My Melons

[Silverfox]

I'm a little worried about my Melon plant. I got it in May from a local car boot sale (think it was only 30p) so I am not sure what variety it is.

Anyway!!! I have lots of yellow flowers all over the plant but I have had no fruit. Do I have to pollinate the plant myself? I have kept it outside like all the rest of my veggies and have had no problems with my other plants being pollinated by insects.

If I do need to self pollinate can you please tell me how to do this as I have no idea and its not in my growing books as they are all about veg and not fruit.

[BigstU]

Female flowers have little fruits or swellings behind them and the male flower just has a straight stalk.

To self polinate grab a male flower and bend back or break the petals off, so you expose the middle bit which has the pollen, and rub this a few times on the middle bit of the female flower. Do this on a dry day and as as soon as possible after the flower has opened.
One make flower will polinate quite a few female flowers.

As yours are outside the bees should do this for you, but hey no prob in helping things along a bit.

[Jaxom]

Catch a Bee in a drinking glass and release it in your greenhouse. Easy way to get pollination done. Then sit back with cool drink and enjoy the sun.

[Silverfox]

I spent a very long time at the weekend looking at my melon plant. As far as I can make out I only have male flowers on my plant!!! Would this be right???? All the flowers look the same and I can not see any swelling behind any of them,(I'm guessing you mean swelling just like my courgette plant).

Just in case I am getting it wrong would it be worth while picking a few at random and doing the dating game anyway?

[Lesley Jay]

Reading my fruit book it says that the male flowers appear first. Then you must hand pollinate the female flowers when they open. So patience Silverfox!

[smallblueplanet]

I've managed to take a couple of piccies (my cameras macro facility isn't as good as Sue's) of Minnesota's flowers and melons.

- female

- male

[Silverfox]

Thanks for the pic's. Yep I have only boys on my plant......... Maybe the girls will come along later.

[nick the grief]

I am soooo tempted to post something but I don't really want to get banned

[smallblueplanet]

Can it! Nick!!!!!!!!!!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

honestly! big belly laughs! dexterdog
am i thinking wot you're thinking?!!

[nick the grief]

That depends on how depraved your mind is Dexter Lol!!!

[Shortie]

Oh boys, behave! Well.... Should i admit my thoughts were along those lines too?

[Shortie]

SilverFox/SBP, you will let us know how they go won't you? I'm tempted to grow them myself but am undecided if they are worth it

[Silverfox]

Behave!!!! LOL I have just looked an thought maybe I could have worded it better.

Of course I'll keep you updated Shortie. Anything is worth a try, so give it a go. Although I have not got any fruit from the plant yet I must admit that it is very beautiful to look at with all the open yellow flowers.

[smallblueplanet]

Shortie I'm thinking maybe the 1st one might be ready to try soon. However my melons are kept nice and warm (in the greenhouse!), whereas SF is growing them outdoors I believe?