Repotting melons.

[goosander]

What is the best way to go about repotting melon seedlings. Every time I try to move them to a larger pot I always lose a lot the next couple of days. I keep the plant at the same depth and the soil lower elsewhere.
Thank you for any help. Start off with far to many and end up with a couple of growing plants.
Bob.

[nickdub]

Could you give a few more details please Bob ? eg how you hold the melon seedlings, where you keep the compost you use for potting on , size of the containers used, when and how you water etc

[goosander]

I hold the seedlings by the leaf and plant into 5 inch pots. The compost is general purpose with a bug killer through it and kept in the greenhouse. Always water from the bottom and raise the roof of the propagator a bit to let some of the hot air out.
Grew water melons in the past and they were great.
Bob.

[nickdub]

sounds spot on to me

any indications from the way the seedlings are dying as to what the problem might be ? eg damping off

[Jungle Jane]

Ive never seen bug killer used in a pot of compost,why are you using it/what bugs are they? Water the plants from the bottom (sit them on a tray of water) so the top of the compost stays dry to stop flies laying eggs in the top centimetre of compost. Are the melons sowed singularly into 3” pots because I just tip the pot upside down onto my hand to hopefully transplant without any movement of the seed or roots.

Edit - mine go from a 3” pot straight to a bucket,final position,they only have to move once......

[goosander]

Melons were in small pots. Had a lot of bother with greenfly/vine weevil and others. The stuff in the compost [can not remember its name] stopped most of the bother and the plants do well in it. Bob.

[nickdub]

Melons were in small pots. Had a lot of bother with greenfly/vine weevil and others. The stuff in the compost [can not remember its name] stopped most of the bother and the plants do well in it. Bob.

Hi Bob,
given that we seem to be able to rule out the obvious problems like physical damage, pests, too much water, too cold etc then to my mind the next obvious suspect is some sort of disease . Before doing any more melon seedlings I'd go for sterilizing everything involved eg boiling water on pots, fresh unopened bag of compost, tap water etc.

Hope you figure it out and are able to let us know - and Happy Gardening :-) Nick

[Jungle Jane]

I’d miss out the 5” pots & go straight to bucket/final position because they don’t like moving,it’s a bit early though,I haven’t sowed any yet. I do the same with cucumbers & courgettes too,I don’t know if it’s the seed that breaks away during moving or what happens that’s so disturbing to them,good luck!