Melons - some babies don't survive

[Seabreeze]

Hi all,

I haven't been on here for a while, but here's a query please - if you will excuse the melodramatic title:

I have been successfully growing Canteloupes type melons for a few years in the greenhouse, but every year quite a number of baby melons, about the size of the end joint of my thumb, turn yellow, 'wilt', and die.

This happens despite thorough attempts at hand pollination, keeping the watering correct, regular feeding with Tomato food etc.

About four melons do reasonably well on each plant (as they are supposed to) , but the infant mortality vexes me no end... every season. As the plants are strong I reckon I can be greedy and get more melons per plant. I don't want to grow them particularly large as we prefer to eat them fresh - in one breakfast sitting.

What's the cause please?

All I can find on the web is something about melon plant wilt. The plants are in excellent health though.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Keith

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[Kristen]

I have this too, some get to the size of golf balls before doing the turn-yellow-and-drop-off* thing.

* Maybe Penicillin would help?

[daylily]

I think that is just how they are. Amount of fruit per plant 2-4. Water melons too, even in long hot summer weather 2-3 fruit a plant.

So don't be greedy.