Courtland man has success with melons, pumpkins
Published 3:58 pm Tuesday, August 18, 2015
COURTLAND
Ricky Atkins of Courtland recently brought in a 42-plus pound cantaloupe to show off at The Tidewater News.
Ricky Atkins of Courtland stands behind this cantaloupe, which won second place at the Franklin-Southampton County Fair. He said it weighed in at 42 pounds and and 2-1/2 ounces. Earlier, the melon was green before ripening to this fragrant bright yellow. — Stephen H. Cowles | Tidewater News
The bright yellow melon was temptingly fragrant, but it still needed some more ripening. Even then, Atkins said, such large fruit can taste very watery.
He also regularly grows pumpkins at his farm on Blackhead Road, and has had one at 650 pounds.
“Lots of nutrients,” he said is the key to successful growing. Seaweed, bone meal and even rabbit manure are used to fertilize the crops.
If green thumbs are inherited, then Atkins can credit his grandfather, the late Detrick Hubbard, who also cultivated large gourds and melons in Waverly.
At one time, Hubbard had grown a 35-pound melon.
