Yellow Doll is vigorous, but vines are shorter than those of full size melons. Probably need 2/3 the space of a large melon.

Farmerdilla

I'm planning on trying 12 different varieties, 2 hills of
each variety side by side. I did this with 7 varieties
this year and had pretty good success.
Is this too many to try in a back yard garden,
and could you even mix them up by not having them side by side. Thanks
Ray

As long as you are not saving seed and you give them the needed space, there should be no problem.

Ray, Some varieties are easily identified by their fruits and others are not so easy. You may have already found that out. I think it pays to either have the varieties together or have them mixed where they are distinct because even if you chart/plot where they are located, they tend to vine into each other some.

I plan on having about 18 or 20 varieties this year. I would have thought that I would have narrowed it down more by now but I still like to try new ones and retry some older ones and also I just have fond memories for some....and I have about half a dozen favorites.

Wayne
Farmerd and I are only about 60 miles apart, and many of the ones I'm growing were recommended by him, but I'd like to hear of your success stories and your favorites.
Ray .

Ray,

Probably the tastiest ones I ever ate were Raspa....A++. This past year they were not as good. I hope the seed gene pool has not deteriated.
Sangria has also raised some super ones, but I find they need to be 22 pounds or more to be super....pretty much a trip line weight for quality in the full sized ones.

Summer Flavor #420 can be very good too. The seeds are tiny and actually larger ones are easier to remove.

Royalty is good too. ..so is Yellow Doll, especially if they are large...same for that 15½ pound Tiger Baby I had one year.
Gold Strike is very good IF it sizes up.

Oranglo is quite delicious too and a healthy grower.

Sweet Slice Plus is a very good seedless.

Several others that can be pretty good if they size up are Royal Sweet, Royal Star, SF 790 HQ, Allsweet, Legacy, Congo,Sweet Princess, Tendergold, Dixie Lee, and AU Producer.

My dad used to raise melons in the garden a little bit. The hired hand back in the '40s introduced transplanting which is desirable up here to get July melons.

Wayne

We're fortunate that we can direct seed and not have to mess with transplants. Of the ones you mentioned, I've
ordered Raspa, SF420, Yellow Doll. Oranglo, Legacy,
Tendergold, & AU Producer.
When I used to buy melons at the farmer's market, sangria was always a hit or miss proposition, but you're right,
the smaller ones weren't very good.
Last year we had a bad drought all through may -july, which
effected everything, but I did get some real good Dixie
Queens, and Yellow Belly Black Diamonds. Thanks for
your response.