The dutch study on melon spacing suggests closer spacing (about two feet) increased yield. There are some varieties that do produce more. My experience would identify soil quality as a key factor; balanced nutrients with plenty of organic matter. Planting time will also be important so blossoming occurs with plenty of summer left for fruit development. In my zone 5 it is essential to start the plants 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Side-dressing with cured compost ensures plenty of nutrients during growth. A clean straw mulch aids in maintaining a stable soil moisture content and impedes vine borers access to the rooting zone. To limit sprawling I also bury the growing tip of vines for secondary rooting. It is also important to provide a full sun area. Melons love the sun. As Wayne and Misterbaby indicate, increased yields does deminish quality. The plants must spread the total nutrient uptake amongst more fruit thus diluting all that taste you desire. As a seed saver, taste is one of my sleection parameters. An increased yield beyond the expected is not a desired trait. If you want more fruit, plant more seeds spaced at two foot intervals. Look after the soil and remember to mulch well. Here is a link that might be useful: Dutch Study - plant spacing and yield

Hi all!! I'm new to growing gourds, and while I know this is a pumpkin thread, I have been looking for an answer to why my luffa vine's female flower's start out appearing healthy and happy, but soon turn yellow and never full mature. I'm wondering if the same explanation might apply to this branch of the gourd family as well. I've had some healthy female flowers, 7 to be exact, on a vine that is easily 30 feet long (with all of its branch offs). I'm very mindful of the females because I'm told that one healthy vine can support up to 30 good sized loofah (luffa) gourds. I currently have 5 growing, and I believe a 6th was successfully pollinated by hand as were the previous 5. I contacted the site owner of luffa.info and he suggested I might have a fungus issue, or the water here in West Palm isn't all that great, but I can't find a definitive answer, and this is the only vine I have and I was hoping for a healthy crop of loofahs for gifts, but unless I figure out the reason for poorly maturing females...there's no way I'm gonna see even half that amount. Do you think it could simply be a matter of the vine needing to grow more in order to support more fruits? I only ask because while it's still branching, the rapid growth I saw over the last few months has slowed dramatically, and the vine may be close to, or has already reached it's maximum size. As best I can tell the vine is very healthy, and has been lightly fertilized, and I was hoping someone that's an experienced gourd grower, if not loofah, might be willing to help a newbie gardener. Any thoughts or possibly pointing me in the right direction if this is the wrong area in the forum to be inquiring about loofahs, would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks! 40Acres

I thought they look very similar to olives too lol. But maybe I shouldn’t taste it. Maybe just 1 just so I can say I’ve had one and know what it tastes like. I believe cephalotaxus unlike the yews aren’t poisonous, especially if fruit is ripe. Looks like I’ll have no choice but to collect seeds and propagate

I don't think of it as women's intuition. I believe there are extra senses that we have had that, over time, have been tucked away and ignored. To the point that in many people, they no longer exist. But in others, they have been .. if not embraced, at least they've been accepted .. and society tries to put a name on it to make it less than it is. Do I have facts, figures, studies, official findings? No. I have my own experiences and that of people in my family or friends. And I would accept these much more readily than any official finding. So do I believe in intuition? Yes. Do I believe in other abilities, such as empaths and mediums? Yes. Do I have these abilities? Just a tinge, but wish I had more.