Very female doesn't make a fruit under even the best conditions. If you have plenty of bees, there will likely be fruit hang on soon. How big are the fruit when they drop off? I've had watermelons this year reach 3-4 inches long and still abort.

The Fruitnut

Hi Fruitnut. The melons range from 2-4" when they abort. I just (not an hour ago) discovered some mottled, deformed leaves on the tips of a vine, and am thinking I either have mosaic virus *shudder* or a deficiency. Either would make for fruit abort I'm guessing.

Hey Rae, What part of StL are you in with zone 7? With temps not above 80 the next week and the rain every other day, I will be picking my first tomato today, really, late for first one. Where has the hot weather gone?

We live in the city, near the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I just realized my zone was off.... I harvested my first tomato (a cherry) two weeks ago, which is really late for us too.

I'm not holding out much hope for the melons- I'm going to bring a mottled leaf into the Botanical Gardens and see if they can identify the problem. If it's a virus, I'll be pulling up at least one plant:(. This weather is nutters. It's freaking nippy outside tonight! Don't want to know what type of damage this cold will do to my cukes and melons @_@.

MoBot is a great source of information! I'm in N. StL County up by Sams. Your poor cukes. I have hugh green tomatoes that won't ripe on vine 5 ft. tall. My everbearing strawberries are loving this weather, go figure!

Had to tear out the infected melon today :( . Mobot said it was mosaic. It was upsetting, not least of which the infected plant was the largest and healthiest "looking". Buutt, since it was aborting fruit anyway, it works out in the end. This freaky weather, however, really won't help the other melons produce. Nor is it helping any fungal/ mildew problems. I gotta go out back now and spray with some neem to take care of just that.

Had to tear out the infected melon today :( . Mobot said it was mosaic. It was upsetting, not least of which the infected plant was the largest and healthiest "looking". Buutt, since it was aborting fruit anyway, it works out in the end. This freaky weather, however, really won't help the other melons produce. Nor is it helping any fungal/ mildew problems. I gotta go out back now and spray with some neem to take care of just that.

One way to assure to better Fruit set is to manage a bit of stress after heavy Flower Bloom.

All fruits such as melons, tomatoes etc need to be stressed to set fruit and not grow "Plants" Some melons suffer form too much care.

Also addition of Calcium to the nutrient mix will help on Fruit Set and mitigate Blossom end rot. Same applies to Tomatoes

Here is a link that might be useful: Ambrosui Harvest This AM 08-08-09 Orland California So far 9 melons, with approx 24 more Making from 6 Plants