Post by castanea on Jan 15, 2010 16:07:57 GMT -5
I am looking for international sources of very large watermelons (larger than 25kg). It looks like both China and Turkey have some big ones but I haven't found them anywhere else. If anyone has contacts in Turkey or China that can help with seeds, please let me know. I have contacted the Turkish seed seller on ebay to see if he can help.
Chinese watermelon 59kg:
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/23/content_12524013.htm
The Turkish city of Diyarbakir is the center of a watermelon growing region and has a yearly festival which includes a contest for largest watermelon. The large ones usually exceed 40kg:
www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo85041.htm
www.mersinhaber.com/HaberResim/13MA60C52521371.jpg
My goal is not to grow world record size watermelons. I'm curious about the genetic limits on watermlon size, but I'll let others pursue that. I'm more interested in preserving different lines of large watermelons since commercial breeding focuses primarily on either seedless watermelons or small watermelons.
As far as I know, below are the American breeding lines for really big ones. If anyone knows of other breeding lines, please let me know.
Carolina Cross
Truck Buster
Blue Rind
Black Diamond
Cobb's Gem aka Kolb's Gem
Mountain Hoosier
North Carolina Giant appears to be a Carolina Cross descendant
Texas Giant and Florida Giant appear to be Black Diamond descendants.
Yosemite Giant appears to be a Carolina Cross descendant
There are a few others like Tom Watson, Congo and Charleston Grey that can exceed 40 lbs under optimal growing conditions but they are not true giants.
Chinese watermelon 59kg:
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/23/content_12524013.htm
The Turkish city of Diyarbakir is the center of a watermelon growing region and has a yearly festival which includes a contest for largest watermelon. The large ones usually exceed 40kg:
www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo85041.htm
www.mersinhaber.com/HaberResim/13MA60C52521371.jpg
My goal is not to grow world record size watermelons. I'm curious about the genetic limits on watermlon size, but I'll let others pursue that. I'm more interested in preserving different lines of large watermelons since commercial breeding focuses primarily on either seedless watermelons or small watermelons.
As far as I know, below are the American breeding lines for really big ones. If anyone knows of other breeding lines, please let me know.
Carolina Cross
Truck Buster
Blue Rind
Black Diamond
Cobb's Gem aka Kolb's Gem
Mountain Hoosier
North Carolina Giant appears to be a Carolina Cross descendant
Texas Giant and Florida Giant appear to be Black Diamond descendants.
Yosemite Giant appears to be a Carolina Cross descendant
There are a few others like Tom Watson, Congo and Charleston Grey that can exceed 40 lbs under optimal growing conditions but they are not true giants.