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Jul 24, 2016 9:29 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Mishelle Shepard
East Texas (Zone 8b)
The last couple years my melons aren't doing well, after amazing harvests for several years. Was it just beginner's luck?! This year I planted equal amounts of cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew in 2 different places in the garden. We got excellent cantaloupe and nothing else. My only working hypothesis is the bees prefer the cantaloupe and the rest went unpollinated? Any thoughts or suggestions most helpful! (Incidentally this is also the first year in 5 we have no figs! Connected??)
Kensho Homestead
"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." RW Emerson
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Jul 24, 2016 10:04 AM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
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Mishelle, are you planting the melons in the same areas each year? It might be some soil-borne pathogen if that's the case. You might consider yanking up the non-producing vines and solarizing the soil this year. (right now while the sun is hot!! ) Then next year do the same for the area where the cantaloupes are now.

If not, what about soil amendments? Melons are pretty heavy feeders and if you have not been re-nourishing the soil each year with compost, manure or other good organic matter it might just be getting tired.

No sign of bugs or caterpillars on the non-producing melons? That's the other danger of growing the same thing year after year - you develop a bigger population of the plant predators in your area.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
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Jul 25, 2016 6:44 AM CST
Name: stone
near Macon Georgia (USA) (Zone 8a)
Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier
What's the weather been like this year at your house?

At my house, I find that it's common to have years where the cantaloupe grow and not watermelon, and vice versa....

Here in ga, watermelon prefer dry years, and cantaloupe like wet years... In my experience...

As dry as its been here... I've actually been surprised that I got both cantaloupe and watermelon... Although.. My summer squash are puny.

So... Please describe...
Are you getting any fruit set at all?

One year here, my watermelons got almost ripe and then split open... Weather related...

One year the termites invaded my cantaloupe.... Mulch related...
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