So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Friday, February 20, 2009

How to Grow Melons

By Peter Nanette

Okra is a warm-weather plant grown for its immature seed pods, which are delicious fried or cooked in soups and stews. The plants grow 3 to 5 feet tall and bear maroon centered pale yellow flowers about 2 inches across.

Melons can be grown successfully in regions where minimum night temperatures average no lower than 55 and minimum daytime temperatures are no lower than 80 throughout the growing seasons. The length of the growing seasons, from the time the seeds are sown until the plants are harvested, is listed for each recommended variety. Because long growing seasons are required for most casaba, Crenshaw, Persian and honeydew melons, all but a few of the varieties that are listed in these categories are generally grown only in the southwestern, south-central and southern parts of the U.S.

Most cantaloupes have orange flesh, but some have lime-green flesh even when ripe. Some excellent varieties are Burpee's Fordhook Gem, green flesh, and Burpee Hybrid, orange flesh, both 82 days; Delicious 51, orange flesh, 86 days; and Mainerock Hybrid, orange flesh, 75 days. Two hills of cantaloupe yield a harvest of about eight fruit over a period of three weeks.

Casaba, Crenshaw, Persian and honeydew melons are closely related to cantaloupes, but generally ripen later. Excellent varieties for warm regions are Golden Beauty Casaba, white flesh, 120 days: Honey Dew, white flesh, 110 days; and Persian, orange flesh, 120 days.

Three good varieties that succeed in shorter growing seasons are Burpee's Early Hybrid Crenshaw, pink flesh, 90 days; Honey Mist, green flesh, 92 days; and Sungold Casaba, white flesh, 85 days. Two hills planted with these types yield six fruit over a period of four weeks.

Cantaloupes should be picked at what is called the "slip" stage, when a slight pressure at the point where the stem joins the melon causes the melon to slip off the vine. All other melons are still firmly attached to their vines at harvesttime, so other yardsticks must be used: casaba and honeydew melons are ripe when the skin turns yellow; Crenshaw and Persian melons when they develop a fruity scent; watermelons when a rap on the fruit creates a dull rather than a sharp sound. Fruits that start to grow after midsummer will not have time to mature and should be removed; this thinning will direct nourishment toward fruits that are developing. Unused melon seeds keep for about five years.

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