Growing Melons in the UK

[Earthgirl Jen]

So excited my first two melons are ripe. Both from same vine. They literally fell of in my hand, good job they had their little net hammocks.

Can’t wait to try one later.

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So hoping I’ve got this photo thing right (first ever attempt)

Well what were they like? Did you weigh them or is that just me ? (geek)

Thanks for sharing your pics x (Yes they work) it just goes to show with your melons as well how much different temps have an effect on a melons size?
Do you think you might try and grow some next year Bluenowhere?

[Small pumpkin]

Here's my melons this year.
Honeydew saved from a shop brought melon about 5 years ago. Seems to be getting less honeydew shaped each year. It still tastes good. 3 growing nicely on this plant.



Gala also saved from shop brought fruit about 5 years ago. 4 growing on here. Not going to be big ones.



Plum granny. Never grown these before. Seeds free with a seed order. Didn't think it was doing very well. All of a sudden I've got about 8 that I can see coming. They only get to tennis ball size. Anyone grown these ?

[Bluenowhere]

Well what were they like? Did you weigh them or is that just me ? (geek)

Thanks for sharing your pics x (Yes they work) it just goes to show with your melons as well how much different temps have an effect on a melons size?
Do you think you might try and grow some next year Bluenowhere?

One eaten (the smaller one) it was lovely. Didn’t think to weigh was far too excited. Might weigh the other one now though

I found the size difference interesting, the larger one was higher up on a longer vine, I wonder if having more leaves made any difference in the plant feeding it, I don’t think the temp would have made too much difference as they set almost at the same time but the top one might have got more sun. The two on the other vine are about the same size but not ripe yet. It might have been erratic watering (work trips) at a critical swelling stage perhaps. I’m sure someone who knows more will come along soon.

Yes I would grow Emir again might try another variety as well as have just bought a second polytunnel to have more room - not assembled yet. This year six cordon tomatoes, two melons, a cucumber, five chillies, two aubergine and six sweet pepper plants in a 2x2m polytunnel is a bit crowded.

[goosander]

All pleased with my self saved seed from an Aldi melon at first. Stacks of growth and lots of flowers but there is no female flowers.
Bob.

[mosstrooper]

Hey Hey! Look what i found tonight

these are Minnesota Midget and they are small,only about the size of a cricket ball and a tennis ball and are the ones that stopped growing after a mole had undermined the plant.
At first i thought they had dropped off and died
Anyway, the wife and i just shared the small one and i'm glad i persevered with these.
Can't wait for the others to ripen now.

[Earthgirl Jen]

Here's my melons this year.
Honeydew saved from a shop brought melon about 5 years ago. Seems to be getting less honeydew shaped each year. It still tastes good. 3 growing nicely on this plant.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]82141[/ATTACH]

Gala also saved from shop brought fruit about 5 years ago. 4 growing on here. Not going to be big ones.

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Plum granny. Never grown these before. Seeds free with a seed order. Didn't think it was doing very well. All of a sudden I've got about 8 that I can see coming. They only get to tennis ball size. Anyone grown these ?

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SP those look fabulous

I know nothing about Plum granny sorry. Jealous of your quantity per plant, something I've failed miserably on this year. But as I just 'dived' in and hoped for at least one per plant (simple because of our poor weather record here in the West) and that's what I'm getting! So far... I have more coming on now and the promise of more for a second crop. As they are small melons I'm sure they will be ready in Sept. I've picked up loads of growing tips this season and will learn from them for next year.

[Small pumpkin]

I usually only get one per plant. This is the best year I've had ( with lots of my crops).
I'm also more used to a considerable wetter cooler summer being a little more up north than you

[Earthgirl Jen]

One eaten (the smaller one) it was lovely. Didn’t think to weigh was far too excited. Might weigh the other one now though

I found the size difference interesting, the larger one was higher up on a longer vine, I wonder if having more leaves made any difference in the plant feeding it, I don’t think the temp would have made too much difference as they set almost at the same time but the top one might have got more sun. The two on the other vine are about the same size but not ripe yet. It might have been erratic watering (work trips) at a critical swelling stage perhaps. I’m sure someone who knows more will come along soon.

Yes I would grow Emir again might try another variety as well as have just bought a second polytunnel to have more room - not assembled yet. This year six cordon tomatoes, two melons, a cucumber, five chillies, two aubergine and six sweet pepper plants in a 2x2m polytunnel is a bit crowded.

Interesting what you've said about about the quantity of leaves feeding the plant. I might do a post about that later on.
I now have a trial going on in the porch as I gave the plants a severe 'haircut' last week as I couldn't get any more melons to take, as such this week they are producing masses of sideshoots quite happily and the first males flowers are blooming. Will I get more to take? Lets see. I still have 3 ripening in there with the biggest being completely shaded in leaves?

Like you I hope someone will come along and 'put us right'.

I'm probably going to grow some different ones next year as well, thank you for replying x

Forgot to say you should see my greenhouse (14ftx8ft) , 20 tomato plants, 3 bush toms, 1 cue plant, 6 mini pepper plants, 6 collective farm woman melons and 3 watermelons. All surviving and doing ok so far, a bit crazy and busy and I have to walk down the middle sideways but all ok

[Earthgirl Jen]

All pleased with my self saved seed from an Aldi melon at first. Stacks of growth and lots of flowers but there is no female flowers.
Bob.

Bob how long have the male flowers been flowering? they sometimes take a couple of weeks to feel happy where they are growing before a female one will show itself.
I'm sure you'll get some female one's this week, let us know x

[Earthgirl Jen]

Hey Hey! Look what i found tonight [ATTACH=CONFIG]82163[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]82164[/ATTACH]

these are Minnesota Midget and they are small,only about the size of a cricket ball and a tennis ball and are the ones that stopped growing after a mole had undermined the plant.
At first i thought they had dropped off and died
Anyway, the wife and i just shared the small one and i'm glad i persevered with these.
Can't wait for the others to ripen now.

Woo Hoo mosstrooper Awesome x That's the same size as mine, it's only the ones in the porch that have been bigger and I put that down to the fact they have had a more constant heat, the temp in there has rarely dropped below 20c this summer at night where as in the greenhouse we've been getting between 10-13c regularly most nights for the past fortnight.

I can't wait to see how many more you get x

[Earthgirl Jen]

I usually only get one per plant. This is the best year I've had ( with lots of my crops).
I'm also more used to a considerable wetter cooler summer being a little more up north than you

Hence your gorgeous polytunnels. Hasn't it been wonderful growing weather this summer. I have LOVED it for a change, and so has the garden although a few things have not done so well, and I'm expecting the 'barrage' of slugs and snails to appear this week (eek) as we are forecast much more cloud and drizzle although it will still be warm.

[Earthgirl Jen]

Weekly melon update 29th July 2018

Well happy to report all melons still alive and some ripening, even some new ones growing!

The greenhouse melons have had another hard week of 10-13c temps at night and then shooting up to 30c plus during the day. Mildew has been more prevalent so lots more leaves have been rubbed off and a few have been cut off.

The first melon that I harvested had only one fruit while it was ripening and refused to set more. Since I harvested it on the 11th July it has put on more growth and started shooting out female flowers this last week. I had thought I managed to pollinate only 2 flowers, which I hoped as they were pollinated at the same time would both take. However after a good inspection today I find that the plant has one the size of a large walnut and 2 the size of a large gooseberry! (the 'large walnut' is visible in the pic with the 'large gooseberry' growing behind it and another 'large gooseberry' is hiding in the foliage, there are also more growing on other plants!

"Battle of the melons" Which ones will win and thrive this week?


The porch melons that I cut hard back a few weeks ago have now started to regrow lots and lots of sideshoots and even some male flowers. Will I get female flowers this week? Will I get more melons to to take?


This is another lovely large porch melon that took and has probably grown most of it's growth underneath a canopy of leaves. (so did the heat or sheer quantity of leaves help it get so large?). The upside down pot that it is sat on is 5" and it's starting to ripen. Will it beat the 2lb 2oz giant?... lol...


The porch melons are now getting more sun (when it shines) since the longest day of the year was the 21st June, the sun is getting lower in the sky and as such the porch gets more light. Will this make a difference? I'll let you know

[Earthgirl Jen]

Watermelon Update 29th July 2018

The Sugarbaby watermelons are still playing the 'hunt me ' game to try and find them as I said last week the foliage has taken on a growth spurt!
happy to report that they are now ripening The tendril closest to each fruit has now gone hard and is starting to wither. Which going by last years melons means that I now wait approx 2 wks for the melon to be ripe. I harvested on the 13th August last year and they were perfect.


Last week I 'boasted' that I had used one male flower to pollinate 3 female ones and in my dreams I expected them all to take... lol... Well (cough) I may have 3 grapes trying to grow !
Stay tuned for next weeks growing saga

It's a bit like watching paint dry isn't it...

[Bumblingbroccoli]

So I finally have some fruits on my melons. They're in an unheated greenhouse. How many do I allow to grow and should I trim any of the leaves as foliage has gone nuts. Found seed packet and have tiger stripe a musk melon heritage type. Also how big do they get and when will I know they're ready? Thanks so much am a total melon novice!

[mosstrooper]

It's getting late in the year for melons now i would think. This is my first year growing melons too and to date it's been about 6 weeks since the first fruit set. Now the plants are quite happily putting on more growth and new flowers but the way the nights are cutting in,i'm nipping off all of the melons that set since last week.
Perhaps leave two melons per plant and leave the foliage on to feed those two and you may get decent fruit.

I have no idea how big Tiger Stripe may grow but i.m also growing a musk melon in an unheated greenhouse (petite gris du Rennes) and they are shaping up to be about a pound and a half at the minute.
Good luck with them, they are very tasty and i will be growing some next year