Cantaloupe melons . . . ?

[CJS]

I'm going to have another go at Cantaloupe Mellon this year in the green house . . . Yep I ain't got a clue, last year I had one . . . cos it was the only one I fertilised, male flower stuffed into a female flower. I grew the plant on the ground, it crept about OK, I put the one fruit on a bit of dry corrugated cardboard, but eventually the plant damped off . . . the one melon was about the size of a Jaffa orange and superbly sweet!

So this year, instead of buying the seedling, I saved seeds from a 'Morrison special' last year. Planted 6 seeds, two have come up! how surprised am I

As I'm not doing toms in the green house this year I have a little bit of space. Last year I grew a couple of Crystal Apple cucumbers, allowing them to climb through the grape vine that I use as natural shade in the green house. The Crystal Apples did well . . . by my standards.

So the thinking was, Crystal Apple to one side of the grape vine as per last year . . . If a melon is best climbing? put that up the other side of the vine? I think I have to make hammocks for the fruit? and obviously fertilise more female flowers. How many flowers to fertilise, does the plant grow vigorous and high, like the Crystal Apple, any other special care?

I will be growing them from 'ring culture' type bottom less pots, potting compost with BF&B and a good hand full of well rotted manure maybe, all mixed in. Presume some sort of liquid feed required, tom type may be? Am I on the right track . . . or doing it all wrong and let it creep . . .

This is June in my green house, gives an idea of the early vine growth, gets jungle like very quickly! . . . requires regular trimming to keep the shade about right . . .


Crystal Apple in all its rampant glory


Thanks in advance for you patience and help . . .
CJS

[CJS]

Now got 5 melon plants showing . . . and still not sure if I will be doing the right thing by them . . .

CJS

[pongeroon]

Well you are doing better than me, CJS. I only have two seedlings, one of them damped off! I've never grown melons before, and I'm not feeling very optimistic

Sorry I can't be helpful!

[Tigger]

I grow melons in one of our polytunnels and they're usually successful. I have tried letting them climb but the fruit gets quite heavy, so you need to support it well. On the whole, I let them creep along the sides of the tunnel where they don't get knocked.

I grow cucumbers up green shade netting at one end of the tunnel, but I found that didn't work for melons, because of the weight..

[CJS]

I grow melons in one of our polytunnels and they're usually successful. I have tried letting them climb but the fruit gets quite heavy, so you need to support it well. On the whole, I let them creep along the sides of the tunnel where they don't get knocked.

I grow cucumbers up green shade netting at one end of the tunnel, but I found that didn't work for melons, because of the weight..

Useful, thanks Tigger, perhaps a bed of straw? seem to remember this suggestion, or do you just let them get on with it . . . I might have a go at one up in the vine, see how I cope . . . be selective on fruit positioning, melon type birth control Netting support hammocks is a lot of faffing about . . . ain't it

Do you feed the plants like Tomatoes?

CJS

[CJS]

We, what do you know . . . went to the greenhouse this morning to do some pricking out . . . the melon seeds that I saved from a super market fruit last year, all six seed have germinated . . .

I ask again, more info please, how do I treat these plants, do they grow best with just a few fruits per plant, do I feed them as per a tomato, I'm really in the dark. I dont even know how much room to give them?

CJS

[Tigger]

I'm surprised (and relieved) that this thread hasn't attracted comments about using women's underwear!

We have gravel on the floor of our tunnels so I don't need straw. Straw would be fine as long as we have a hot summer and it doesn't get wet from lots of condensation (as it would in the winter).

Success does require control, so don't let each plant develop too many fruit - stop each after 3 have set rather than just removing 'babies' otherwise the plant will waste energy growing unnecessary greenery.

I feed them weekly once the fruit have developed. Watering is a bit like tomatoes - too much and the fruit will be tasteless, too little and it won't be soft and juicy.

[CJS]

I'm surprised (and relieved) that this thread hasn't attracted comments about using women's underwear!

We have gravel on the floor of our tunnels so I don't need straw. Straw would be fine as long as we have a hot summer and it doesn't get wet from lots of condensation (as it would in the winter).

Success does require control, so don't let each plant develop too many fruit - stop each after 3 have set rather than just removing 'babies' otherwise the plant will waste energy growing unnecessary greenery.

I feed them weekly once the fruit have developed. Watering is a bit like tomatoes - too much and the fruit will be tasteless, too little and it won't be soft and juicy.

Thats good useful information Tigger, thank you. I was out in the greenhouse this evening, talking to my babies . . . Everything is going a pace . . . almost to quick? The only problem I'm having is my sweet peppers, round and long, they are being very slow to germinate, every thing else is up and away, the peppers, nothing? Playing hide and seek . . . ? Bought a couple of packs of new seed today, if they dont show by the weekend I will re sow, late, but I dont have a choice . . . ?

Put in a wigwam of old fashioned sweet peas Sunday, right by the patio door . . . mixed colours, small flowers, heavenly scent . . . Me liking flowers, I'm going soft . . .

CJS

[Nature's Babe]

Hi CJS, I read somewhere it pays to take off the first fruit low down on the stem, it then fertilises more further up, otherwise the plant puts its energy to the first low fruit. I haven't tried doing this yet.

[Tigger]

Peppers and chillies take longer to germinate than tomatoes, but soon catch up.

Melons, cucumbers, courgettes and gourds vary, but eventually get on apace.

[CJS]

Peppers and chillies take longer to germinate than tomatoes, but soon catch up.

Melons, cucumbers, courgettes and gourds vary, but eventually get on apace.

Thanks for that Tigger, one or two of the Peppers put in their appearances on Wednesday . . . Toms are late, compared with those I see in the shops . . . but I deliberately sowed late . . . last year, I was panicking, as they were getting leggy, I did not want to put them out because of frost??? I prefer growing my toms outside.

I'm happy now, watch things develop

CJS