9 month old watermelon

[Todd Ziegler]

Here are a couple pictures of a "early moonbeam" watermelon that is 9 months old. I have been trying to develop a strain from this variety as a long-term keeper. We ate 2 out of the 3 that I saved when they were 2 and 3 months old. We decided to keep one around as long as we could. The first two tasted ok and were a little bigger and so I am going to plant the seed from the first two. When I cut the 9 month old one open this morning I was really surprised, there was no odor and the flesh wasn't as soft as I thought it would be. However I didn't eat any of it. I don't think it would have made me sick but the filaments the seeds were connected to was mushy and that's why I didn't taste it. I am hoping to have an "moonbeam" strain that will keep for 2-3 months. One last thing. I didn't store this melon any certain way, it actually just sat in a dark corner on our kitchen counter. If you have any questions just ask and I will try to answer them. If anyone would like some seeds from the first two melons I have enough to give to a couple people.

 

[seedcorn]

Is it a yellow flesh?

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Yes. "Early moonbeam" (yellow flesh)

 

[seedcorn]

Already have seeds out but may take you up on it next year.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Already have seeds out but may take you up on it next year.

No problem.

 

[so lucky]

That's interesting. I hope you have good luck with your endeavors. The last watermelon I left for 3 months in the fridge (spare fridge down stairs) was really nasty when I cut it. Even the chickens wouldn't eat it. Of course, it was a grocery store melon, so no telling how long it had been harvested.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Interesting but from reading up on it I'm too hot. Plus it looks like its one that covers a lot of ground. I just don't have that much room available.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of temperatures are your counter top storage area?

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Temperature was around 65°-70° but I am a long way from having success. The stored melons lost a lot of taste when they were stored. This is my 4th year of growing and selecting. The seeds I selected for this year came from the most productive and shortest vining plants

 

[Todd Ziegler]

That's interesting. I hope you have good luck with your endeavors. The last watermelon I left for 3 months in the fridge (spare fridge down stairs) was really nasty when I cut it. Even the chickens wouldn't eat it. Of course, it was a grocery store melon, so no telling how long it had been harvested.

Taste is still something I am working on. I am buying a refractometer for sugar tests on the melons after the storage.

 

[digitS']

That's great!

I complain about harvesting tomatoes green but ... do it every year. I find that it is a fairly straight path down, flavor-wise. I'm not sure that it needs to be. Sweetening and ripening after harvest and maintaining flavor - all seem to be somewhat separate things.

Your interest and commitment to growing and saving seed from that melon are commendable. Do you have to isolate the plants?

Steve
Edit: oh, I see. You have explained the melon isolation on your tomato thread .