When is it too late to plant watermelons?

Featherbaby

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I live in Jacksonville, FL and we are already getting daytime temps as high as 90. Is it too late to plant some sugar baby watermelons for the chickens to enjoy?
 

Greenthumb18

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:) I don't think its too late to plant some watermelons, especially in that kind of climate with a long growing season. It may be better to direct seed them instead of starting or getting transplants. I was researching the other day and found, that melons have a taproot that does not like to be disturbed. And if they are started indoors and kept in a pot too long, growth can be stunted. Then it would take more time for the plant to get adjusted once transplanted.
I remember always starting melons in pot every year and not really doing so well, this year I'm going to try to direct seed them all maybe it does make a difference and can help the success of harvesting better great melons.

Hope this helps! ;)
 

Featherbaby

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Thanks so much! I have this volunteer unidentified "squash"(?) taking over my trellis and making melon sized fruit. The chickens are tired of eating it and I can't do anything with it. So I'm thinking of cutting it all down and starting something my chickens will eat.

8093_mystery_squash.jpg

This photo was taken when it only weighted 4.5 pounds. Some of them get twice that size. I have no clue what it is. some people here said it might be a cross between a squash/zuch and a pumpkin. Personally I think it's some kind of genetic experiment gone terribly awry.

What variety of small watermelon do you recommend I try?
 

vfem

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Being you're in Florida, I have great yields and good ripening with the Crimson Sweet watermelon. Thanks to a wonderful TEG member, I will get to try a new orange flesh variety this year along with my Crimson Sweet. I've very excited to see how the orange one measures up! :D
 

Featherbaby

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vfem said:
Being you're in Florida, I have great yields and good ripening with the Crimson Sweet watermelon. Thanks to a wonderful TEG member, I will get to try a new orange flesh variety this year along with my Crimson Sweet. I've very excited to see how the orange one measures up! :D
Does it taste different from the red centered ones?
 

Greenthumb18

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I do know that the yellow-fleshed watermelons are sweeter, not sure about the orange fleshed ones.
 

Featherbaby

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OK, I got seeds of Crimson Sweet and Sugar Baby. I don't have a lot of room so I won't use all the seeds, I'm sure. I think I'll offer them to my neighbor, then when he has too many melons I'll generously offer to take them off his hands....for the chickens of course. HA!
 

Featherbaby

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Well, we had a rainstorm last night and the pvc trellis that I had the Squmpkin vine on bent all the way to the ground with the weight of all that fruit. I'm surprised the PVC didn't snap and break. I can't even get the chickens to eat them. Sooo, I cut them all off the vines and took the vines off the trellis. After I pick all the microscopic thorns out of my fingers, I'm starting over. I have mini water melon seeds and Dragon Tongue (Purple and cream colored) beans.

Has anyone grown these beans? The packet says they're good in the pod or suitable for drying. I've never eaten them, are they any good?
Is it too late to plant beans in N. FL?
 

Jeannie

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Thanks so much! I have this volunteer unidentified "squash"(?) taking over my trellis and making melon sized fruit. The chickens are tired of eating it and I can't do anything with it. So I'm thinking of cutting it all down and starting something my chickens will eat.

8093_mystery_squash.jpg

This photo was taken when it only weighted 4.5 pounds. Some of them get twice that size. I have no clue what it is. some people here said it might be a cross between a squash/zuch and a pumpkin. Personally I think it's some kind of genetic experiment gone terribly awry.

What variety of small watermelon do you recommend I try?
That is a Tartum squash. We call it a Mexican squash. If you pick them when about three to four inches long, they taste like yellow squash but a bit sweeter. This is my second year growing them. They are easy and produce well.
 
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