Watermelon Landrace (project)

[AndrewB]

I will be able to attempt to resurrect my watermelon landrace this year. I did not plant the Citron melon hybrids.

I was mostly out of seed. Honestly I thought I was out since i shared almost all of my seed over the years. I'm a bit more protective of my seeds now.

Planted the smallest seeds of the batch. Got at least 80% germination on the heat mat! So my cold storage / vacuum storage worked!

So hopefully I can find a few spots, and I hope the poor soil here will be enough. Since the original landrace was bred on pretty poor soil I'm thinking they may do better than typical varities would.

It's always exciting to resurrect old projects! I'm still sad Joseph's yellow fleshed Charleston grey variety failed last year, but there is a strong possibility some of that pollen survives in these seeds from So long ago.

William, how did yours do last year? You think it was seed I sent you?

[William Schlegel]

They did survive last year not great though. I got some seed back. No I think my water melon project has had huge genetic turnover and has pretty low diversity currently.

[AndrewB]

Watermelons growing nicely. Got at least 10 growing and at least 4 different patterns. Lost a lot of seedlings that germinated, but we get what we get.

These plants on the end look productive and growing well. Oblong fruits. Look like they are Lofthouse Yellow Charleston gray descended! So maybe not 100% lost after all?!

Guess we get to find out! I think most of these will make it just before frost this year,  so I'm not worried. Ironically one of the best crops for me this year.