melons

[stevep]

i have just bought some melon seeds and i would like to no if anyone has ever had any luck growing them in this country i will be growing them in my pollytunnel any addvice would be welcom . cheers steve

[poultrychat]

I tried them last year and although I got melons they were only abut 4inch in diameter, but I am going to have another go this year. I grew them in pots and grow bags in my greenhouse.

[Acorn]

Melons

I've never grown melons but I saw them in RHS Wisley last summer in their greenhouses and they were a very good size... so, it is possible to grow them in this country, but I couldn't tell you if they would be good to eat...

[sandersj89]

I managed to grow some in a coldframe for the last two year, it is a large frame at 6 by 4.

Greminated the seeds in a warm spot inside and them moved to a heated green house potted on into 4" pots.

They are prone to rotting off where the stem meets the soil so water from below.

Then in May, I am in Sussex, they went into the cold frame in grow bags and the lid was only opened on sunny days for the first month. Once in summer proper the lid was kept open about a foot.

As the plant sends out side shoots limit each shoot to 2 or 3 female flowers and polinate by hand to ensure it happens.

Water very well and steadily or they can split/burst.

I fed mine 4 or five times with a liquid tomato feed and I got about 5 or 6 fruit per plant about the size of large grapefuit. They were very very sweet.

Variety was heart of gold.

A fair bit of work but they do taste very special.

HTH

Jerry

[NEWTO THE PLOT]

i tried growing them managed to get them to fruit here's a tip when the fruit has set and growing well slip it into a foot end of a tight then support it by tying around the frame feed well with high humidity.
newto the plot

[nick the grief]

Another use for Andrews Tights !!!

I've grown tham in the past and they don't like sitting in water & will rot off, so when you plant them out make a mound and put them on the top that way there heads are dry & their feet are moist.

I've only grown the little ones (about the size of a grapefruit) and I restricted them to 2 or 3 melons per plant.

You should have no real problems in a poly tunnel, after all Blenheim Orange is a victorian variety and they manged to grow them!

[stevep]

how high do they grow and what kind of frame do i need to grow them up ...

[sewer rat]

Saw title of this thread and thought I'd have a quick look - not what I thought !
Rat

[Lesley Jay]

Rat you are awful !!!!!!

[dni_dave]

Polytunnel melons

The ma in law grew some 2 years ago in her polytunnel and got at least 2 fruits with minimum effort. They must have tasted alright as I didn't get to sample any!!

We're up in the North East corner so if it's possible up here and are prepared to follow the advice already given you shouldn't have a problem.

Good luck

Dave

[nick the grief]

Rat try doing the google search on the recommendation I mistakingly gave to LJ re Red currants .... she won't tell me what she forund but I think it maybe more akin to waht you were thinking

[Lesley Jay]

Oh Nick you are really wicked!! I can't possibly repeat on this forum what google came up with. As a moderator I would have to censor myself!!