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Bethlehem CT

I am interested to hear how the Strongback is performing for people. I got my seed on the late side and I am trialing it with several eating varieties of melons. So far they look good. The biggest disadvantage that I can see is that they are much smaller, so I found grafting to be a little trickier. I am sure I will get used to it. The Strongback plant's look and grow just like a watermelon. I am growing a couple un-grafted just to observe. It is hard to tell if you get rootstock re-growth. The leaves are nearly identical to that of a watermelon. That being said the plants are doing very well. Perhaps the fact that they are so similar to a watermelon will yield better compatibility over the long season. No more blow outs in June or July. I am Interested to hear other grower's thoughts and early season results.

6/29/2020 1:02:27 PM

Bethlehem CT

Any melon growers still here?
Please don't make me have to join facebook! lol

7/1/2020 9:34:10 PM

Iowa

I'm here, but don't know that you could call me a melon grower. I also got my seeds late, have one grafted on the Stongback rootstock. I intended to grow two ungrafted to see what they would do but deer ate those two plants before I could get the plot fenced. The grafted plant got some wind damage early but the graft has healed and plant is starting to take off. It has fell behind some of the eating melon plants in the same plot but still pretty early to make a judgement. Don't see any rootstock regrowth on this plant. I'll get some pics posted in my diary in the next few days.

7/1/2020 10:27:10 PM

Partlow,Va

I had some success with grafting them this year. it was my first year to do any grafting and I was 7 for 7 after being 1 for 7 with gourd rootstock so in my limited experience they graft well. On average they took about five days longer to germ than the melons did. I gave two of the strongback grafts to a friend who is growing them. I did not plant any because my plants were in and I was just getting some grafting practice. I am interested to see and hear from some growers how the strongback grafts are doing.

7/2/2020 1:23:55 PM

Partlow,Va

Big Moon the strongback I grafted had three true leaves and were much larger than my scion. I had to replant more melon seed because the strongback were slower to germ so my reseeded melons were barely large enough. I think this led to regrowth on most of the grafts.
Timing the plants to match up in size is certainly an important aspect and a challenge in grafting!

7/2/2020 1:31:53 PM

Bethlehem CT

Hey Lunker and Hank, Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it. I am used to planting bushel gourd rootstock or squash rootstock. I was in a hurry to plant the strongback and mine just had cotyledon leaves when I did the grafting.

7/2/2020 7:36:57 PM