Open pollinated melons and watermelons

14 years ago

For those of you not trying to keep your melons apart, do you save seeds or get new ones every year?

This year I'm growing Blacktail Mountain, and Orangeglow watermelons, + have one Moon & Stars that was a volunteer from last year's watermelons. I'm also growing Charentais, Sakata Sweet and a Christmas melon that I can't remember the name of at the moment and I'm not sure whether those can cross with each other at all. Anyone know?

Have you been happy with seeds you saved or are you usually disappointed?

Comments (6)

tammysf
14 years ago
Good question. I'd also like to know. I've saved some seeds from charentais, crane, and sharlyn so I would love to know if they are worth planting next year.

I got these melons from farmers market.

Just picked my first ripe melon today :)

Here is a link that might be useful: blog with melon pics
neohippie
14 years ago
Watermelons should all be able to cross with one another and muskmelons cross with each other (but watermelons won't cross with muskmelons).

I've never tried saving seed from melons when I've grown more than one variety, but as I understand it you'll be very likely to get cross breeds if you do. The bees can't tell the difference.

The farmers market melons are probably crossed too, assuming the farmer was just trying to get a good melon crop and wasn't worried about isolating varieties to save pure seed.

Now, whether that means they're not worth planting depends on how you feel about growing melon mutts next year. They could be good, or they could be a great big waste of space. You really can't tell.
yumamelon
14 years ago
Hello,
There is no way of telling if the melons from the farmer's market are pure or not. If you ask the grower how he keeps his varieties seperate there is a good chance if his plot is large enough that they will come true from seed.

Melons come in two types of flowers. Monoecious and andromonoecious (hermaphroditic). If they are andromonecious you usually get selfs, because the flowers "female" flowers also have male parts. Watermelon are more true monoecious. However every once in a while a variety is andromonecious.

Jonny
fusion_power
14 years ago
You can presume that if you grow watermelons near each other they will cross. This is not necessarily bad. One of the best watermelons I ever ate was from a bee made cross between Congo and Jubilee.

I have grown Sakata Sweet and a standard Cantaloupe side by side and did not get crosses. No guarantees though. Just my experience.

DarJones
rgm1977
14 years ago
Watermelons will cross if more than one kind are grown togather.You could hand pollenate them which is very easy.
christie_sw_mo
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for your replies.
Piel De Sapo was the one I couldn't think of.
I may be getting ahead of myself. I've been seeing a groundhog around my yard and my neighbor said he saw a racoon this week and has been losing his tomatoes. I may not have any seeds to save. : (