Gowing melons in the UK

[Likac66]

My only experience of attempting melons before is planting a few seeds and nothing germinating. I was also concerned about them taking too much room in my tiny greenhouse so I wasn't too bothered about them not germinating.

This year I am buying a polytunnel and thought I might have room to try melons again. I have just ordered some "earli-dew" seeds and am going to plant them on the windowsill as soon as they arrive. Is this too late?

Also, do melons grow ok in polytunnels or should they really be in a greenhouse?

Plus, does anyone have any tips or hints regarding melons?

Thanks for any help.

[greenishfing]

I've had success growing melons here in Yorkshire in both an unheated greenhouse and cold frame. I always germinate them indoors above a radiator though and plant them out after any chance of frost and I hand pollinate them. I find the smaller melons do best.

[WendyC]

Try planting the seeds on their thin edge rather than flat. This gives them a better chance of germinating without water sitting on top of the flat seed and possibly rotting them. I do this with cucumbers and courgettes too.

[Alison]

Not grown melons for a few years but as I remember I used to sow them well into April with my courgettes, squashes and cucumbers so no worries yet. I didn't have the tunnel when I grew them so did them in the greenhouse but would have thought that it would be very good as they'd have more space. Never had any problem with germination though so think you may have had dodgy seed in the past or perhaps overwatered and rotted them?

[Likac66]

I think I must have planted them too early, thinking they would need a long growing season. I think it might have been as early as January! And I think they were in an unheated greenhouse at that point.

I'll put these in a little propagator inside to start with.

[Yorkshire.Dave]

Might try a few melons myself as ive never tried them, which type are best for the UK?

[Likac66]

Might try a few melons myself as ive never tried them, which type are best for the UK?

I found these pages. Grow your own melons / RHS Gardening

Melons that grow well in the UK - Telegraph

[Garden_Chris]

I've just purchased a packet of F1 Hybrids 'Outdoor Wonder'.

Going to give them a go this year in the greenhouse.

I'll do my best to grow them vertically, packet says they can be sown from early April to May under glass to transplant outdoors harvesting from early August onwards.
They're inside on the windowsill at the moment with a little plastic lid over the top of them. I'll keep you updated

[crannman]

growing melons for the first time got pots in spare beedroom so far............nothing

[rita1]

i bought mine from the garden centre last year and they grew ok, 1 year i had 2 melons and last year only 1 but they were delicious, i would recommend them, they tasted a lot nicer then when you buy them from the supermarket. not ever started them off from seed tho. i used my bra to hang the melons in as when they get bigger they will need support

[VirginVegGrower]

Sown mine today.

[Lisamcflisa]

i've grown melons for the past couple of years, watermelon types, this year i have crimson sweet to try... i grown them up large canes and support them in net fruit bags when they get heavy, grown in the greenhouse they do well, even last year with the bad weather i managed to get some, only 1 per plant unfortunately but they were tasty, good luck with it

[BUFFS]

we have grown melons for over 15 years now and only had a failure last year when summer ended in april.we grow the smaller types like the ogen,trained up a frame of two upright bamboos and cross pieces every 9 inches,melon nets are quite dear,so i use clean old tights that the wife was going to throw out,cut to 8ins lengths,knotted on the lower end and twine tied into the top,it can be tied onto the frame then,we get about 12-14 from three good plants as a rule,and you will not believe the taste....