Posted: 6/26/2010 11:43:50 AM EDT
My watermelon vines are really starting to take off. I read that melons like heat. My question is, should I put down more black plastic under where the vines are growing or should I leave things alone and let the vines grow along the dirt? More plastic would keep the vines away from the weeds & possibly the slugs, but I'm not sure which way to go.
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My watermelon vines are really starting to take off. I read that melons like heat. My question is, should I put down more black plastic under where the vines are growing or should I leave things alone and let the vines grow along the dirt? More plastic would keep the vines away from the weeds & possibly the slugs, but I'm not sure which way to go. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i170/Highpower500/Melons.jpg I don't know where you are––what zone you're in. Black plastic gets VERY hot and can cook plant material which lies directly on it (in a hot summer). Also, it contributes to scald after rains or watering for the same reasons. While I haven't grown a lot of watermelons and can't comment on what the others have said about moving the vines, notice that the melon pictured has grown AWAY FROM that plastic. This may not be true of the others in your garden, so that might not be a factor, but I would be concerned about growing anything directly on the plastic if the vines have to lie on it. As to the trellis idea––for future years (too late to do that this year) there ARE ways to do this if you want to do it. In SFG, you CAN grow watermelons up a trellis, but you have to support the melon by tying it off to the trellis so the vine itself doesn't have to support it. Mel does this with panty hose, which expand with the melon as it grows. However I find this to be too labor-intensive for me. If I grow watermelons, they'll have to run on the ground. A lot of smaller melons and gourds will do fine on a trellis, as the vine's strength adapts to the weight. But watermelons are just too heavy for the vine alone to support. |
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My watermelon vines are really starting to take off. I read that melons like heat. My question is, should I put down more black plastic under where the vines are growing or should I leave things alone and let the vines grow along the dirt? More plastic would keep the vines away from the weeds & possibly the slugs, but I'm not sure which way to go. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i170/Highpower500/Melons.jpg I don't know where you are––what zone you're in. Black plastic gets VERY hot and can cook plant material which lies directly on it (in a hot summer). Also, it contributes to scald after rains or watering for the same reasons. While I haven't grown a lot of watermelons and can't comment on what the others have said about moving the vines, notice that the melon pictured has grown AWAY FROM that plastic. This may not be true of the others in your garden, so that might not be a factor, but I would be concerned about growing anything directly on the plastic if the vines have to lie on it. As to the trellis idea––for future years (too late to do that this year) there ARE ways to do this if you want to do it. In SFG, you CAN grow watermelons up a trellis, but you have to support the melon by tying it off to the trellis so the vine itself doesn't have to support it. Mel does this with panty hose, which expand with the melon as it grows. However I find this to be too labor-intensive for me. If I grow watermelons, they'll have to run on the ground. A lot of smaller melons and gourds will do fine on a trellis, as the vine's strength adapts to the weight. But watermelons are just too heavy for the vine alone to support. Panty hose are suggested for this purpose. 
I tried it with net bags I saved from onions and oranges. My Cantaloupes didn't grow for shit on a trellis. |
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I used to grow my melons on nothing but black plastic. Had beautiful melons every year. I thought the heat would kill them but it made them thrive. Also, once the vine leaves, it shades the plastic directly under the vine. Experiment with one to see if it does better or not.
If you decide to add plastic, do it when the sun goes down so you won't scorch the plant. Let us know what you decide. |
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I used to grow my melons on nothing but black plastic. Had beautiful melons every year. I thought the heat would kill them but it made them thrive. Also, once the vine leaves, it shades the plastic directly under the vine. Experiment with one to see if it does better or not. If you decide to add plastic, do it when the sun goes down so you won't scorch the plant. Let us know what you decide. I'd be really interested in seeing this experiment. I have no clue where the OP is located, but you're in TN, which is not far from me. How did you do your black plastic? Plant the seeds in cuts in the plastic? Or put the plastic down after the seeds sprouted? Or what? kitties |
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My watermelon vines are really starting to take off. I read that melons like heat. My question is, should I put down more black plastic under where the vines are growing or should I leave things alone and let the vines grow along the dirt? More plastic would keep the vines away from the weeds & possibly the slugs, but I'm not sure which way to go. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i170/Highpower500/Melons.jpg I don't know where you are––what zone you're in. Black plastic gets VERY hot and can cook plant material which lies directly on it (in a hot summer). Also, it contributes to scald after rains or watering for the same reasons. While I haven't grown a lot of watermelons and can't comment on what the others have said about moving the vines, notice that the melon pictured has grown AWAY FROM that plastic. This may not be true of the others in your garden, so that might not be a factor, but I would be concerned about growing anything directly on the plastic if the vines have to lie on it. As to the trellis idea––for future years (too late to do that this year) there ARE ways to do this if you want to do it. In SFG, you CAN grow watermelons up a trellis, but you have to support the melon by tying it off to the trellis so the vine itself doesn't have to support it. Mel does this with panty hose, which expand with the melon as it grows. However I find this to be too labor-intensive for me. If I grow watermelons, they'll have to run on the ground. A lot of smaller melons and gourds will do fine on a trellis, as the vine's strength adapts to the weight. But watermelons are just too heavy for the vine alone to support. Panty hose are suggested for this purpose.
I tried it with net bags I saved from onions and oranges. My Cantaloupes didn't grow for shit on a trellis. What do you mean they didn't grow for shit? Did they not grow? Did they break? Did the melons not develop? What? My dad always grew cataloupes and watermelons (not on a trellis) and they were always really small as compared to what you get in the store. They were FANTASTIC TASTING but small. So I have very little experience with melons which I would consider satisfactory. Another member told me that Arkansas produces a lot of watermelons for sale in markets everywhere. If that's the case, then Kentucky should be able to grow a decent melon, I would think. So I'm trying to figure out why I never got big watermelons OR canteloupes in my dad's garden. This was him, not me, still.....he was a decent gardener. |
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What do you mean they didn't grow for shit? Did they not grow? Did they break? Did the melons not develop? What? My dad always grew cataloupes and watermelons (not on a trellis) and they were always really small as compared to what you get in the store. They were FANTASTIC TASTING but small. So I have very little experience with melons which I would consider satisfactory. Another member told me that Arkansas produces a lot of watermelons for sale in markets everywhere. If that's the case, then Kentucky should be able to grow a decent melon, I would think. So I'm trying to figure out why I never got big watermelons OR canteloupes in my dad's garden. This was him, not me, still.....he was a decent gardener. You pretty much nailed it. I got three delicious fruit about the size of tennis balls |
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Wish I had room to grow melons here. Our melons are expensive here.
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/zac72blazer/P1000503.jpg |
| I'm in the People's Republic of New York, where we have 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad skiing. The summers are actually beautiful with temps usually in the high 70s to low 80s. We will get the occasional 90 degree day, but not many. I don't know if my melons will actually grow this far north, but seeds were cheap and I wanted to give it a try. |
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Wish I had room to grow melons here. Our melons are expensive here. http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/zac72blazer/P1000503.jpg WOW...$20 for a cantaloupe....  ...Holy Jeebes
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I used to grow my melons on nothing but black plastic. Had beautiful melons every year. I thought the heat would kill them but it made them thrive. Also, once the vine leaves, it shades the plastic directly under the vine. Experiment with one to see if it does better or not. If you decide to add plastic, do it when the sun goes down so you won't scorch the plant. Let us know what you decide. I'd be really interested in seeing this experiment. I have no clue where the OP is located, but you're in TN, which is not far from me. How did you do your black plastic? Plant the seeds in cuts in the plastic? Or put the plastic down after the seeds sprouted? Or what? kitties I spread the plastic out on the ground, placed rocks on the edges. Then I cut an approx. 6" dia. hole in the center of the plastic. Then set plants in the hole in the soil. You need to put a rock on the edge of the hole to keep the wind from from flapping until the plant works it's way under the plastic. I've lost some this way. I like to use liquid fertilizer too. My soil was river bottom, very loamy, perfect for a garden. When it rained and water puddled on the plastic, I used my pitchfork to gouge holes for water to run through. |
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I usually just let the vines run, but when the melons start growing I put a little bit of straw under them,
to keep them from being directly in the dirt. Had some rot out one time, probably due to a lot of moisture that year. Whoever said their dad told them the vines grow best in grass, I think he's right! The ones that get out of the garden boundary seem to grow very well. We have 2 volunteer watermelon plants this year, I let them go, gonna see how they do. |
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I'm in the People's Republic of New York, where we have 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad skiing. The summers are actually beautiful with temps usually in the high 70s to low 80s. We will get the occasional 90 degree day, but not many. I don't know if my melons will actually grow this far north, but seeds were cheap and I wanted to give it a try. I'm thinking that in New York, black plastic will not fry your melons. In Texas or Florida? Yeah, adding plastic later would cause problems I'm betting. It'd be worth a try to add plastic to some and not others. If you do it, slide it under extremely gently and try not to lift the melon vine. Just wiggle the plastic underneath, and don't do it in the heat of the day. A cloudy day would be perfect. Kitties |
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What do you mean they didn't grow for shit? Did they not grow? Did they break? Did the melons not develop? What? My dad always grew cataloupes and watermelons (not on a trellis) and they were always really small as compared to what you get in the store. They were FANTASTIC TASTING but small. So I have very little experience with melons which I would consider satisfactory. Another member told me that Arkansas produces a lot of watermelons for sale in markets everywhere. If that's the case, then Kentucky should be able to grow a decent melon, I would think. So I'm trying to figure out why I never got big watermelons OR canteloupes in my dad's garden. This was him, not me, still.....he was a decent gardener. You pretty much nailed it. I got three delicious fruit about the size of tennis balls Oh, ours were way bigger than that. Cantaloupes were probably half the normal size, and watermelons the same––about the size of a store-bought cateloupe. Great flavor though. |
| You should have no issue using black plastic, but I suggest using something specifically designed for the purpose. Here's a good reference: Growing Cucumbers, Melons, Squash & Gourds |
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Wish I had room to grow melons here. Our melons are expensive here. http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/zac72blazer/P1000503.jpg What communist state do you live in!!!! |
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Wish I had room to grow melons here. Our melons are expensive here. http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/zac72blazer/P1000503.jpg What communist state do you live in!!!! no kidding cantaloupe last night was .99 and watermelons were 1.19 each |
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Wish I had room to grow melons here. Our melons are expensive here. http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/zac72blazer/P1000503.jpg What communist state do you live in!!!! no kidding cantaloupe last night was .99 and watermelons were 1.19 each I’m going to go out on a limb here, but that looks like ¥ not $ in front 
and the Cantaloupe isn’t even ripe 
OP, I’m sure it is too late now, but the size of the vines in the photo can be moved. At that growth state I would move them onto the plastic without any worries. As watermelon vines grow they will cover the plastic. Those plants are a hell of a lot tougher than everyone is giving them credit for. Watermelon vines are “turned” out of the way so cultivators can go through the field. You can do it in the garden to run a roto-tiller or hoe. Once the vines start putting out tendrils that grab onto the next vine etc it is impossible to move them without damaging the plant. When the plants start running and putting out the tendrils you should side dress the plant. This will help with growing larger plants which can sustain larger melons. Watering is the key to larger melons. From the time the fruit is set until it is half grown, apply as much water as the plant/soil can handle. Watering too much after the fruit is more than half grown will reduce the sugar content and cause “hollow heart”. Over watering will also cause disease problems in the plant. Don’t plant watermelons in the same spot year after year – they are hard on the soil and take a lot of nutrients out of the ground, also it makes the plant more vulnerable to soilbourne diseases |
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Wish I had room to grow melons here. Our melons are expensive here. http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/zac72blazer/P1000503.jpg What communist state do you live in!!!! no kidding cantaloupe last night was .99 and watermelons were 1.19 each I’m going to go out on a limb here, but that looks like ¥ not $ in front
and the Cantaloupe isn’t even ripe
OP, I’m sure it is too late now, but the size of the vines in the photo can be moved. At that growth state I would move them onto the plastic without any worries. As watermelon vines grow they will cover the plastic. Those plants are a hell of a lot tougher than everyone is giving them credit for. Watermelon vines are “turned” out of the way so cultivators can go through the field. You can do it in the garden to run a roto-tiller or hoe. Once the vines start putting out tendrils that grab onto the next vine etc it is impossible to move them without damaging the plant. When the plants start running and putting out the tendrils you should side dress the plant. This will help with growing larger plants which can sustain larger melons. Watering is the key to larger melons. From the time the fruit is set until it is half grown, apply as much water as the plant/soil can handle. Watering too much after the fruit is more than half grown will reduce the sugar content and cause “hollow heart”. Over watering will also cause disease problems in the plant. Don’t plant watermelons in the same spot year after year – they are hard on the soil and take a lot of nutrients out of the ground, also it makes the plant more vulnerable to soilbourne diseases Trashpicker, have you grown watermelons commercially? If so, you should do a thread on watermelon growing.  I'd love to have the benefit of your experience if you've grown commercially.
kitties |
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Wish I had room to grow melons here. Our melons are expensive here. http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b450/zac72blazer/P1000503.jpg What communist state do you live in!!!! no kidding cantaloupe last night was .99 and watermelons were 1.19 each I’m going to go out on a limb here, but that looks like ¥ not $ in front
and the Cantaloupe isn’t even ripe
OP, I’m sure it is too late now, but the size of the vines in the photo can be moved. At that growth state I would move them onto the plastic without any worries. As watermelon vines grow they will cover the plastic. Those plants are a hell of a lot tougher than everyone is giving them credit for. Watermelon vines are “turned” out of the way so cultivators can go through the field. You can do it in the garden to run a roto-tiller or hoe. Once the vines start putting out tendrils that grab onto the next vine etc it is impossible to move them without damaging the plant. When the plants start running and putting out the tendrils you should side dress the plant. This will help with growing larger plants which can sustain larger melons. Watering is the key to larger melons. From the time the fruit is set until it is half grown, apply as much water as the plant/soil can handle. Watering too much after the fruit is more than half grown will reduce the sugar content and cause “hollow heart”. Over watering will also cause disease problems in the plant. Don’t plant watermelons in the same spot year after year – they are hard on the soil and take a lot of nutrients out of the ground, also it makes the plant more vulnerable to soilbourne diseases Good advice, thanks. My vines really started to take off now and it looks like tendrils are now starting. What kind of side dressing is good to use? |