Melon Growing Advice

Cheat! That's a cucamelon It's been a wonderful year for all cucurbits here with the frustrating exception of cucumbers. I bought 4 melon plants from our village nursery and they produced lovely, sweet melons just a couple at a time over 2 1/2 months. A big improvement on previous years, when they all arrived at once.
My friend in the next department down produces them for a living, but a freak hailstorm wiped out most of the plants in June. He recently gave me a tray of 'survivors' and most unusually, mine are sweeter with a better flavour

 

OK, so I am a Cheat... but at least the crops have increased somewhat from previous years!

 

A Wendy house tea set I have you not! Sorry!

The only reason why I persist with Cucamelons is that I hope to pickle them and send a photo of the jar to my mother-in-law Without scale of course. So far, a crop of one tiny fruit is hardly worth pickling or boasting of. But hey ho, next summer is nearly here.

 

Before Byouknowwhat I could have sent you about 30 jars of the damned things to show off with They must be getting on for 8 years old now and only imminent starvation could persuade me to actually eat them

 

Hi,

Just been reading up on this thread as we were thinking about trying a Melon in the greenhouse in 2024.

Would you say is worth the effort as seems not much comment from in 2022 or 2023 about any of you growing them again ?

@JWK and @NigelJ mention they grew Emir F1 but as we are in the North of England is that still a good one to try ? Could not see what variety @hailbopp was growing with success in Scotland ?

 

@ricky101 I've grown melons most years since the mid 90's. Here in Devon I got a couple of decent melons this year.
@hailbopp grew Carmen, Marshalls sell a variety called Outdoor Wonder (pricey), but under glass might be better in the north.
They do need a good hot summer to do well.

 

Thanks all, will have to give it a bit more thought as to if its really worthwhile.

Did try growing them in a greenhouse many, many years with ago, think it was SweetHeart, but little success.

 

I have grown Sweetheart when I was in Essex; did quite well for me, but the summers were generally warmer and sunnier there than here in Devon.

 

I keep having a go at growing melons , its a bit of a struggle even in the GH. I should possibly do some hand pollinating to speed up the process . I do get some but they don't usually get to a full size before autumn . The smell of a home grown melon is quite intoxicating.

I am trying a cantaloupe this year called Di Charentais a french variety supposedly better for a northerly climate