Growing melons in a greenhouse
Having just started planting out my tomatoes into their ring cultures in growbags, my melon (edonis) seedlings will be ready to be planted in a couple of weeks (got 2 large leaves now).
The question i have is what is the best way to grow them, up a string like cucumbers supporting the fruit in nets. Or i seem to remember my grandad just grew them on ground in a growbag, but i might be mistaken it was a long time ago!
I've a plan for my cucumbers and cucamelons which will be stringed from the roof,c ourgettes a squashes will be going outside in a raised bed. The other option for the melons might be to grow them in a growbag/pot raised up on the staing and let them sprawl around on that? I can even keep a tray of water underneath the staging to increase humidity around the melons.
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I have melons also waiting to go out, the plan is to put them under a large cold frame dug into the ground slightly(once i have completed it)! Am I right in thinking that the runners can be cut back to a certain extent so it produces more fuit than runners and saves space? Could be wrong on this though.
I have grown melons for a few years now, I grow them to the opposit my cucs exactley the same . But I dont pollinate them myself . I leave the door open to let insects in to do the job for me . I then keep the door shut.
When I put this greenhouse up it was specialy for cucs, reading they liked steamy /wet conditions I had dug down a foot , the idea being a sunken green house . I then put a base of a concrete mix , . Built sides up to ground level with a 3 course of bricks .
I now drop down a foot into a constant pool of water . I keep it topped up . Grandchildren see to this , a great game !
I stand my pots on house bricks so that the pots are not constantley stood in water . The cucs love it , I use F1 hybryds so no time wasted removing male flowers.
The melons develop on there own . I get roughly 6 from each plant .I put them in nets only if they get too big .
Its a truble free green house works every time too !
Andy, you can let them sprawl if you have the space or grow them up something like a trellis. Melons are heavier than cukes so their suport will need to be strong enough. I wouldn't encourage too much humidity around them either. Could be asking for fungal troubles.