Has anyone grown really large Watermelon or Pumpkin?

[DaveB]

I grew some l00 pounder Pumkins and a 30 pound Charlotte Gray melon but that was it.

Specifically looking for ideas/tips on Watermelon 50 pounds and up not losing flavor. Variety, seed source , experience with them etc.

For pumpkins i can use the Ferry-Morse or Burpee seeds to get to the 100 pound mark. Anyone have a source for larger ones? I know I have to hand-pollinate the pumpkins. I had leaves with hair on the stalks like steel needles and leaves you could use as umbrellas. Watermelons mostly died in the California heat and neighbor said it was smog.

Many Thanks.

 

[Wobblyshot1]

I'm a dismal failure in growing pumpkins but my watermelons have for the most part done well. Last season I did have some trouble with blossom end rot so I'm obviously needing something added to the soil. Many years ago I had a cluster of Bradford pears cut down and stumps ground. Starlings had roosted in those trees for years leaving behind what birds usually leave behind. Didn't realize it at the time but proceeded to plant Georgia Rattlesnakes and Black Diamonds where the trees had been and they turned out to be huge. I didn't weigh them but my poor little wife couldn't hoist one. I sure several were 50+ pounds and I also remember them being good. The last few years I've been growing Ali Babas. They've done really well and I'll regularly get some over 30 pounds...need a few seeds?

 

[Wobblyshot1]

Pretty good Ali Baba.

 

[DaveB]

You cannot buy these seeds just anyplace...most of the seeds are passed from grower to grower. It is a great favor Wobbly has done to ask me to share and I really appreciate it.

You bet I would like some seeds. And I pray your kids continue to hunt and fish with you. I miss those posts.


PM coming

 

[backyardtndeer]

Biggest watermelons I have grown weren't quite that big, but I am sure we have had some go over 30 lbs. I don't recall what we have used, seeds we use usually come from a Walmart packet, probably burpee. I cut manure into my garden, and I think it really helps the plants. I never fertilize watermelons or do anything else other than water when it's dry. Keeping the stink bugs out later on in the season can be an issue.

I have never had pumpkins get anywhere near that big.

 

[DaveB]

1. Always planted 4 seeds in each mound, (NSEW I swear I used a compass)which was at least a foot in diameter and 6 inches tall.
2. Always had 6 mounds on half of an elevated garden 12x20.
3. Always watered with subterranean setup. It was Southern Cali and they were freaks about wasting water.
4. Always hand-pollinated. I would use pollen from two or three plants to pollinate.
5. Always killed every fertilized flower after the first pumpkin on the vine would survive. So yes one fruit per vine.
6. ALways raised the fruit off the ground. I used plastic milk crates for height and then a piece of plywood.
7. Fertilized like mad-Miracle Grow every week. Garden already had about 400 pounds of 13-13-13 generic in it.
8. Absolutely MUST have second set of leaves by 7/4. Otherwise you get good pumpkins but not big ones.
9. LOTS of water.

I had pics but cannot find them. The leaf stalks would be an inch in diameter, over 3 feet tall. My seeds came from Ferry-Morse and some other place.

I gave the pumpkins to single mothers who worked for me. I sent notes to their kids advising them to behave or no pumpkin come halloween. I would deliver a monster to the front porch (mom knew when I was gonna be there) and leave a note from the Pumpkin Man to the child. The Mom's were astounded at the size of the pumpkins. One year I had enough to put several around my house on halloween.

 

[mike243]

Buddy of mine dug 3 dozen or so holes with a auger and I put in a foot of cow manure, nice size watermelons and we pulled the last 4 on Christmas eve, the grass had gotten tall and fell over and didn't let them freeze, to much work shoveling yugo for me lol

 

[Chapman]

For watermelons, I would go for the best tasting one instead of the largest. A 30 pound melon will feed a lot of people. I used to see big Black Diamond melons for sale but most families today are smaller and don't want to deal with a melon that large.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Superbig can often = pithy/grainy too.

 

[DaveB]

Superbig can often = pithy/grainy too.

Yep, the 30 pounders are pretty good tasting and texture.

I'm thinking something like the what you see in this link-there's a club for every thing

GWG Member Pictures | Giant Watermelon Growers Club – Growin' Big Melons