You are correct in that it can happen. If you have a dry period where your vines are not getting water, and then you all of a sudden water heavily as they are starting to ripen, the melons draws in the water and it causes the skin to crack. As your watermelon is growing, the melon's skin is somewhat soft and flexible, which allows for exponential growth from when it was the size of a dime below the flower. It also has a dull, wax look to it. When your melon is getting ripe, the skin hardends up to where it's hard to even put a fingernail dent in the skin, and, it loses the dull was look and becomes shiny. This is now a ripe watermelon. So, with the skin being hard, and the melon drawing in more and more water (as you water), the skin cannot flex anymore so it can crack. The watering along with heat does not help this. I try my best to keep an even water schedule during growth and when I notice the signs of ripening, I back the water off. I live in Austin, Texas, right in the heart of our drought, and I've never had a cracked watermelon yet. I picked one just a little early just to compare tastes, but never had one crack.

The plant has probably been over-watered. Find some complete Phalaenopsis culture notes on the net that relate to Southern Europe. This conversations page has very little activity, go to the discussions page where there are numerous past pots about Phalaenopsis....read the complete culture notes and past posts and if you are still puzzled, post additional questions there. Good luck and with good care those flowers will last ages.

Hi Kristi, Congrats on your Lowe's haul. I had a couple in my hands today, but those square $9.98 pots were not marked down. I'm still obsessed with the Hippis, but now I'm equally into orchids and I came home with a big smile on my face. I got ten orchids at 50% off, so I was very happy. I ordered 13 hippis from John Sheepers (including their two double collections) and about 3 or 4 from Royal Colors. That's it! In an effort to make room for new ones, when I repotted this fall I removed many (about 100) of the offsets and gave them away. I lost my San Remo to Narcissus fly (I believe) and was told one of the offsets was infected also. That's the first time this has happened. Have not been visiting much the last couple years, so glad to see so many old faces still here. And I sure enjoyed looking at Arif's gorgeous doubles (my favorites). Kitty

HI RITA:I bet you are right, too.we didnt have hardly any rain all summer long, but,I did water every evening.I guess they dont like our city water, like they do the rain.I dont like our city water either, too much clorine in it..I sure can not drink it,so guess the plants dont like it either.The daylilies are looking so green and nice now.only ones with any brown leaves are the dormants and even they dont have many brown leaves. jean