Cool Rosie.. My first year was a disaster but I learnt and persevered. My methods are self devised so, a more experienced grower may disagree but it works for me. If you get fruit you will know when to pick. It's when the space they grow in is full of the aroma of melon. My thumbnail is an Emir Canteloupe with about a month to go and is actually the cut one in the pic above'
Melons have been in the greenhouse for 4 days. Now 14" high. I have decided to let them reach 3 feet high before I nip out the main shoot. Then, I will train 2 lower side shoots up the stringers I have tied to the neck of the pots. Hope this helps. As I have said, it has worked for me.
Support for the fruits: I used the nets that you buy oranges in last year and it seemed to work. I've been collecting them all winter in the hope of achieving more than the three fruits produced last year. They were delicious though.
Support for the plants - I've set up a grid of canes across one end of the g/h and will be training them up it. Photo when I get back. That looks like a good system as well Colin.
How big should pots be? I have four plants in two growbags but am considering planting a couple more in pots.
And can they go outside? (I think I know the answer to that one: it depends on the weather...)
Steve, as long as plenty of air, any support is OK. The more plants, the merrier because pollination is essential. Don't allow a melon to grow on the main shoot or you will only get one melon and try and limit to 6 melons max per plant for good healthy plants. I don't know where you are from, but I would be dubious about putting them outside. Having said that, Mother Nature has a habit of frequently fooling us. You can get an idea of the pot size as the plant is about 14" tall.
Liverpool. The garden's in the city so plenty of urban heat island effect and of course it's maritime as well. We had virtually no frost all winter. I might try one against the south-facing wall shletered on three sides by wall, shed & greenhouse.
Air, you say? Didin't realise they need lots of that. I have my five in the g/h fairly close together but the windows tend to stay open so I daresay it'll be draughty enoiugh.
Well! I now have four melon plants in growbags in the greenhouse, about 3 foot high and looking very healthy. They have just begun to produce a few flowers. I have nipped out the growing tip at about 3 foot.
I don't need to produce very many fruits, but I really would like to get half a dozen just to prove to my very sceptical Other Half that it is possible to grow melons here! So, if my priority is size / quality rather than quantity, can someone advise...
Do I stop the laterals now too, or let them grow?
Do I pinch out sideshoots like I would for tomatoes?
Do I feed them, and if so then is tomato food the right sort of stuff?
Any other advice? Do my plants sound like they are doing what they should be doing at the beginning of July? All suggestions very gratefully received....
Hi Rosie. Good management is to aim for 4 to 6 fruit per plant. Let the laterals continue and leave side shoots. Feed tomato food as you would tomatoes but, most importantly of all is to encourage pollinating insects. If they don't arrive you must pollinate by hand. Water profusely. Sounds like you are doing well. Congratulations.
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Colin, you have made me very happy, my plants look just like yours!
Very excited now about my first year melon crop (cross fingers...)
Cool Rosie.. My first year was a disaster but I learnt and persevered. My methods are self devised so, a more experienced grower may disagree but it works for me. If you get fruit you will know when to pick. It's when the space they grow in is full of the aroma of melon. My thumbnail is an Emir Canteloupe with about a month to go and is actually the cut one in the pic above'
GOOD LUCK
Melons have been in the greenhouse for 4 days. Now 14" high. I have decided to let them reach 3 feet high before I nip out the main shoot. Then, I will train 2 lower side shoots up the stringers I have tied to the neck of the pots. Hope this helps. As I have said, it has worked for me.
Support for the fruits: I used the nets that you buy oranges in last year and it seemed to work. I've been collecting them all winter in the hope of achieving more than the three fruits produced last year. They were delicious though.
Support for the plants - I've set up a grid of canes across one end of the g/h and will be training them up it. Photo when I get back. That looks like a good system as well Colin.
How big should pots be? I have four plants in two growbags but am considering planting a couple more in pots.
And can they go outside? (I think I know the answer to that one: it depends on the weather...)
Steve, as long as plenty of air, any support is OK. The more plants, the merrier because pollination is essential. Don't allow a melon to grow on the main shoot or you will only get one melon and try and limit to 6 melons max per plant for good healthy plants. I don't know where you are from, but I would be dubious about putting them outside. Having said that, Mother Nature has a habit of frequently fooling us. You can get an idea of the pot size as the plant is about 14" tall.
Looking forward to your photos.
Liverpool. The garden's in the city so plenty of urban heat island effect and of course it's maritime as well. We had virtually no frost all winter. I might try one against the south-facing wall shletered on three sides by wall, shed & greenhouse.
Air, you say? Didin't realise they need lots of that. I have my five in the g/h fairly close together but the windows tend to stay open so I daresay it'll be draughty enoiugh.
Thanks for your support (I shall wear it always).
Well! I now have four melon plants in growbags in the greenhouse, about 3 foot high and looking very healthy. They have just begun to produce a few flowers. I have nipped out the growing tip at about 3 foot.
I don't need to produce very many fruits, but I really would like to get half a dozen just to prove to my very sceptical Other Half that it is possible to grow melons here! So, if my priority is size / quality rather than quantity, can someone advise...
Do I stop the laterals now too, or let them grow?
Do I pinch out sideshoots like I would for tomatoes?
Do I feed them, and if so then is tomato food the right sort of stuff?
Any other advice? Do my plants sound like they are doing what they should be doing at the beginning of July? All suggestions very gratefully received....
Thank you!
Bumping up for Rosie - any melon growers out there?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you Dove!
Hi Rosie. Good management is to aim for 4 to 6 fruit per plant. Let the laterals continue and leave side shoots. Feed tomato food as you would tomatoes but, most importantly of all is to encourage pollinating insects. If they don't arrive you must pollinate by hand. Water profusely. Sounds like you are doing well. Congratulations.