These are just a couple random watermelon pictures because, number one, they are my favorite thing in the garden right now, and two, after giving up over a dozen melons they are making a resurgence and producing more. I love that. They’re like the gift that keeps on giving…
Do you see the watermelon growing off of the fence? There is actually another one, lower down on the other side. If they keep it up they will be growing out in the middle of the yard!
The Jones Garden Blog 
I tried to get tomatillos to grow here. No dice! The first ones I planted grew and suddenly the three foot plants willted. On pulling them up I found that the termites had gotten them. They’d bored right up through the stems!!! The next time I grew them they were covered in large, lovely fruits! I picked them to bring in only to find that underneath the husks they were worm eaten and filthy… I gave up on them. 😦
Wow! Not to be too dramatic, but I have nightmares like that! Sorry to hear it. In the gardening calendar that I follow there is a note next to tomatillos that says “Easy”. Getting them to grow… yes, getting them to be productive… that’s a different story.
The worm that bores up through the stem of any kind of vine plant is called “Vine borers”. They start life as an egg laid by a fly on the stem of the plant near the soil line. Upon hatching they will bore into the stem and start there munch up the stem until one day the plant just keels over dead. It usually dies right after the first couple fruits of the plant mature. I have yet to find a way to defeat the little buggers.
Dave, these were definitely subterranean termites in my tomatillos! I found them in my potatoes one year also. Nasty little buggers. 😐
Lynda, Hmmm, never heard of termites eating plants before. I sure hope they don’t decide to migrate to Nebraska.
Dave,
If it is cellulose they will eat it. And you are correct, you do not want them in Nebraska! These particular termites live underground and make mud tunnels up the side of buildings to get at the wood in your home. They are particularly nasty, and expensive, little critters to get rid of. 😉
And neither of us want the formosan termite!!! Look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Rh4rgXe6Y
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cellulose
Wow, I’ve never heard of termites doing that before either… but definitely not a good thing since termites are a real issue out here.
Wow, those are some watermelons. Watermelons were a bust here this year. They just never really grew. They are totally wimpy and have no fruit what so ever. Last year we got about four off four vines. Not that great either. I should be taking lessons from you I guess.
Have a great watermelon day.
Yah the monsoon rains have really been good to the watermelons. The part I love is discovering down the road that I have a watermelon growing in that big mass of green.
Dear Mr Jones. I wish to give the comments above the seriousness they deserve – but goodness me I have to laugh when I think about how stoic we gardeners really are. We get termites (never heard of that before), we get grubs, we get pestilence of every kind …… I could go on.
We may go into a corner and sulk and promise ‘never grow that again!’. But do we give up? No. We bounce back to face another day – armed with a shovel, a fork and a look of steely determination.
So, rising above the challenges, it’s lovely to hear about your melons giving you a second feed.
Exactly, Jean! I’m going to paint my face blue and head out to the garden! 😉
Wow! I cannot believe that field of melons! I’m so envious!
Thanks! They have been really good this year.