Melons in cold frame?

[Sarah-b]

Yesterday I was day-dreaming about growing melons in a cold frame on the plot.
Has anyone tried this?
How would I make a "hotbed"?
Would this just be one of those projects that takes lots and lots of effort for a tiny result?

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Sarah.

[Sarah-b]

[derbex]

Never done it Sarah -but you've set me thinking. I read the 'Victorina Kitchen Garden' book by Harry Dodson, and he had quite a lot to say about hot beds.

Here's a link -but they had a copy in our library.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004VVQQ/026-0408184-4172437

Basically a hole in the ground with horse muck in it topped off with a cold frame.

This link looks reasonable.

http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06965.htm

Given I have a source of raw manure I might try it out -just need to go skip/tip trawling for some old windows  ;)

Jeremy

[Sarah-b]

I think I'm going to do it - but am worried about glass (small children). Do you think polythene would do the same job?
And do you leave the lid on all through the summer, or take it off, or go every morning and evening, or just leave it propped up a bit?

sb

[derbex]

Good point, my daughter has already pushed her hands through one of the door panes in the greenhouse, fortunately I think she pushed it right out and it broke on the ground without husting her. I only skimmed the second link but it suggested polythene would be ok, twin wall polycarbonate would be good if you could find offcuts.

I think the idea is that it comes off as the weather warms up.

Jeremy

[sandersj89]

I grew these this year:



They were grown in a plastic greenhouse in a raised bed enriched with horse manure. No artificial heat and door on the greenhouse was kept open day and night in late july/august. At other times I shut the door in the evening and opened in the morning depending on weather forecast. There were also tomatoes in the same house.

4 plants produced about 20 melons the size of a large grapefruit. Polination was patchy if left to insects so I used a soft paintbrush to help. I stopped each shoot after one or two fruit had set.

Watering is key in the heat, they drink gallons of water.

HTH

Jerry

[aquilegia]

I keep dreaming about growing melons too. I'm going to try a variety called Sweetheart next year - they are supposed to be fine grown outdoors, with no coldframe.

[cleo]

Sweetheart will grow outside,but better in a cold frame.

Ah Harry Dodson-what a gentleman,I met him a few years back and he is as genuine live as he ever appeared on TV.

Stephan

[Columbus]

Hi Sarah-b,  :)

I grew a melon plant in an old wooden sided cold frame, with builders polythene for a top this year.
I hand pollinated the flowers and it seemed as if they all took and i got lots of fruit. I kept the cold frame ventilated at one end and watered the plant with a weep hose draped around it. A couple of fruits split and i kept the ripening melons off the ground but i was able ripen others on the kitchen window sill. i don`t know what variety it was but i hope to grow two or three plants next year.

Best of luck, Col  :)