Melon seedlings

[worldor]

why do my melon seedlings germinate beautiffully only to head for the skies then keel over and die. I have sowed them in good compost in a 7" pot and only watered from the bottom. What am I doing wrong?

[worldor]

[otto_nowak]

mine too....  :-[

[silly billy]

Sounds like poor light perhaps?

[calendula]

probably too damp - try potting them on quickly or gently tie a stake into the stem to hold them upright

[Deb P]

Starting my annual hopeful sowing of melons and watermelons today...

I can get them to germinate ok, I can get them to grow to a decent size ok, I just can't get them to fruit much! I've tried pinching out etc, the plants still seem to get mildew before the meagre fruits are bigger than ping pong balls.... :-[ :-\

[saddad]

Well I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the big greenhouse!
;D

[Deb P]

7 different varieties and a watermelon should go part way to filling it?! ;D

[saddad]

Oh Good.... do we call another SGM to get the School visits in then!!
::)

[posie]

Mine kept keeling over too.  Discovered they were too cold! Popped them into a polythene bag and hey presto not one has keeled over since!

[worldor]

Thank you for the replies everyone

[sawfish]

melons like a very moist environment, so the plastic bag idea or a clear plastic covered tray on a hot windowsill would be best.

[twinkletoes]

Mine have got quite "leggy" too.  They have plenty of light.  Can I pot them on like a tomato seedling - stalk in up to the first pair of leaves?  It has a pair of first leaves and then 1 or 2 of the melon-like frilly ones.
Twinkletoes

[twinkletoes]

mmmmmmm  guess there is no ideas on this one then?    ???
twinkletoes

[calendula]

everyone's asleep, sshhh  8)

yes you can do this, well I do when they get like this or when any plant gets like this - you'll have to be careful potting them on as the stems break easily

[twinkletoes]

(I am whispering  ;D).   Thanks calendula - I will repot them now and be careful they don't break.  Never grown melons before.  Should I keep growing them in the greenhouse or are they ok outside in summer? 
twinkletoes

[Jeannine]

Depending on the area you are in , the summer we get and the variety you grow you may get some to fruit outside but the short answer to your question is really no.

Even in the greenhouse short season ones are better.

I grow quite a few although I have lost my melon house this year and don't know if the new one will be up in time.

I have had no success here in Hull worth outside growing but I do fime in the greeenhouse .

XX Jeannine

[twinkletoes]

Thanks Jeannine.  I'm in "sunny" Kent so a bit milder than Hull perhaps.  But I don't think I'll take the chance - I'm going to keep them in the greenhouse. Only got a small one though (8 x 6) - will 3 plants in there be too much?
twinkletoes

[Jeannine]

No that will be fine, remember that yiu eed to hand pollinate them in the greenhouse..


Opposite to Cuke.. don't let cukes pollinate, maelons you must.

Give them water, drip is best, but don't let them get soggy, when the fruits are a decent size DO NOT water unless the plant looks very sad, too much water at this point and the taste suffers.

What type have you bought.

I sow mine mid to end of April unless I am growing a longer season one but then I give them 16 hours of artificial light.

I think you will find you have planted a bit too soon and they are struggling for light.

XX Jeannine

[twinkletoes]

I wondered if you would ask |Jeannine.  I got some seeds from stevens706 which are Charentaisa variety and a few from a friend who didn't remember what his was called and a few out of a packet which contained "a variety" of melons - so that should be interesting.  I'll see what survives - I am not good at growing stuff in the greenhouse(?) but I will see what I can do and keep everything crossed.  I note what you say about watering too. Thanks for the tips. Here's to success.
twinkletoes

[calendula]

for melons it is always worth saving the nets you buy fruit in from the supermarkets - they are really good to hold the melons in as they swell and to stop the stem from breaking if you tie them to some other strong structure  :)