Watermelon advice needed.
 

I've never grown watermelon before. This spring I started some seeds I saved from a big and tasty watermelon given to me two years ago by my parents long time cleaning lady . She has passed away but the reports I have are she saved seeds and she planted those. An (hopefully) OP watermelon that works so well in zone 3 is to good to pass up.

I got two of 6 seeds to germinate and lost one plant to damping off. The survivor was planted in a 30 - 40 gallon black ceramic pot filled with a mixture of 1/3 compost and 2/3 potting mix and a handfull of moisture retention crystals (12 or so quarts of the potting mix is the Miracle Grow with slow release fertilizer & supposed moisture retention). I'm in zone 4.

Much to my surprise the plant seems to be thriving and has set a number of melons. I've gone from , "if it works it works" to "Oh my goodness this has to work!" attitude; hence my call for help.[LIST=1][*]We have creatures eating our green tomatoes, probably raccoons. I've set out a game camera in hopes of identifying the villains. I fear for my largest mellon & I've slipped it inside a Q2 size panty hose leg. Will this be sufficient protection & will it interfere with rippening?[*]The melons that have set are hanging off the ground. My biggest one, softball size, is sitting on a piece of concrete for now and I can probably mound up soil for it to rest on. Can I support the others with a panty hose sling until the end of the melon can rest on the ground or should I start looking for chairs or benches for them to lay on?[*]How many watermelons will one vine support? I have 3 or 4 set now.[*]I've been told I should cut off the growing tips of the vines to concentrate energy into the melons, accurate?[/LIST]Any and all advice is welcome and much appreciated.
It's nice to be back on Tomatoville after a long absence.
Again, thanks in advance.

The panty hose wont effect the ripening/growing process and is good for tie up support, but probably not enough protection agianst raccoons. As I understand, most watermelon varieties will nurse a family of 2-4. I would not cut anything, just let it sprawl. Tip* Cut back water when the melon stops swelling and starts to ripen.

Damon

Thanks SportsGuy
 

I'll have to investigate some type of netting or fence. The plant has set 5 melons so far. Is that too many? Thanks again for your help.

I would let it set as many as it wants to, I say the more the better!

Damon

Thanks, sounds like a plan.

Tom'sson

Five on a plant may reduce the size of each. However, it doesn't sound like you know how large they may get.

I limit my plants to two fruit, so that they will grow as large as they can. As an example, Orangleglo can produce two thirty pounders. Once, I left about 5-6 on a plant. They were in the 8-15 lb range.

Gary

Thanks for the reply. Considering the creatures may snack on the melons, no big crowd to feed & I don'tbow what the heck I'm doing, more might be safer. The melon the seeds came from seemed pretty big to me. Took me a week to eat it, a big thick slice every night. Perhaps I'll leave 4 or 5 on and see what happens, if nothing else, I'm sure learning a lot! '

Thanks for the reply. Considering the creatures may snack on the melons, no big crowd to feed & I don'tbow what the heck I'm doing, more might be safer. The melon the seeds came from seemed pretty big to me. Took me a week to eat it, a big thick slice every night. Perhaps I'll leave 4 or 5 on and see what happens, if nothing else, I'm sure learning a lot! '