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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: gardenqueen on June 18, 2007, 15:41:42

Title: Melons
Post by: gardenqueen on June 18, 2007, 15:41:42
I had some advice from here recently and have been treating the melons as for cucumbers!

I have cut off the side shoots to two to three leaves. Now my problem is, that although there are masses of flowers, none are females!
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: Amazin on June 18, 2007, 22:35:41
They can tend to produce only male flowers to begin with, then the females finally arrive (ladies prerogative?)    ;D
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: Jenfur on June 18, 2007, 22:37:27
Anyone have any basic instructions on growing melons? One has just started to poke its head out- in the unheated greenhouse- and I don't know how big they grow, or how to look after them, or where to plant them on to!
Thanks for any help xx
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: gardenqueen on June 19, 2007, 12:55:47
Quote from: Amazin on June 18, 2007, 22:35:41
They can tend to produce only male flowers to begin with, then the females finally arrive (ladies prerogative?)    ;D

I shall await their arrival then!  ;D
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: manicscousers on June 19, 2007, 15:42:44
Quote from: Jenfur on June 18, 2007, 22:37:27
Anyone have any basic instructions on growing melons? One has just started to poke its head out- in the unheated greenhouse- and I don't know how big they grow, or how to look after them, or where to plant them on to!
Thanks for any help xx
hiya, jenfur, we grow melons the same as cucumbers, in the poly border, tied in and just wind the string around the plant as it gets bigger, we take out the flowers for the first 8", when the fruit comes, we pinch out the tip a couple of leaves from it, feed with tomato feed and net the fruit as it gets bigger..the nets from oranges are quite good, hope this helps  :)
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: Jenfur on June 19, 2007, 19:29:37
Thanks :) so if I am pinching out the tip should I only expect one fruit per plant?
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: manicscousers on June 19, 2007, 19:32:57
sorry, that's on each of the side shoots, we usually get about 4 to 5 fruits per plant, the main stem grows to about 4 feet..ours is sweetheart which is a nice little fruit, we don't pinch out the main stem  :)
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: woody on June 19, 2007, 22:01:17
hows everybodys tigger toms :P
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: dtw on June 20, 2007, 09:23:59
I've got a few flowers on mine.
I'm amazed that such a spindly plant can produce such large fruits.
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: Jenfur on June 22, 2007, 17:06:01
We shall just have to see if they continue to grow then. Thanks for your help xxx
Title: Re: Melons
Post by: cornykev on June 22, 2007, 18:13:30
Sorry to say Woody both have had it, two year old battered the first and the second just give up the ghost I think it was lonely like losing its twin.  ;D ;D ;D