I know. I don't quite understand that article's point. I wish they would develop them for just that reason. Gardeners with limited space don't want to devote a whole vine's worth of ground to a pollinator they don't want to eat. But what I can't understand is the failure/inability/indifference to developing a parthenocarpic cucumis melon.

Seeds from an immature watermelon would be immature too. Have you ever watched peas grow--being a newbie probably not so I'll tell you. They start out with just the pod and a tiny, tiny nub where the pea will grow. That little nub grows into an edible pea but it is still not a viable seed. The pod has to get brown and the peas get old before they are ready to grow into a plant. It is the same with any plant. The seed has to be very mature before it is ready to grow. With melons and those plants that grow their seeds inside, it has to be very ripe. As to saving seeds at all--if you are going to go that route you should use heritage varieties. Hybrid plants seldom come true to form--grow a plant that is like the plant you took the seed from. Heritage varieties do because they are open pollinated varieties. Good luck and welcome to the world of gardening

It's been an interesting giant watermelon year. They are still growing although the plant in the back has had about half of its leaves stripped by a baby deer. I've since got my electric fence running all day to try to prevent this. That watermelon is a nice hindenberg shape and I'm guessing is about 60 pounds right now. In my "upper patch", the CC plant is doing great -- showing no signs of decline at all. Whenever I see my watermelon lurking there in the grass I keep playing the "Jaws" theme in my head -- it's a big one. Interestingly it's not a round cross-section, but rather it's flatter and broader. I've stopped measuring the circumference on it, but it's about 30 inches long and almost a foot and a half across, although possibly only a foot high. Pretty sure it's over 60 pounds but don't know how close it is to 100. I'm guestimating 80 pounds....time will tell. How is everyone else's CC doing ? Wayne

I am in west texas, I think it is warm enough for them to thrive. I guess the nearby construction is kind of forcing them my way or something. I have growing melons and a variety of vegetable for going on 5 years now and this is the first time I have seen this. We have trapped 6 so far, and shot one with a pellet gun, and the dogs are starting to help as well, they have caught and killed 3. Its kind of crazy they just showed up all at once. I have a compost heap, but it is contained in a couple barrels, and I turn it weekly. I have a mulch pile as well that is in the open. there are nooks and crannies in the yard and garden I will never get rid of. I guess I will just keep trapping until they beat it....