Topic: pinch out melons?

[kingkano]

Growing various melons for the first time ever this year  ::)

they're all reaching the 4/5 leaf stage now, does everybody pinch out the growing tip at this point??  Why is this done anyways??  DO I literally just lop off the tip after the last leaf?

thanks in advance

ken

[tim]

Inside or out? = Tim

Assuming it's outside, yes - this is to prompt sideshoots which are trained around the plant & then stopped when they reach their allotted bounds. Indoors it's a bit different. = Tim

[kingkano]

Well they are destined for outdoors yeah  ;D

Okay I best pinch them out then.  their blinkin huge  :o

I take it the tendrilly lookin things are gonna be the sideshoots??

thanks as always Tim

[tim]

As always, could be wrong - but don't expect more than 4 per plant. And don't be hurt if you don't achieve that. They are hot clime fruits. = Tim

[ina]

I'm a first time meloneer too King. I read that you pinch the top out after the 6th leaf, the melons will only grow on the side shoots and you pinch those out after 5 leaves and after you get a fruit you pinch it again after 1 leaf behind the fruit, something like that.

I have 6 leaves now but they are so tiny, I think I'll let it grow a while longer. Hopefully that's not a mistake.

[Multiveg]

Only got 3 leaves on my melon  :'(

[john_miller]

The tendrilly looking things are tendrils.
Shame you have to do this in the U.K.- rows of melon plants, mine are 3m apart, as they reach out to each other are quite attractive in their own right. By the time I start picking I am walking on a carpet of melon vines and leaves.

[tim]

Just as well though - much as I love melons, & admire squashes, I need what little space we have for the essentials! = Tim

[kingkano]

the leaves on mine are quite big haha.  sorry didnt take a pic (and now they are down hardening off  ::))  I pinched them out at about the 5th or 6th leaves on most of them.  Some dont need pinching (think they were ogens or something) - see how it goes.

And 4 fruits would be fine, I have about 8 or so plants ;)

Sounds like alot of work and pinching tho!!  Hope I can manage it.

thanks for all the replies

[john_miller]

For me, Tim, fresh melons are an essential part of a Vermont summer. Except for my own aubergines everything else makes way for melons. Just a different country or am I on a different planet (er, you better not answer that)?

[tim]

Melons, at least the ones we have grown, have had a nasty habit of ripening all at once, and a melon lasts me a week! = Tim

[kingkano]

Nah not us.  That is partly why 3 different melons, hopefully slightly different ripenings, but a bit of variety that week  ;D ::)

Definitely the taste of summer tho, and you can always freeze them, all cubed up and ready - if you have to *chuckle*.  But my gf will no doubt be eating them still attached to the plant!!! :)

Ken

[kingkano]

I just noticed my cucumber packet says the same thing, I never pinched out cucumber's main stem before  ::) :o

Has everyone else always done this too? :-\

[Mrs Ava]

I have never pinched my squashes back..... but I am going to do some this year, just to compare really.  I have always had plenty of fruit, but I won't complain if I get more!  ;D

[tim]

KK  - nor have I. Even tho' it says do so when the plant hits the roof - it then sends out 2 new ones.

Emma - all I ask is to be able to find/get to each root for watering. I could grow 200 courgettes in the room taken for 30 squashes! = Tim