Cucumbers & Melons

[dexterdoglancashire]

For the first time this year my cucumbers and melons are doing well. I know they should be grown upwards in my greenhouse, but to be fair, I havent a clue! I've just got a basic greenhouse frame, but guess I could tie-wrap some green bean mesh up the sides?
What do you suggest?
Help from a Grape in distress -since I've potted these on, they are now starting to grow like wildfire!
PS Any tips on growing melons also grapefully received

[zazen999]

I'm growing mine - and my toms - up strings fastened to canes which are in turn fixed to hooks on the sides [about 4 ft up so that the canes are horizontal] and the first cuke is already at the point which I need to add more strings that go up to the roof.

I'm growing one melon however along the cane horizontally - to maximise space.

Any other tips, I'll be waiting to read as well, as i've never had any success before - but then i've never had a greenhouse before either.

[annacruachan]

I'm no expert - only growing melons myself for the first time this year, but instructions on the pack of my outdoor melons say to stop each stem after three leaves appear. It doesn't mention growing them vertically, so mine are sitting in a huge tub on newspaper to keep them clean. Look forward to hearing how all the different methods work.

[Michael Johnson]

I am just trying a new variety of melon for the first time this year- it is a rare variety from France, specially developed on a large Private estate there, called the Luneville estate, and is called the Luneville Melon. the thing that makes it attractive is that they are being grown outside in northern France and Canada -which is further north than us in the UK, so they should grow outside in an English garden quite well-I hope.

[djhs196]

I've sat my melons and cucumbers at the back of some wide staging and trained them initially as cordons, pinching out the sideshoots. The sloping side of the greenhouse frame has a trellis six inches from the glass, and once here the melon sideshoots are allowed to be trained outwards.

The cucumbers are trained as cordons to the top of the frame, then two shoots are to be trained back down on either side, still as cordons.

The idea was to have the trellis to support the cucumbers and the melons as they hangdown. It's early days but seems to be working well - I do have a concern about the weight at the end of the season on the sloping bars of the greenhouse...I'm just going to keep an eye on it.

I can't pretend to be an expert however - first year with greenhouse and hence first time with melons and indoor cucumbers.

[OverWyreGrower]

I've got some melons trained up a little wire frame, and some doing the 'courgette' thing and sprawling everywhere...

I checked my Hessayon book and it said that melons could do both, so I've tried both ways. Both lots of melons are currently growing like triffids, and I'm not sure whether to pinch them off or not!

[Sanjo]

I'm growing mine - and my toms - up strings fastened to canes which are in turn fixed to hooks on the sides [about 4 ft up so that the canes are horizontal] and the first cuke is already at the point which I need to add more strings that go up to the roof.

I'm growing one melon however along the cane horizontally - to maximise space.

Any other tips, I'll be waiting to read as well, as i've never had any success before - but then i've never had a greenhouse before either.

I am doing more or less the same as Zazen except that I have tied string to the horizontal bar of the G/H and from there it passes up to and over the apex and is tied off to another hook on the opposite horizontal bar.
As the Cucumber/Melon reaches the first bar next to it, I am training the top to travel along the string (ie up the roof) hopefully until it reaches the apex. I shall then decide whether to "stop" it there or let it travel down the roof to the opposite horizontal. As it isn't a very big greenhouse (6x6) and I also have tomatoes in there my decision will be based on light and room for me to move.
At the moment they are like triffids!!
Last year was my first attempt at cucumbers and were from shopbought F1 plants.
This year I have grown my own and I have three varieties of cucs and two of melons.
I am hoping to cut my first cuc of this year today. I have two/three little melons growing which I care for lovingly!!
I shall be "gutted" if the cucumber is rubbish!!!!

[bramble]

Sanjo, well done, I have 4 cuc plants all with fruits on. when they reach the 2or 3 inch stage they are turning yellow and dropping off.

[Sanjo]

I am hoping to cut my first cuc of this year today. I have two/three little melons growing which I care for lovingly!!
I shall be "gutted" if the cucumber is rubbish!!!!

Well, I cut it and it was smashing!!! Tasty King was the variety and I would recommend it.
At least if the others are rubbish I shall have something to go with the lettuce!! Sanjo