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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Lauren S on December 07, 2007, 14:55:46

Title: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Lauren S on December 07, 2007, 14:55:46
Has anyone successfully grown watermelon in this climate of ours?
If YES, what variety do you recommend?

Thanks
Lauren  :D
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: sawfish on December 07, 2007, 14:59:22
apparently Bob Flowerdew grows his inside an old glass topped freezer inside his greenhouse. Needs a lot of heat!
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Lauren S on December 07, 2007, 15:35:15
Oh, so they cannot be grown outside then  :'(

Thanks Sawfish
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Tee Gee on December 07, 2007, 16:12:05
QuoteOh, so they cannot be grown outside then

A lot depends upon what sort of summer we have, you could try growing them under a polythene tent/cloche.

But your chances are much better if grown under glass, see here; http://tinyurl.com/ykmmlu


(http://tinyurl.com/2tfysa)
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: real food on December 07, 2007, 22:46:18
I assume that the idea of growing them inside a glass topped freezer is to prevent the night time temperature falling too far.
I have just managed to grow a water melon in my Glasgow greenhouse, but it was not a good use of the space.
Your best bet for growing them outside would be with plastic protection. Also choose a quick maturing type such as Blacktail mountain which is claimed to be early, fruiting in about 75 days from transplanting. It is from Northern Idaho where the temperature drops to 43 F at night.
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Dadnlad on December 08, 2007, 00:05:05
Greenhouse/polytunnel would be best for consistency, but it is possible to grow outside in a hot summer here

2006 Sugar Baby - 4 plants produced 3 small mini-football sized great tasting fruit in a long summer  ;D

2007 Sugar Baby - 4 plants + 4 more plants produced absolutely nothing in an atrocious summer  :'(

2008 Blacktail Mountain - as recommended by Real Seeds  :-\ ?  fingers crossed -
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Jeannine on December 08, 2007, 22:52:25
Hi this was grown outide in East Yorkshire, grown in a huge pot and trained  up a wire, size was as big as a football, this plant delivered four for me XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: real food on December 09, 2007, 18:44:38
Can you please tell us which variety it is?
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Sinbad7 on December 09, 2007, 20:16:17
I grew 'Sweetheart' last year on my plot with no protection at all and had loads of melon's but they did take up an awful lot of space so didn't bother to grow them this year.  Also they took an age to ripen.
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Jeannine on December 12, 2007, 01:29:40
Hi my watermelon shown is a Russian one called Astrakhaniski.  XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: saddad on December 12, 2007, 07:51:13
Very impressive it looks too Jeannine...
;D
Title: Re: Can We Grow Them Here...?
Post by: Froglegs on December 12, 2007, 09:05:19
Quote from: saddad on December 12, 2007, 07:51:13
Very impressive it looks too Jeannine...
;D
And that's after the drought they had in Hull. ;D




Yes i know .."get ya coat"
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