Melon Growing Advice

Thanks @pete, I thought maybe just in case I should leave a few spare should the ones I have pollinated not grow. I will stop the leaders thanks very much.

 

Just harvested first two cucumbers from the Carmen plants, one had a small leaf sticking out about two thirds of the way down. Removed two aborted fruits. Flowers are few at the moment on the Carmen, the Telegraph has some small female flowers forming.
The melons are flowering madly 10:1 male:female.

 

Victorians used melon nets, I have made hammocks from bits of old sheets.
Hair net as used by Ena Sharples in Coronation Street would work.
Depending on how far from the ground it is, rest it on an upturned plant pot.

 

I have read that people use old tights and make a sort of hammock out of them. Hmm the way things are going with mine I won’t be needing any sort of supports so happy to send you an old pair of 30 denier if you like

 

It goes without saying

Swindon farmer uses bras to support farm's melons

 

Before the schoolboy sniggering starts I am enquiring about my Cucumis Melo Var. The aforementioned have basically taken over my substantial greenhouse and at the start of proceedings I only had males NOW I am inundated with females and b all males to be found. I did encourage a bee to do it’s bit pollinating and hope it will do better job than me. I have been pinching out all over the place but I can almost see the plants (3) growing before my very eyes. None of my females are anywhere near the size of JWK’s.....no laughing in the back of the class. Despite the huge amount of growth going on and the females are growing a wee bit I wondered if I should start feeding them. All 3 are in very large pots. The only feed I have is Tomato feed. Would this be suitable? The scorching weather has really got them to grow at a ridiculous rate and my Cucumbers have also gone ballistic. I have just picked 22 off 5 plants to give to my neighbour who sells things for charity at a car boot tomorrow.I will probably have the same number again tomorrow. I normally only grow 2 plants but they were so bad last year I grew more this season as insurance and all of them are literally trying to go through the roof.

 

Lack of male flowers is something I have had problems over the years, mainly on courgettes though. Mainly it's lack of females that's a problem.
I believe it's down to environmental conditions so you could stop feeding one and keep it a bit drier, shade and cooler if possible; basically convince it that it won't be able to support a fruit.

 

Picked a cucumber (Carmen) and removed male flowers from Telegraph.
I've got a pregnant melon. Fertilised a couple of other female flowers.

 

Send them up here can motor my way through at least 2 a day, love melon.
This is the biggest I have so far, ok no sniggering. Still pretty small but it is getting bigger. I live in hope.

I am now starting to remove all the side shoots and any more females and males as have at least 3 females about this size on each plant. Should I start to remove some of the older leaves a la tomatoes?. Wish they were doing as well as my soil grown Cucumbers ( Femspot and Carmen) If I grow melon again I will not grow it in large pots but in the greenhouse soil. Certainly all my tomatoes and cucumbers grow way better in the soil than if in containers Postie given 2 cucumbers today and taking 7! to my daughter to give away at her gym. Could almost supply the local supermarket.