Watermelon...cutting them back?

[mickee311]

My watermelon plants are growing at an enourmous rate. No female flowers, as old as these plants are, I had 3 watermelon at the beginning, but all of them shriveled up or got a big black spot on the bottom and rotted up when they were very very small. My dad told me to cut the vines back and they would concentrate on making melons. Is this true? I hope so, because I cut them back this morning, they were getting out of control anyway. But will this make them produce females? I was anxious to have melons this year and the plants are very healthy.

[chickenfarmer]

Ooooooppppss. Oh no....... Oh yeah ya did the correct thing.

[mickee311]

HA! Thanks so much, I'm glad to know I didn't do something bad. I cut them before posting about it, just because I was anxious and the sun hadn't come up yet, it was a beautiful morning to be out in the dirt.

I got real dang scared reading the oops, oh no thing....My heart jumped up in my throat!

[chickenfarmer]

Humor is better than humus in the garden....

[douglas]

Ya did the right thing, too much plant can zap da fruit

[tashak3]

Does this cutting back work with cucumber vines too?

[mickee311]

I don't know, I have more cukes than I know what to do with. I'm thinking on cutting the vines back just because they're going so nuts.


Guess what, guys? I cut my vines back that day and now I have several healthy watermelon, some about the size of a tennis ball! WOOHOO!

[mickee311]

Okay. Out of 15 or so plants out there I only got 3 watermelons growing. As of a little while ago, I only have 2. I was cutting the vines back and kids distracted me and I sniopped the wrong vine. It was a beauty, too. I'm a terrible gardener. And I see no more flowers on any of the plants, so I guess I'm SOL for watermelons this year, save for 2. I am highly pi$$ed.

[Pharmer Phil]

MICKEE

I was cutting the vines back and kids distracted me and I sniopped the wrong vine. It was a beauty, too. I'm a terrible gardener.

Jus havinphun wit Ya......
Do you think that NONE of us "Long time gardeners" Mess Up
Gardening has it's ups and downs.
Thomas Jerfferson once said:
"But though an old man, I am but a young gardener"
You'll never be too old to learn,,Or too young to forget
If it was never a challenge, on one level or another, it'd be no Phun..
We all do stuff that jus leaves us wonderin' ifin we're
So have faith, You'll ALWAYS SCREW UP
Can anyone say they never messed up
_{I didn't think so..}

[mickee311]

So.....My plants are putting out ZERO flowers, even though I am cutting them back. Does this mean I have no more hope, besides the 2 melons I have growing? I haven't seen flowers on these guys in a bit. I have about 12-15 plants, maybe. I am cutting them back......What's the problem here? Is there any way of stimulating these suckers to grow a few more flowers?

And thanks for the support, Phil. I'm not as mad now as I was yesterday. Stuff happens, it's my first garden, everything can't be perfect.

[douglas]

Yeah you should see my garden at times

[trudy]

No ones perfect Mickee, we learn from our mistakes or at least try to. Don't be to hard on yourself. Phils right, even seasoned gardeners are gonna mess up from time to time. Thats just part of life. You still should have some growing time left I would think they will be flowering again soon. trudy

[Pharmer Phil]

The really GREAT thing is...You admitted doing it!
Now, I gotta start a new thread....

[Compost Pharmer]

Mickee, don't feel bad. I lost my entire garden this year, including the Giant Punkin I was growing. It has been to hot and no rain. Everything looked real good when I left home on July 5 but everything was dead when I returned on August 6. My neighbor watered a couple of times but it was not enough. When the temperature is 100 + with no rain. the garden will not grow. It has been 100 + every day this month, minus 1. We have had 36 days with 100 + this year and today was the 14 day in a row above 100. Waiting for it to cool down so I can try a fall garden.

[mickee311]

My watermelons are finally flowering again!! YAY! Maybe they needed a week of cooler temps, rather than the 100's we were getting to start back up. I'm glad, cause I only have one growing and it's a bit bigger than a softball.

[mickee311]

Okay, new question. My melon plants have had a watermelon that's been at softball size or a bit larger since the beginning of August. Can I just go on and cut this sucker up? I doubt it'll get bigger.

And, a bunch of new ones got pollinated, but when they get to an inch and a half or two, they start to shrivel up and die. What gives?