Melons - outside

[jollyroger123]

I want to try growing melons this year and as i had a bit of success with cucumbers last year i am feeling farely confident.  However after all the seeds i have planted toms, Cucs, Cape Gooseberry, ( I ge a bit carried away when looking at seeds) I am worried i may not have room in my greenhouse.  Do you think i can grow them outside i live in Fife, Scotland

[jollyroger123]

[Jeannine]

Short answer is no, I grow a lot of melons but even in the Midlads I have them under glass with heat at first XX Jeannine

[jollyroger123]

Thanks

I think they should change the wording on the seed packets.  Something like these can be grown outside if you live in the very south of England or France.  Instead of (Can be grown outside!!!)

[Marymary]

Keep the melons in & put the cape goosberries out - simple!  :)

[aob9]

I tried them ( South of Ireland) last year. We had a really good Summer but they didn't make it to maturity in the glasshouse; so I doubt if they would work outside!

[jollyroger123]

According to the packet - The cape gooseberrys seem less hardy then the melons.

I could be reading it wrong though

[Marymary]

I've grown them outside ok, I don't like them much so think they would be a waste of good melon-growing space.  :)

[jennym]

I grow cape gooseberries outside every year, the key is to start them off early indoors (windowsill is fine) so that they get a chance to ripen before the frosts come. I'd start them off this month.
Last year got a good outdoor crop of melons, variety Passport, grown in a frame made from an old wardrobe with the back taken off and laid on the ground, it didn't have a cover. But the shelter must have helped, and also I put bricks inside it to help hold the heat overnight. Haven't got a greenhouse here, so have no choice but to try outdoors, but am only just north of London.

[Rotavator]

My reply would be try them.
A few plants outside after May should be ok
You must however make sure they are sheltered
from winds etc and in a southerly facing spot.Lets
hope this summer see's the benefit of this global
warming they keep on about and your melons should
proliferate.

[Mouseski]

We have successfully grown cape gosseberries outside for two years. They are always on the aptio which is south facing and remain quite warm well into autumn. Much less success with melons outdoors grew one to the size of a tennis ball ! We're in yorkshire. Good advice from Rotavator. Give it a go! Good luck :)

[saddad]

I had a friend try to grow Cape Gooseberries in his greenhouse once, they grew fine but he couldn't get in the greenhouse!
::)

[tim]

Melons are OK here in a cold frame.

[Tora]

I left two cape gooseberry plants outside this winter and they are still alive!

[sweet-pea]

I'm going to try melons outside this year, will try some in cold frames, and others in outdoors, but might have a go at constructing some kind of shelter from reading these posts.
I had success in my plastic greenhouse last year, but it got rather torn, so not sure it is going to make it this year.

[Jeannine]

The variety of melon is important  I have  a big collection of melon seeds but most  would never grow outside in most areas of the UK they are sevaral varieties that do well with shelter or in a cool greenhouse and some very definatley need additional heat.Most need a long growing period so selecting your varieties is important. Pick ones with a shorter season . Geographical location  too can help. Good Luck . I have about 12 varieties this year XX Jeannine

[tim]

I grew Sweetheart - http://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/acatalog/69_melon.html

[real food]

Your best chance of growing melons outside would be with a variety specially bred with a short growing period to maturity. One such variety is Minnesota Midget.
I grew it in my cold greenhouse in Glasgow, and it turned out to be a decent size.

[Jeannine]

I agree on both of the above comments,I have both growing this year XX Jeannine