Those who go in cooler parts of the world tend to associate melons with the tropics , meaning that this is n’t a fruit that they would even essay to grow . rather , they resign themselves to paying high prices for melon that have been flown in from the other side of the world . Compared to the dripping juiciness of perfectly - ripe , freshly - foot melon vine , those commercially - grown alternatives are lack in every way of life .
Do n’t worry , you wo n’t want to take a trip-up abroad to smack a smart melon vine for yourself . With so many novel varieties now usable , even those who survive in colder region are able to grow melons at home . Yes , they do postulate a bit of care , but that ’s more than worth it for what will soon become your favourite harvest in your garden .
Growing Melons: A Quick Snapshot
When to Sow – Apr - May
When to Plant – May - Jun
When to Harvest – Aug - October
middling Yield per Plant – 4 - 10 kilogram
Spacing – 90 cm
Depth – 1.5 cm
How to Grow Melons at Home
melon are vigorous climbing plants that not only acquire delicious fruits , but also look very ornamental when trained up a trellis .
If you live in the tropics or subtropics , then you ’re in luck – your climate is unadulterated for growing melon outdoors . However , the fruits can also be successfully grown in cold regions . So long as they have some protection and their growing requirements are met , you canexpect to be harvest two to four melon per plantat the ending of your spring up season .
Growing Requirements for Melons
Along with their love of heat comes their motive for sun . The sun is what touch off melon into developing their instinctive sugars , give them an intense sweetness . While a little afternoon shade will be tolerated in hot clime , too much tone will not only lead in few fruits , but they ’ll also each be smaller in size .
Being a tropical plant , melon vine also need a comparatively humid environment . Many gardeners often plant their melons in or neara compost heap , as this will both mother estrus and raise humidness .
In footing of territory , aim fora well - drain mix that ’s rich yet light . Adding compost or well - waste manure to your soil , along with a helping of sand , should cater idealistic term .
It ’s also worthtesting the pH of your soilbefore planting out your melon . They needa pH of 6 - 6.5 – anything lower than this will result in yellowing foliation and few fruits .
How to Grow Melons from Seed
It ’s authoritative not to sow melon vine seeds too ahead of time in the year . While they do want muckle of time to grow , they also need the sun and heating system . They ca n’t be planted out until stain temperatures have warmed up , so wait until mid to belated saltation before sowing your source .
How to Sow Melon Seeds:
melon germinate quickly – expect to see seedlings in 4 - 10 days . Once you do , give them a week to grow before snipping away the weaker seedling from each wad . You ’ll need to keep your melon vine plant indoors until they have about three or four true leave of absence . If your seedlings outgrow the pots that they ’re in before this time , then transplant them into a larger container .
How to Plant Melons Outside
You needoutdoor ground temperatures to be a consistent 18ºCbefore plant your melons out . The flora will tolerate slightly cooler conditions at dark , but not by much .
Even then , you ’ll require toharden your flora offfor a couple of weeksbefore moving them outside for good . If the weather has been particularly nerveless that springtime , you may want to underwrite your growing surface area witha black charge plate membraneto heat the dirt up before constitute . This will also help to vote down off any weeds that may have popped up .
Once you ’re ready to get planting , dig a hole for each of your melon plants . endeavor to make each muddle just slimly bombastic than the weed that your seedlings are currently in , and infinite them90 cm aside . You may be capable to get out with a smaller spacing if you contrive on training your melon vine to acquire vertically .
At this point , it can also be useful toadd a granular , worldwide - intention fertiliser into each planting hole . melon are hungry plant life , and this will give them a good encouragement to get start up with .
Place each seedling into a fix , keep the top of the root ball at the same level as the surface of the grime . track the roots back over with soil and firm down gently , before water your plant .
How to Plant Melons in a Greenhouse
If you live in a tank area and havea greenhouseora polytunnel , then it would be advisable to plant your melons in here , rather than outside . The more heat and humidness you may give your plant , the better .
maturate melon vine in a nursery will also give you access to the more tender varieties that would have struggled alfresco .
The planting methods are the same as when planting outside , although there ’s a big chance that you ’ll necessitate to set up a trellis or living organisation . If not , your melon plant life will sprawl all over your nursery beds , smothering out your other plant .
If your greenhouse beds are n’t abstruse enough for melon ( the roots debase down for about 25 cm ) , then regard growing your plants in deep pots rather . Many find that restrain the roots by growing them in a potentiometer helps to meliorate flowering , and therefore fruiting .
How to Care for Melons
Although not a high - maintenance plant , melons do need a sure amount of caution , especially if you want the yield to mature in a shorter growing time of year .
Watering Melons
melon need a fair bit of water as they grow – purport for about5 cm of water a week . When irrigate your industrial plant , try tokeep the leaves as teetotal as possible . or else , aim the water at the ground around the antecedent . Wet foliage is much more susceptible to germinate diseases .
Once the melon on your flora have started to mature , you could cut back on watering . This will help to speed up the ripening appendage .
Feeding Melons
While adding a general - use fertiliser to your planting hole will give your melon vine a good start , these are hungry plants that will demand more than that . To start with , employ a nitrogen - rich fertiliser . Then , once the fruits on your industrial plant are about the size of it of a walnut , switch to a fertiliser that ’s high in potassium and phosphorus . Apply thisonce a week , but then block off eat your works once the fruits begin to ripen .
Pinching Out the Growing Tips
Some gardenerspinch out the growing tips of their melon plants , just above the fifth leaf , to encourage the production of side shoot . Others do n’t , and the difference in ontogenesis is n’t usually noticeable . If you would like to experiment with this for yourself , view pinching out the grow bakshish of one-half of your melon flora , pass on the others as they are , so that you could see how this method works for you .
Supporting the Fruits
As the fruits on your works grow , they ’ll become quite profound . This can sometimes drag on the entire plant down if it ’s growing vertically , unless you ’re able to digest the single fruit . Netsare a great room to do this , since they still reserve for good air travel circulation . you may also useold fabric to make a catapult for each yield , tying this to the documentation system you ’re using .
If your plants are sprawling along the earth , then make certain that youlift any ripen fruit so that they ’re not touching the dirt . Simply commit a minuscule piece of music of bit wood underneath each fruit to arouse it up .
Weeding and Mulching Melons
It ’s important to keep the soil around your melon vine plants as sess - free as possible . However , melon have quite shallow tooth root , so be careful not to stir up these whenweedingaround your plants .
mulch your plantswill service to suppress the weeds . However , don’t apply a mulch until your filth has warmed up to over 20 ° C , otherwise your mulch will trap in the cooler line , rather than observe your plants warm .
How to Harvest Melons
It ’s a small tricky to tell when melon are ready to be harvested , since different smorgasbord exhibit their own characteristics . However , whichever assortment you ’re spring up , you ’ll notice thatripe melons start to emit a gratifying , melon vine - like scent – this is a planetary house that they ’re ready to be picked .
If you ’re mature a variety that has a netted skin , such as the cantaloupe vine , the texture of the hide should wrench quite rough and common as harvest time approach . Give the fruit a soft twist – if it comes away from the vine easily , then this intend that it ’s perfectly ripe .
Smooth - skinned melons , such as the honeydew melon or the watermelon vine , will also feel rougher to the touch when advanced . Any leave-taking that are near the fruit will start to turn chickenhearted , as will the bottom of the melon . These varieties ca n’t be twisted off – you ’ll need to cut them forth at the stem .
How to Store Melons
Some melon motley store much better than others . So , if store is your aim , make certain that you uprise varieties that are suitable for this .
Whole melons can be placed into the fridge for brusk - condition storage . bland - skinned melons will only keep for a pair of days like this , whereas coarse - skinned melons will store for about a week .
For long - terminus storage , your good choice would be to freeze out your harvesting . Robert Peel and cube your melon vine and then range them into an air - plastered bag . They ’ll last forat least one year in the freezer , although keep in brain that their grain will be very soft once defrosted .
How to Prepare & Cook Melons
With their tough and ruffianly skins , melons may look as though they ’re difficult to ready , but they ’re actually very easy . Start by cut off the cutis . Then , slice up your melon vine in half and scoop out the seminal fluid ( save these for drying if you want to sow them next year ) . Then , either dice the fruit up or slit it into hero .
Melons are normally eaten raw . This is the good way to enjoy their delicious sweet . However , in accession to snacking on unused melon vine wedges throughout the day , you could also serve the fruit up in the following ways :
Common Melon Problems
regrettably , there are several issues that you could happen when produce melons , give it authoritative to stay argus-eyed and regularly check on your plants . Some of the most common problem are :
Popular Melon Varieties to Grow
If you live in a tank climate , then you ’ll require to prefer for change that have a growing time of year of under 90 days . This is to ensure that the fruit ripen before the weather cools down in the fall . Some of the best options are :
Conclusion
Although melon plants may want a small more employment than the other fruits raise in your garden , they ’ll most believably be the sweetest and juicy crop that you harvest . Nothing beats the taste of a ripe , freshly - picked melon – something that you ’ll only be able to experience when you grow the fruits yourself at home !
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