Kiwano (horned melon)

General tips / questions on seeding & planting

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter

giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

I'll tell you what - from curiosity, I checked weather conditions in UK (London) and NL (Amsterdam) past few weeks and I must say it's even warmer than I am getting in my location. I am sure you could get even better results than I got. But it looks like you still afraid it's too cold to grow it outdoor, I think you should not, unless you want pathetic, barely alive plant inside a greenhouse :)
Elmigo
KG Regular
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:54 pm

Pretty sure the start is always hard, as we have to start early to be having fruits by the end of the year. It has not as much to do with having the right temperature as it has with not having long lasting summers. Mine looked very pathetic in the beginning as well, but now they're thriving and taking over the entire greenhouse a little bit too much! I've got no space to let it creep around on the floor either. The first time growing it in a container on my balcony was a disaster compared to this year. Yet I still had very tasty fruits regardless :mrgreen: just a bit smaller. That plant is going to be fine!
Elmigo
KG Regular
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:54 pm

I wish I had something to explain about what I'm doing for advice, but I've done nothing special at all. Just sowing and planting. And watering, but only on hot and dry days. Not every day, the plants will be too spoiled. The first kiwanos are now growing:

20200805_171113.jpg
20200805_171113.jpg (2.34 MiB) Viewed 4225 times
giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

All is fine so far, they grow:
Image
Image

Big amount of flowers and first fruits are there:
Image
Image

How do you think? Not bad in my opinion.
Elmigo
KG Regular
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:54 pm

Definitely not bad! You seem to have a nice open space and not having to share it with other plants is great for those kiwanos
giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

Yes, sunny open space is a must if you are thinking about any serious crop. Otherwise, it may be only for fun to get a few fruits.

BTW I still have fruits harvested last year and they are still not decayed. It's really unbelievable how long it can be stored without any special treatment required
Elmigo
KG Regular
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:54 pm

Do you grow these professionally?
I know about the storage time for kiwano, I saved one for almost 6 months and they only became a little soft but didn't taste any less because of it.
giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

Actually, not professionally (not commercial/to sell) but still I want to get more fruits. I have some free open space, so that's not any problem to let them grow as they want to, especially when it's so easy to store fruits
giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

So it happened. All.space taken:

Image

Fruits keep.growing:
Image
Image

I hope September will not be cold and I will get many big fruits as last year. This year everything is lated due to cold May
giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

Nice fruits appear:
Image

Not bad so far.
Westi
KG Regular
Posts: 5908
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:46 pm
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Has thanked: 671 times
Been thanked: 238 times

Looking good!
Westi
giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

I suspect yours must be bigger now, as you started earlier than I. More-less one month remaining to first frost, so I am expecting much smaller crop than last year unfortunately.
Last edited by giaur500 on Thu Aug 20, 2020 8:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Primrose
KG Regular
Posts: 8053
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
Location: Bucks.
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 281 times

Looks very much as if the solitary flower which appeared on mine has bombed out so I guess I'm out of this year's competition as its probably too late in the season now to have any fruit expectations.
giaur500
KG Regular
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:51 pm

Bombed out? Do you mean destroyed by hailstorm? Very bad luck.
User avatar
peter
KG Regular
Posts: 5842
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:54 pm
Location: Near Stansted airport
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 33 times
Contact:

giaur500 wrote:Bombed out? Do you mean destroyed by hailstorm? Very bad luck.


English vernacular for not worked or not happened.
In this case failed to set fruit.
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.

I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic