melons !!

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by spadge, Jan 12, 2009.

  1. spadge

    spadge Apprentice Gardener

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    hi,

    i have recently aquired a second 6x8 greenhouse which i plan to join to my first and would love to grow melons as my little boy is fruit mad! i had no joy last season on a fresh pile of manure with 12" of soil/compost covered with glass but i think this was due to mice attacks and positioning, i would love any suggestions on variety/methods of growing them including wether to steak them up or letting them run on the ground also any manure/ferterlizer advice, any help would be much appreciated.
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    Melons are as easy to grow in a greenhouse as cucumber and tomatoes. Don't use fresh manure on any plant though, it can burn the roots, make sure your manure is properly compotsed i.e. well rotted down. You will need some strong supports as the fruits are obvioulsy very heavy - each one may require a string net to support it as it forms. The main things to remember is that you have to hand pollinate melons - don't leave it to nature otherwise you will get no fruit! Feed them once a week after the fruit have set.
     
  3. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    Train them religiously. Number of leaves on the primary before pinch-out, ditto secondary branches and thereafter. Only allow the recommended number of fruit to set (but wait until they are decent size before deciding that they have "set" - they often fail when they get to golf ball size, or even a bit bigger.
     
  4. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    I agree with Kristen here totally. You need to control the plant to produce the fruit you want.:thumb:
     
  5. spadge

    spadge Apprentice Gardener

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    thanks for that i spoke to a guy dwn the allotment today who suggested hanging my melons in old stockings, im sure the wife will love that, sorry i should of mentioned the manure was fresh but was a store in a compost bin rotting down a fellow allotmenteer suggested adding a layer if soil and use it like a hotbed, well i did fantastic with cucumbers last season so lets hope the melons are the same!
     
  6. Dave W

    Dave W Total Gardener

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    We've grown 'ogen' melons for the last three years. I don't stake them, but let them trail around the bases of the tomato plants. When the fruits have formed I rest them on upturned seed trays.
     
  7. spadge

    spadge Apprentice Gardener

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    Even though i should have plenty of space trailing them around tomatoes seems like a great idea, the more i can get in the better!
     
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