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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jul 12, 2015 18:40:57 GMT -5
I'm collaborating with another grower on a bush cantaloupe project. I sent her most of my seed, but saved enough to plant one hill just to confirm that the bush trait was present in the seeds that I sent her. This is being grown in an isolated field.  |
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Post by keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.) on Jul 12, 2015 23:07:15 GMT -5
Woudnt it be a good idea to plant it next to your best nonbush types and then deflower all the male flowers on the vining type? In two generations you'd get more bush types.
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Post by imgrimmer on Jul 13, 2015 12:28:45 GMT -5
looks like a big endivia salad  |
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jul 16, 2015 22:32:52 GMT -5
keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.): I was in the cantaloupe patch yesterday and noticed that there are at least two bush plants growing among the normal muskmelons. That is pretty typical... The bush trait originally showed up in the general patch, and most years a few show up. So I'm already making the crosses, I'd just need to save seeds from them and plant them in a separate field for a year or two.
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Post by glenn10 on Jul 18, 2015 21:21:08 GMT -5
These guys look like they would be really great at weed suppression !Have you any high density plantings choking any weeds out yet?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jul 18, 2015 23:32:14 GMT -5
glenn10: I have only grown a few of these at a time... For example, I checked yesterday and found 3 bush plants out of about 80 plants in the general muskmelon patch... So I haven't tested their weed suppression capabilities in larger patches. They sure suppress annual weed seeds, I don't know how well they might do against bindweed.
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Post by samyaza on Aug 1, 2015 13:43:46 GMT -5
Very interesting ! Is it a new character among this species ? Don't you think it has some bad influence on the fruit size ?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Aug 1, 2015 23:11:58 GMT -5
Burpee sells a variety that they call 'Bush Cantaloupe'. But the only photos I can find of bush cantaloupe plants are photos that I took! My muskmelons are typically selected for small fruit size (2 to 3 pounds) because that leads to earlier ripening. Quick maturity is important to me because of the shortness of the frost-free season. Someone in a warmer climate might try for a bush plant with large fruits, but that won't be a project that occurs in my garden. Here's more photos of bush cantaloupe:  Bush plants in a row of normal plants:  Closeup:  |
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Post by philagardener on Aug 2, 2015 6:52:43 GMT -5
Is the primary difference shorter internodes on the bushy plants? Those are really great looking!
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Aug 2, 2015 11:22:45 GMT -5
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Post by glenn10 on Aug 2, 2015 20:11:40 GMT -5
Burpee sells a variety that they call 'Bush Cantaloupe'. But the only photos I can find of bush cantaloupe plants are photos that I took! My muskmelons are typically selected for small fruit size (2 to 3 pounds) because that leads to earlier ripening. Quick maturity is important to me because of the shortness of the frost-free season. Someone in a warmer climate might try for a bush plant with large fruits, but that won't be a project that occurs in my garden. Here's more photos of bush cantaloupe: Bush plants in a row of normal plants: Closeup: LOL Joseph I did a search on the "BUSH" cantaloupe and all I found were pictures of yours too along with the Burpee selection! Those are fantastic looking plants but my one question is how the heck do you not have any weeds growing in the bare soil around your plants? At my house it is only a few days before weeds begin to sprout after tilling. my only defense is either plastic mulch or grass or hay clippings.
Glenn
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Aug 2, 2015 23:15:28 GMT -5
glenn10: I grow plenty of weeds... I even lost crops to weeds this summer. (The red podded pea project for example !!!) In the field with the mix of regular and bush muskmelons I irrigate via flood irrigation in a ditch, so annual weeds pretty much only sprout outside the ditch if there is a rainstorm, which is rare. So I only have to routinely weed two six-inch-wide rows in a 25 foot wide field. Also that field is my show garden. It is right next to the bishop's house. My landlord, the previous bishop, asked me to keep it clear of weeds for the current bishop's peace of mind. I spaced the rows wide enough apart that while the melons/squash are small I can drive the tractor/tiller between rows. Later on, I sweep it with a hoe while the weeds are still small. With the hill of bush cantaloupes, it's easy, cause I cultivate about every two weeks with a tiller, and I can cultivate right next to the plant, and soon after I cultivate the plant expands and creates a closed canopy and anything that germinates after that doesn't thrive. I sprinkle irrigate this field, so a few weed seeds germinate between cultivations. While I'm on the topic, I often think that I aught to make a "Weeding 101" video.
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Post by keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.) on Mar 28, 2016 22:49:12 GMT -5
Joseph, this year i finally planted the seed you sent me for Joseph's Best Cantaloupe (2015) and two packs of Bush Cantaloupe you sent me in 2011. I also planted old seed i had from Hairy Moose Knuckles @ idig, one of which is named Rich Sweetness 132 melon. And seeds for canary melon and Dalamon melon from ebay from Turkey, i think. Most of these seeds are from 2011, so we will see what we get.
I had a question though. How does one tell a mal-adapted melon from a bush melon?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Mar 28, 2016 23:01:26 GMT -5
How does one tell a mal-adapted melon from a bush melon? In the bush melons, the internodes are very close together. |
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Post by prairiegarden on Mar 29, 2016 14:30:11 GMT -5
Just saw the photos of the producing bush cantaloupe.That's amazing. What huge production on small space! A winner for sure. What's the taste like?
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