What's Your Method for Ripening Melons

[bluelacedredhead]

What's Your Method for Ripening Melons
« Thread Started Today at 9:57am »

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After the Downy Mildew has killed off the vines??

I've got 5 in a rubber tub trug and I keep turning them, hoping they will ripen, not rot.

Can't put them on the table in the back porch this year because the kittens think anything on there is fair game for rolling onto the floor.
Anyone need a Kitten!!!@!@

How long do you think they should take at 60F to ripen

Michel, 47F forecast for tonight here. What's the damage at your house??
And Flowerpower is going down to 36F....Oh buddy....Put Blankies on your plants tonight!!!

[bluelacedredhead]

canadamike
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GARDENER FOR THE MOUTH





Re: What's Your Method for Ripening Melons
« Reply #1 Today at 11:49am »

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I would bring them inside and wait. They won't be any sweeter, just less firm and some aroma will develop. I have loads of melons like that in the garden, most undersize of course... A lot of what is attributed to downy mildew at this time of the year is simply the melon sudden death syndrome, it happens when nights get too cool.

I have sprayed successfully with sulfur this year when downy mildew zapped melon patch number one. I used the sulphur in my dormant oil kit, 100 ml to 4 gallons of water and a couple of drops of dish soap, the size of my tank.

I'll get most inside except those with lots of good living foliage, mainly LUNEVILLE and it's parent PRESCOTT.

As long as you get some good smelling perfume in them, do like me, sprinkle with white sugar if they aren't sweet, the flavour and richness come alive.

We would have prefered mother nature to sprinkle them with sun, but what ca we do?

It would not be a bad idea to get as much tomatoes as possible in, Tom says after 90 hours under 55 ( I think, or maybe 60) they loose some flavor coumpounds. If we add up the past cool nights we're probably somewhere around there.
« Last Edit: Today at 11:52am by canadamike » Link to Post - Back to Top Logged

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And I said in reply to Michel

Re: What's Your Method for Ripening Melons
« Reply #2 Today at 6:52pm »

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As soon as I got home, I locked the chickens up, watered horses and brought in any almost ripe peppers and a couple of baskets of tomatoes. I also brought in 3 containers of peppers; two purple beauty that aren't ripe yet and one other.

I looked at the pumpkins and squash, but they are all under good cover so the pumpkins should be okay even if there is a light frost accompanying this cooler weather.

[canadamike]

There was freezing in the village last night, but everything is OK at the garden. It is supposed to be freezing tonight, but I did not have time to go there today, but 5 minutes to grab veggies for a friend on my way to a client. I have a big Lunéville almost ready, should have picked it...

[bluelacedredhead]

Oh NO. I hope we don't get the frost. Get the seeds at least before they go bad.