Growing Melons in the UK

[Bluenowhere]

I grew Emir last year in my polytunnel and growing again this year. A reasonable size and sweet and tasty. Got two ripe fruits off each plant which I was happy with. Probably could have got more but they were under watered when I had to go away for work.

[Laudan]

Apologies for the late reply Laudan and thank you for the kind words.

I would go with the RHS advice rather than mine, they have the knowledge. Last year I just wanted a melon from each plant and that was what I got. I had a lot of trouble trying to get a second melon to take once one had formed. So pinch out, don't be in a rush to pollinate the first female flower you see, wait until there are at least 3 or 4. (possibly 2 per plant for you as yours are in 8 lit pots) A healthy happy plant will soon start to put out female flowers.

Heat is the key with melons, as I said my front porch has a proper roof which means the night time temps didn't drop as low as in my unheated greenhouse. The temps didn't drop below 15c for most of the summer. Although on the coast here for most of August the night time temps were between 5-10c and the melons sulked.

They will be fine in pots (as that's what you have) as long a you feed them (half strength) every other watering. Melons are greedy feeders. Mine in theory last year had at least 10 litres of compost each and that was possibly why I only had one melon per plant also. I shall be trying different ways this year to see what the difference is.

As for training them it's up to to you I didn't and they were a 'mess' of leaves which were all fine and healthy and it was quite fun to explore between the 'growth' and be surprised with finding a melon...lol...

We are all learning together and I hope this helps x

Thank you so much for replying and taking the time to help me I have since added collective farm woman and Prescott fond Blanc to my ever increasing collection. They have been outside for over a week now and the bees have been working on them 
I have decided I will just leave them to nature and in a few weeks out as many as I can in the greenhouse. I will keep one plant of each outside too as an experiment. They are all in 8L polypot bags with Melcourt sylvagrow peat free compost.
I haven’t been watering them much as this particular compost requires half the normal amount of water but I am feeding when I do water.
I will keep you all posted!

[Earthgirl Jen]

Apologies I haven't started a 2019 thread for melons and well mine are nothing compared to this time last year...
How is everyone else doing?

We have had no warmth and nowhere near as many sunny days as we did at this point last year...

At this point last year I was boasting melons...lol... And in fact I ate my first in July!....

This year I am just starting to get flowers and I'm not going to panic! As I've said I'm going to be patient and wait until there are more than one female flowers before I pollinate

I have a new laptop this year and as soon as I figure out how to post pics I will x...

[chillithyme]

I had planned to do melons but the seeds are still in their packets. You are right about the weather, last year everything was ahead, but there is still time yet Looking forward to seeing the pics of your plants this year

[Small pumpkin]

Mine are doing very nicely.

[quanglewangle]

When should I net my melons?

Re-post - didn't find this melon thread straight away and posted in wrong(ish) place to start with...

Growing galia and cantaloupe melons for the first time. In a greenhouse bed with soil heating cable maintaining about 18 - 20C in the soil. We are in Cornwall and although the spring and summer so far has not been all that warn its been sunny and air temperature in greenhouse runs about 24 - 28C most days. The vines are trellised and are about 2m high now, and stopped.

We have melons about 40 mm now. (size of a smallish lime)

Question is: when should I net them?

[greenishfing]

Re-post - didn't find this melon thread straight away and posted in wrong(ish) place to start with...

Growing galia and cantaloupe melons for the first time. In a greenhouse bed with soil heating cable maintaining about 18 - 20C in the soil. We are in Cornwall and although the spring and summer so far has not been all that warn its been sunny and air temperature in greenhouse runs about 24 - 28C most days. The vines are trellised and are about 2m high now, and stopped.

We have melons about 40 mm now. (size of a smallish lime)

Question is: when should I net them?

I net mine as soon as I fear that the melon is going to break the vine, probably at large orange size. I make slings that can expand as the melons grow. I once tried ladies tights not very successfully.

[quanglewangle]

I net mine as soon as I fear that the melon is going to break the vine, probably at large orange size. I make slings that can expand as the melons grow. I once tried ladies tights not very successfully.

Thanks. Yes the vine does look a bit fragile even for the size they are at now. I'm planning to use saved supermarket mesh fruit bags: very expandable.

I don't look good in ladies tights either.

[Bluenowhere]

I use the supermarket net bags that oranges come in.
Be careful (as I said on other thread) of trying to net too early as the stem is delecate and you can actually break it or cause the plant to shed the melon.

Tennis ball/orange size is a good point to net as the stem is more robust.

[Bluenowhere]

The stem doesn’t look robust enough to hold them as they get to full size but one of mine escaped it net last year when I was on a work trip and hung happily for at least two weeks (my waterer didn’t realise it should have been in a net) ��

[Chrissyteacup]

No flowers yet it’s my first year trying with petit yellow watermelon, but I’m not convince it’s the best year to try growing them!!

[Urban]

No flowers yet it’s my first year trying with petit yellow watermelon, but I’m not convince it’s the best year to try growing them!!

You never know. Summer might extend into September if we are lucky

[Chrissyteacup]

I’m hoping so!!

[quanglewangle]

Is it ok or Galia melon to be lemon shaped?

Is it ok or Galia melon to be lemon shaped? (OK, prolate ellipsoid for maths wonks)

Others are spherical at this early stage (about 40-50mm flower end to stalk end).

[Jungle Jane]

Yes they’re doing well,any shape is ok it might still bulk out & change,whatever happens the shape won’t change the taste it’ll still be full of vitamins & fresher than from any shop,give a bit of water every day in this weather & any fertiliser like seaweed or a tomato feed,potassium helps bulk out the fruits.