Water and feed the heck out of it. Later in the season, you could even erect a clear plastic canopy over the top of the watermelon patch and maybe the north side to keep extra heat in.

I don't want to say get rid of all but one -- what happens if you save one and then some critter chews it up or it splits or rots. If it were me, I'd want to have 2 at least.

Hey, the good news is, I just saw a NWS forecast for the rest of the summer here in SE Michigan -- they are predicting this abnormal warmth to continue right on through into September, and I'm sure Wisconsin will be the same. That should help your melons.

Frank:

I grew those babies one year in California. The biggest one was nearly 50 lbs as I remember. That's a pretty big watermelon but a long way from 200 lbs. Hope you are willing to settle for size because that's about all you'll get. I'm much happier with my 20-40 lb Star Brites.

Do have an idea about time of development. This year my notes indicate the first Star Brite (92 day melon) was 4 inches by 2 inches on May 4. That's a little smaller than yours are now. Well that fruit matured at 33 lbs on June 24. So yours should be mature or nearly mature in 60 days. It just won't be 200 lbs. But then I couldn't pick up a 200 pounder anyhow.

Keep us updated.

Your chances for the biggesr fruit are better by allowing only 1 fruit...be brave.

9 days later... at least 3 times bigger...

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Gee Frank, your mutant 200 lb watermelon has cantaloupe leaves. Or is it just me losing it?

Does seem to be doing great!!

If you get desperate you can try the aluminum foil as mulch to extend your harvest. I've read also of putting gallon jugs of water around them to absorb the days sunlight. They say it works to heat them at night and might work even better on the tinfoil.

Fruit-

There is a Charantais? melon growing right in with the watermelon... (not a big deal, the melon vines are halfway across the yard)...

I still got a lot of heat for a good 45 days...or more.

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The vine goes off to the right and then out to the middle of the yard.

Ripped out some of those cantaloupe vines (they weren't ripe, but they were all diseased from cucumber beetles)...

Frank, Your melon looks to be about 45pounds. I brought in a Truckbuster the other day that weighed 45 pounds and have a couple more that are about that size.

I would start them indoors early but set them out before they would runner or bloom...VERY IMPORTANT. I have 9 plastic cloches are are great for getting some melons out about 10 days earlier than without as cool and wet weather are terrible for melons until the roots are established.

Cantaloupes will not flavor up late in the season, but watermelons do. I picked a great volunteer on October 9th a couple years ago...23½ pounds and very excellent taste.

For the very best size, you only want one watermelon to be growing at a time.

Yeah... i took the other one off the vine some time ago. It wasn't sizing up and it looked like it wasn't pollinated fully. Still should have plenty of time to ripen this one up or so i hope.

Next year i'll get them going earlier so i can have a harvest by Aug.

That melon is more like 25 lbs. The vines don't look vigorous enough to get anywhere near 200 lbs. I'd guess more like 35-40 lbs tops.

My biggest Star Brite last year was 39 lbs. So far this year 38 lbs. I've got a couple now that might make 40.

fruitnut, This makes a good guessing game. I realize that the weight of that melon depends on how solid it is and that can be determined better by picking it up. I picked up a melon a couple days ago and guessed it as 34 pounds. It was exactly 34 pounds. That one was heavy for its size like its twin which was 33½ pounds so I had an educated guess already.

Wayne:

Have you had a ripe Star Brite yet? What do you think? Mine aren't quite as good as last year, too much rain and cool weather. What is your favorite so far?

fruit-

Its 32lbs... i weighed it on the scale the other day. Its pretty solid. I should have stuck with one melon on the vine. I only have about a month left to ripen this thing.

fruitnut,

I picked 1 Starbrite early and it wasn't 100% ripe. It had a lot of white pips in it and I noticed that the cut illustration in the Willhite catalog had white pips in it. Anyway I have had so many proven variety ripe ones that I have not got back to Starbrite.
What is my favorite? First of all they need to weigh in at 22 pounds or more. Raspa has returned to my favorites. One healthy vine in a new area produced a 34 and 33½ pounder...superb TASTE. Sangria, Rojo Grande, Carmen, and Orangeglo, and Sweet Slice Plus [seedless]are my present favorites. I have raised probably 50 varieties going back to my dad's Kleckley Sweet.

fruitnut,

I cut open a Starbrite today. I didn't weigh it but it was about 24 pounds. It was nice and red inside and crispy, but not as sweet or tasty as the Sangrias, Rojo Grandes, and Raspas.

Franktank:

"I should have pot grown it in the greenhouse until mid/late May and then transplanted a nice blooming vine...next year."

You should have grown pot instead of the watermelon. Pot is still good, even if it is not "ripe".

Tom

Getting bigger:

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That blond farmer looks like he is ready to defend that watermelon from any and all dangers.

I am sitting on pins and needles hoping you hit 200 pounds. I wanna grow one to 201 pounds. But so far I have not hit 10 pounds yet.

No way i'm touching 200..i'll be lucky to touch 50, but i think i'm getting close. I'm pretty weak, and tried lifting it yesterday and its very solid.. I'll do a video when its time to cut it and give an in depth look on the innards of a giant Wisconsin grown Carolina Cross :)

Hey Frank, it's time to harvest that bad boy and see if he measures up to my Star Brite. Just hauled in a 51 pounder.

What do you say, is your bad boy bigger?

Hard to say... I think it has stalled out, the bottom is somewhat yellow, but the tendril hasn't turned. The problem is it has a crack on the bottom, not big...but its a crack. It'll have to be cut really soon.

frank:

It's probably over ripe and losing weight. You better harvest or it will be slimy inside.

I beat you pretty good Fruitnut-

74 LBS!

The crack didn't look any better and there are a huge line of tstorms moving in this morning. I cut it! I'll have some pics up a little later

Wow, that is a Back Buster for sure and an impressive feat for WI! Let us know how she tastes.

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I'll post an update after i cut it up.