Topic: Melons

[delboy]

I have a few melons that have germinated in well under a week.

Good so far..

At what point do I pot on to the 8-10" pots and do I bury the stems like I would a cabbage - up to the leaves - or do I plant on up to the same depth?

Have read up on old posts, but I am a rookie with melons....so to speak...

[antipodes]

You'll get told off by Tim, he will say it is too early to sow melons!!!!  ;D
I am not sowing mine till late April, because they grow bl***dy fast once they get going

[manicscousers]

are they going under cover, delboy?
ours are about 3" tall at the mo, in the cold greenhouse,protected by fleece and polystyrene  :)
just won't have the time to wait 'til later  :)

[posie]

First time for me growing melons too, nearly killed them today as well, they're about the same size as yours manic but started to wilt just after repotting, discovered its a temperature problem, my kitchen windowsill obviously wasn't warm enough so have now put the pots into plastic sandwich bags and lo and behold they've perked up!  I think I repotted mine about an inch up the stem if that helps? Of course that could be totally the wrong thing to do lol  :)

[antipodes]

Having said that it is too early, yes you can pot up the stems a bit, just like tomatoes

[Tee Gee]

Pricked out this variety yesterday;



This variety germinated today;




These pictures were taken last year

[Barnowl]

...but how did you do it TeeGee? Were they both outside and didn't the one in the upper picture need some support (I've read that old bras are useful in that respect).

I was thinking of spiralling them up a wigwam - do you reckon that would work?

[flowerlady]

What is the name of the second one???  How easy is it to grow them outside??   :-\

[sawfish]

I had some luck with Jenny Lind two years ago, it was the most divine melon I've ever had so this year I'm trying:

Blenheim Orange
Jenny Lind
Charantais Magenta

I've even got mesh up at the back of my warmest coldframe for them to climb. I think they can grow horizontally along the ground too is that right?

[Tee Gee]

Were they both outside

No they were in a tunnel although normally I grow them in a greenhouse.

and didn't the one in the upper picture need some support

If you look close you will see I have grown them up a net

(I've read that old bras are useful in that respect).

.......and ladies tights as well...................why do woman have all this support all I have is a belt!!  ::)  ;D

I was thinking of spiralling them up a wigwam - do you reckon that would work?

Yes because thats basically what I had, in fact from what I learned last year I am going to create a better slope for my net i.e. sloping rather than vertical.

I am going to grow 'Cobra' beans up the other side

What is the name of the second one??? 

The first one is a supermarket sweet melon and the second one is a watermelon I brought back from Spain in 2006

How easy is it to grow them outside??

Difficult I would say in a covered coldframe or cloche might work!