Wait, what???

Chris said:
That thing is huuuuuuge, cant wait to see the inside.
You really have a green thumb.
Well done man 🍉
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Thank you. I will definitely post the pictures of the inside. The color is usually white with a creamy hue, that's how I would describe it.

Here is a very good video review of this melon:
 
FigLab said:
Wow...just wow - I'm still shaking my head that you did it ....in Canada! Unbelievable.💚

Please post pictures when you open it!
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I can't believe it myself. I had an unsuccessful attempt before, so I wasn't too optimistic this year. Yet, here I am... pretty excited.

Here are the parents of my melon back from 2020. I paid a small fortune for these three melons here.
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TorontoJoe said:
Well done!

Upside down tomato cage wrapped in chicken wire? I'm trying to get a sense of how long that melon is....
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Thanks! No, the tomato cage is right-side up. It's my 20" Texas Tomato Cage. I wrapped it in chicken wire up to about 5 feet, with another piece of chicken wire on top. The melon is 14 - 14.5 inches or 35 - 36 cm long. It's about average.

The ones I bought in 2000 were bigger, approximately 18" long, and weighed roughly 11lbs / 5kg each. Larger ones can be 20-24" long. I've heard rumors that these sometimes can get to 1 meter or 40" long, but I searched the internet and couldn't find anything that would support those claims.

I'd say mine is about 8lbs, but I will weigh it once I bring it inside.
 
Figgin' A said:
Thanks! No, the tomato cage is right-side up. It's my 20" Texas Tomato Cage. I wrapped it in chicken wire up to about 5 feet, with another piece of chicken wire on top. The melon is 14 - 14.5 inches or 35 - 36 cm long. It's about average.

The ones I bought in 2000 were bigger, approximately 18" long, and weighed roughly 11lbs / 5kg each. Larger ones can be 20-24" long. I've heard rumors that these sometimes can get to 1 meter or 40" long, but I searched the internet and couldn't find anything that would support those claims.

I'd say mine is about 8lbs, but I will weigh it once I bring it inside.
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Well done! I look forward to your review…. The guy in the video I think said he paid $38….. That must be some melon!
 
TorontoJoe said:
Well done! I look forward to your review…. The guy in the video I think said he paid $38….. That must be some melon!
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Bringing these from Uzbekistan is very expensive, especially now. The guy here said it would cost $25 per kilo just for shipping.

I wonder, though, why the guy in the video paid so much 7 years ago since they were grown in California and no expensive shipping was involved. The price has probably doubled since then.

My only guess is that these melons are particularly prone to disease outside of the extremely hot and dry Uzbekistan climate, many don't ripen properly or die, which is why they command a high price. Low supply and high demand can also play a role.

:) I am embarrassed to say how much I paid for my melons... Ok, if you insist... :LOL:

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Figgin' A said:
Thanks! No, the tomato cage is right-side up. It's my 20" Texas Tomato Cage. I wrapped it in chicken wire up to about 5 feet, with another piece of chicken wire on top. The melon is 14 - 14.5 inches or 35 - 36 cm long. It's about average.

The ones I bought in 2000 were bigger, approximately 18" long, and weighed roughly 11lbs / 5kg each. Larger ones can be 20-24" long. I've heard rumors that these sometimes can get to 1 meter or 40" long, but I searched the internet and couldn't find anything that would support those claims.

I'd say mine is about 8lbs, but I will weigh it once I bring it inside.
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I think you are right, these require a really hot and dry climate. When we lived in Tajikistan, we had them as a staple...you could not walk through the market without being "led astray" by their sweet beckoning smell. I've never seen them reach 1 meter, but they could get quite large up to 6-8 kilos.

Once again, what a remarkable achievement!
 
FigLab said:
I think you are right, these require a really hot and dry climate. When we lived in Tajikistan, we had them as a staple...you could not walk through the market without being "led astray" by their sweet beckoning smell. I've never seen them reach 1 meter, but they could get quite large up to 6-8 kilos.

Once again, what a remarkable achievement!
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You are so lucky! It’s my dream to travel to Central Asia and experience their food and all the delicious fruits they grow there.

Yeah, this years relative success - 3 properly ripened, three failed melons - make me want to grow more varieties. I spoke to the owner of the Uzbek food store and he may be able to bring me some seeds next time he goes back to Uzbekistan to visit. They grow some amazing varieties of melons and watermelons there.
 
Figgin' A said:
You are so lucky! It’s my dream to travel to Central Asia and experience their food and all the delicious fruits they grow there.

Yeah, this years relative success - 3 properly ripened, three failed melons - make me want to grow more varieties. I spoke to the owner of the Uzbek food store and he may be able to bring me some seeds next time he goes back to Uzbekistan to visit. They grow some amazing varieties of melons and watermelons there.
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Yes, it was amazing - the food and the people, so very hospitable and kind...and hard-working growers.

If the Uzbek store owner does bring you seeds, ask him for a variety of cantaloupes as well, it was called Kandahlashka or Khandalyak (not an official name, but my English transliteration of a Uzbek word in Russian 🤣😂) - they are much smaller and round, but highly aromatic and almost creamy in texture.
 
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FigLab said:
Yes, it was amazing - the food and the people, so very hospitable and kind...and hard-working growers.

If the Uzbek store owner does bring you seeds, ask him for a variety of cantaloupes as well, it was called Kandahlashka or Khandalyak (not an official name, but my English transliteration of a Uzbek word in Russian 🤣😂) - they are much smaller and round, but highly aromatic and almost creamy in texture.
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Thank you for the recommendation. I think I asked about that one. I searched for the best Uzbek melon varieties, and it was one of them.

I have the utmost respect for hard-working people who do honest work. I see your point about the hospitality of Central Asian people. I follow a couple of bloggers from Uzbekistan and I can see how generous and hospitable people there are. They make visitors feel like home. Such an amazing culture.
 
superdave336 said:
I think I’d sit and sleep out there beside it with a loaded rifle!
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Trust me, with the sudden raccoon problem that's very close to what I do now. I now have sensors everywhere that alert me to intruders. I have several cameras and other helpful things. I don't have a rifle :) It's not allowed in Canada. But I am getting better at it, and my protection plan has become quite effective.

I still think an electric fence would be much better, so I am working on the design. What I need to protect is not a simple rectangle, so some thinking and a creative design is needed.

I am also studying those little (some of them are pretty fat, actually) efforts and will be incorporating my findings in the overall protection plan. Like, there are some fig varieties that they are attracted to like a magnet, while they don't even bother with the others. I am thinking of ditching those to minimize the attraction to my backyard. Things like that.
 
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