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Post by fulenn on Jun 1, 2009 22:13:38 GMT -5
This is one of my two Old Time Tennessee Muskmelons. I can hardly believe it! I am so excited.....I keep going outside and looking to see if it has gotten any bigger. lol
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Post by grungy on Jun 1, 2009 22:31:31 GMT -5
Ah Fuleen, saving seeds I hope. Looks positively delightful. Bet you can hardly wait until it's ripe.
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Post by fulenn on Jun 2, 2009 6:59:31 GMT -5
I've never saved melon seeds, so I'll read up on it before the fruit gets ripe. I've never had one get any bigger than about 4 inches, so this is a big one for me. I'll go through the posts and make sure I do it the right way, then maybe you all can try it next year.... Fulenn
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 2, 2009 12:00:09 GMT -5
::SCREECH:: THESE ARE NOT CUCUMBERS!! I repeat... THESE ARE NOT CUCUMBERS! ROTFL oh my goodness! I wrote about last years experience in another thread just a few days ago. This baby is a survivor! All the other squash/melons had died but here I had these HUGE things that I just figured were cucumbers. They must have weighed in about 5 lbs each at that point. It wasn't till the end of the season I figured out what they really were. By that time the poor plant was all tuckered out and the flavor just wasn't much of nuthin'. I'll be interested in hearing what they are like when properly grown and harvested. But, just for the record, they tasted GREAT as cucumbers!!!
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Post by grungy on Jun 2, 2009 14:11:57 GMT -5
Melon seeds are easy. Scoop out the seed cavity into a jar, add 1-1 1/2 times as much water. Cover jar with tulle or similar material to keep fruit flies out. Let set 2-3 days, swirl once or twice a day to help the seeds separate from most of the pulp. Dump out most of the gunk, dump seeds into a strainer. Rinse well under running water. Drain well. Spread out on a styrofoam plate to dry. Stir a few times each day as they are drying to help remove the moisture. When completely dry pour into your storage container. Voila! Saved melon seeds.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jun 2, 2009 15:07:49 GMT -5
Fulenn, Old Time TN Melons are ummm, ummm, goodthings!! I grew them last year for the first time and they certainly didn't achieve the potential hugeness that is rumoured in an area with a longer growing season (such as TX), but I was quite smitten by them.
This year, I didn't attempt them again, as I thought perhaps I should try some of the other varieties of melon seed that I have obtained through trades/gifting that I've never tried.
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Post by fulenn on Jun 2, 2009 15:56:11 GMT -5
MNJ, too funny! If I had more than two, I would try one as a cucumber! Grungy, thanks for telling me how to do it. Here's hoping they live to be harvested! bluelacedredhead, I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed them! I'm looking forward to mine being ready. Fulenn
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 2, 2009 16:58:29 GMT -5
Tell ya what Fulenn, you make sure the first 2 grow to "REAL" melons, then, when number 3 or 4 comes about, pick them when they are about... hmmmm, say a foot or 2 long? The skin should still be green and "cucumbery" looking. They will actually develop netting and have a cantaloupe like skin when they mature. Also, our 1 TEENY WEENY itsy bitsy plant covered the entire dog patch which is 35' x 40'. Now, it MAY be that it grew so big because it didn't have to put so much energy into early fruit production, seeing as we were picking them and eating them and giving them away. That sucker was MAJORLY productive! For cucumbers... of course.
I sure hope you'll have a chance to photograph and post a mature fruit! I'd love to find out how it turns up!
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Post by redneckplanter on Jun 12, 2009 22:17:26 GMT -5
how was the taste as a cucumber pickled?
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Post by fulenn on Jun 18, 2009 10:34:15 GMT -5
The OTT muskmelons are getting netting on them now and on one of them the skin is beginning to lighten up quite a bit. I'll be keeping a closer eye on them now. I have not grown melons before, certainly never got them this large or close to maturity! Since I am not sure what to expect or how long it will take, I will watch closely. I am ready to take pictures when we harvest and cut, also ready to save seeds for people (including myself!). I still only have the two melons; there was a 3-4 inch one, but it rotted at the top, so I cut it off this morning. Fulenn
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 18, 2009 13:25:20 GMT -5
I AM DYING to know how it tastes! ;D I'm surprised to hear there are only a couple but maybe that's cause it relatively early in the season?
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Post by grungy on Jun 18, 2009 16:56:30 GMT -5
Fulenn, is there indications of future flower yet? Or maybe you will have to wait until you pick your first babies, to indicate to the plant it had better get with the program and produce more seed.
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Post by fulenn on Jun 18, 2009 17:07:19 GMT -5
Hi Grungy! Yes, there are still many blossoms on the plant. I went out with my DH a little while ago and he showed me a third melon that I had not seen, maybe softball sized. Kind of makes you wonder what else I miss! ;D I also found a little tiny one, maybe 1 inch long.
I guess I was wondering if the high temperatures have caused pollination problems.
I'll try to get out there and get a picture of the melon and the patch so you can see what is going on.
Fulenn
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Post by fulenn on Jun 25, 2009 21:59:13 GMT -5
We harvested our first Old Time Tennessee Muskmelon today! It was about 12-13 inches long and weighed in at 8.5 lbs. We ate half of it right away and the other half is cooling down so we can eat it later. We noticed that it is not very acidic, is very smooth, very sweet, and really has a taste all its own. At first glance we thought it just looked like a very large rugby shaped cantelope. ;D Yum!!!
I can't find the download transfer cable to my camera right now, but I did take pictures and I definitely saved all of the seeds. If you would like some seeds, just let me know and I will make up packets of 10 until they are gone. Well, once they are dried and all.... I really just want to get some email! ;D
This is one plant that will have a place in my garden next year. ;D
Fulenn
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Post by fulenn on Jun 25, 2009 22:02:02 GMT -5
Okay, a little more if you don't mind. The green part of the rind was about 1/2 inch thick which makes me wonder if I should have waited a day or two longer to harvest the melon. Even so, it was one of the tastiest, if not THE tastiest, muskmelon that I have ever had. The next one will probably be at least another week, so I will watch it and let it ripen an extra day before taking it. Fulenn
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