Posted on 12/23/2005 10:14:27 AM PST by CajunConservative
This one is puzzling thousands of people. St. Bernard Parish, virtually wiped out following Hurricane Katrina, is seeing the spontaneous growth of watermelons. They're everywhere! It's a post-Katrina phenomenon that has even the experts baffled.
"I've never seen anything like this before," said Dr. Ron Strahan of the LSU Ag Center as he surveyed the watermelon infestation.
The fruit, which is normally planted in April, has been sprouting up all over St. Bernard Parish ever since Katrina. Presumably, the seeds were deposited during the hurricane and unusually high temperatures have produced a natural mystery.
"It's just going to be one of those things we're probably not going to be able to explain," said Strahan.
According to Strahan, the clay in St. Bernard absorbed the sunlight, retaining the heat and allowing the melons to grow. A watermelon's consistency is 90 percent water, which means if you eat the St. Bernard Parish melons, you're drinking Katrina juice.
"I don't think I'd want to eat them," Strahan laughed. "I don't think so, but it's just something unusual to look at, maybe take some pictures of and remember this happened after Katrina 2005 and we'll probably never see again."
Katrina may have planted the melons, but bees had to pollinate them, which indicates that growth is possible in St. Bernard Parish following the storm. Even if it is Katrinan melons.
If we keep this thread going much longer those watermelons will be ripe.
If we keep this thread going much longer those watermelons will be ripe.
I'm already smelling a little ripe myself. Actually, I think a new crop's already grown.
Sometimes I like getting on a "different" thread like this just to keep my sanity.
I've heard it said that God works in mysterious ways.
Watermelons have been one of my lifes favorite things. I grew up in the far western part of Kentucky, on the Tennessee state line and overlooking the Mississippi River. Just across the river is the bootheel of Missouri, and they had the sweetest melons I have ever tasted, then or now. It was the sandy soil I think.
Hey Bill.
Watermelons have been one of my lifes favorite things. I grew up in the far western part of Kentucky, on the Tennessee state line and overlooking the Mississippi River. Just across the river is the bootheel of Missouri, and they had the sweetest melons I have ever tasted, then or now. It was the sandy soil I think.
One year, my dad used this neighbor's field to grow some watermelons. We had them coming out our ears, but it was fun. We sold them and earned a little bit of pocket money.
I had volunteer watermelons come up in July. They didn't have time to ripen, but now I know where to plant them next spring.
If someone could find a way to grow those things with handles on them they would be richer than Bill Gates.
I had volunteer watermelons come up in July. They didn't have time to ripen, but now I know where to plant them next spring.
If you pay them, you might get more of them.
Probably. If the rind was sweet too, that would be pretty cool too.
Years ago we were eating watermelon on the deck of my mother and father in law on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Since the house was not their primary residence, we all left for our homes in Richmond, Va (theirs) and Springfield, Va. (ours)
We all went back around Labor Day and the backyard was coated in both vines and fully ripe melons. We were astonished, but the soil was sandy and the wind just blows and covers up the seed.
"If the rind was sweet too,"
Haven't you ever had watermelon rind preserves? I'm serus.
Hello friend. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
You go first. It'll be like the first guy that ever ate an oyster.
"Hey, let's eat the slimy stuff inside the shell."
You go first.
No, I haven't. What are they like?
And to you. Have some watermelon while you are here.
MMMMMMMM..... Melons....
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