fruit setting. I am thinking thinning mine to a couple of fruits only. Funny, in my case, the watermelons are more advanced. But I have cultivars good in the north. If yours is a warm weather one, you might need a miracle, but we never know, last fall was warmer than last summer here!!

I think we will all have to revisit what we call common wisdom now. This climate thing is changing lots of things.

My beans produced more in october, going into november last year than in the cold summer...

Anything slightly protected again frost will be given a chance in my garden, Iwon't clean most of it until very late...

[orflo]

As Michel already mentioned, a lot depends on your climatological circumstances. Some other things:
Did you already notice female flowers on the plants? If so, check the insects buzzing around, if they aren't very active, consider hand-pollination (take a male flower and rub it on your hand, it should have yellowish pollen which can be easily seen on your hand, if there's some pollen, take the male flower to a female flower and rub it gently onto this female flower, you could use a small artist's brush for this procedure as well). Are the plants well fed?

[juliekru]

Yes I have female flowers and tons of bees swarming around. It's funny because the canteloupe that is in the same patch have several fruits that are almost ripe. Oh well, live and learn.
Julie

[canadamike]

What cultivar of watermelon are we talking about, juliekru?

[juliekru]

I planted Georgia Rattlesnake, Noir des Carmes, Prescott Fond du Blanc, cucumbers and squash in one medium size plot. Everything is producing but the Rattlesnake and as I mentioned, the Rattlesnake is huge with flowers, etc., but not setting fruit.