I would like to grow melons for the first time this year, outdoors if possible, though I do plan to get a cold greenhouse going. Has anyone successfully grown melons to sweet perfection and can you recommend good varieties and tips? My plot is in Cambridgeshire, no temp. extremes.
Any and all advice gratefully received, thank you ::) :)
I think that ours were Sweetheart - both in & out.
Tim has shown it can be done. I have tried but never succeeded . They have joined my list of very difficult crops. Perhaps Tim can give you (and me ) some tips?
Not really. Sorry!
I grew melons last year, albeit in a greenhouse, alongside tomatoes, peppers & chillies. I can't remember their name however, similar to a Galia.
I put them (3) into a growbag and attached strings, they were fed with tomato fertiliser. The fruits only grew to as big as a grapefruit, but were beautiful ~ so full of flavour and succulent, likewise their temperature straight off the plant was great. My OH preferred his to stand in the kitchen for a day or two before eating ~ I couldn't wait that long to taste them! My grandchildren loved them.
My only concern was suspending them so tied some tights as hammocks for support at about lemon size, which worked very well.
I wouldn't hesitate growing them again.
Good Luck!
Snap!
On the Victorian Kitchen Garden video, they showed how they used to grow them. They used a raised grid and put upside down turf on as melons like good drainage and shallow roots apparently. I'm tempted to try growing them that way but not sure I can be bothered mollycoddling them.
Hi supersprout,
I`ve grow them for the last two years in a cold frame, not far from you, in Norfolk.
Last year I started plants early in the potting shed and then lost all but one when I transplanted them to the cold frame but I don`t know why except that the cold frame dries out easily so this year I have plans to prevent that with mulch and weep hose.
I was told to hand pollinate them but last year I was late to get to it and some insect pollination had already taken place. But If I hand pollinate I always get fruit.
When the fruit is almost ready you can finish it off on a sunny window sill and then one bright morning your house fills with the smell of ripe melon.
Or you can stop it all ripening at once by holding fruit back in the fridge.
I think its a real luxury to be able to eat home grown melon. :D
Enjoy, Col
Hi Super Sprout,melon Sweetheart is good as Tim says but where we are I still think it needs a bit of shelter-albeit a cloche or cold frame.
We are looking forward to seeing you on Saturday.
Quote from: Columbus on February 14, 2006, 18:34:17
When the fruit is almost ready you can finish it off on a sunny window sill and then one bright morning your house fills with the smell of ripe melon.
Irresistible, I'm off to buy the seeds NOW.
Thanks to all for the growing tips and encouragement - Sweetheart it will be, indoors and out.
:)
Yoohoo cleo, look forward to seeing you too!