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if they are a big leggy, can you pot them up the same way as cucumbers and tomatoes and they root from the leggy stalk? many thanks.

In my view anything which is leggy is weak. usually because they have been forced with too much heat.

I would sow some more seed straight away using less warmth.

Better now than wait and see, then loose the year.

Well I guess the proof will be whether or not they fruit but mine got leggy and I potted them right up to the seed leaves, now they look quite strong and have got their true leaves on.  Guess it's a case of wait and see..........

Are melons not a bit like cucumbers? One of the other threads was suggesting that they don't root from stalks, and the stems may rot. I suppose if you water from the bottom that might be ok. I think it's very hard to avoid melons getting a bit leggy as when they germinate they go from 0 to 60 so quickly; add a warm room and only checking on them once a day and it's dead easy to miss the moment.

What do you mean by 'leggy' ?

Melons are a vine and are therefore leggy by nature.

The only way to tell if they are leggy by forcing is leaf spacing i.e. wide spacing = leggy, close spacing is the norm.

A picture would be handy!

well, imagion a jiffy pot, they are three inches out of the jiffy pot!!!

one of ours is like that, gunnerbee, it's the watermelon so I expect it to be bigger than the others, if you transplant them, just watch the necks, we've lost lots in the past to neck rot  :) ;D

Quote from: Tee Gee on April 15, 2008, 14:40:32
What do you mean by 'leggy' ?

Melons are a vine and are therefore leggy by nature.

Good point. Maybe not worry too much about them getting tall as long as they look sturdy. In the meantime mine have moved to the upstairs bedroom window where they seem to get more light.

A good way to water them so as to avoid getting water on the stalk and them rotting is...

Pot them on to a 5 or 6 inch plastic pot and cut the bottom off the pot, then just place the pot on top of the compost mound in its final place with a moat around the pot. Then you dont have to actually water inside the pot at all, just around it. This creates a guard against wetness for the stalk.

wow youve started the melons already  :o i feel so behind... im sure the packet said may/june tho in my defence...thanx for the tip re stem rot tho, will have to try and remember that one, do you think theyd likethe muck heap if i havent used it all by the time i plant them? or would they mind the couch grass mound? )about 6inches of mud and roots with couch grass underneath piled up in a compost bin made of pallets...it would be so good to use that space if possible...and i really havent a clue with melons, save to say i like to eat them!!!   ;D