we grow a few watermelon cantelope and honey dew for a variety at the markets but i have a hard time telling when they are ready to harvest we put them on black plastic with drip lines i wonder if the heat from plastic mulch affects them one year it was extremlly hot the plastic cooked the tomatoes touching it
2010 Late Melon Patch
6
We usually plant our melons by May 1, and some years I will plant a second one about 2 weeks later. In 2010, the late melon patch became a late, late melon patch. It wasn't planted until after May 20 because of wet weather, and when planted the ground was very sticky and it began to rain just as we left the field.
It was 3 weeks before we could get into it to cultivate and hoe. The thick crabgrass made it look like a well groomed lawn. With Mrs. Jim's hard work and many cultivator passes we got it cleaned up. It turned out to be a fairly good patch, although a late season wet spell caused disease problems and reduced production.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
It was 3 weeks before we could get into it to cultivate and hoe. The thick crabgrass made it look like a well groomed lawn. With Mrs. Jim's hard work and many cultivator passes we got it cleaned up. It turned out to be a fairly good patch, although a late season wet spell caused disease problems and reduced production.
