I’ve always assumed melons would be far too difficult or temperamental to grow in the UK, despite the Victorians’ success at growing them in heated greenhouses.
But a couple of summers ago, I visited the Thompson & Morgan seed trials in Ipswich and saw some wonderful melons growing outside. The experts at T&M were putting some new seed selections to the test, and the results looked very promising. Visiting the trials in August, I could see that some of the plants growing in quite an exposed site outside had produced four or five fruits. Now this I had to try.
Unfortunately their melons were trial varieties, and until the trial comes to an end in a couple of years we won’t know whether any of these will be introduced to the gardening public.
However, reading through seed catalogues last winter I discovered ‘Emir’, a brand new variety for 2008 from Mr Fothergill’s, which had been bred specifically to be grown in our northern climate. A combination of tolerance to cold conditions and fast-maturing fruits meant this new variety was recommended for growing in an unheated greenhouse or even a warm position outside.
Last summer I tried growing a different melon outside, but the plants struggled to get going and yielded nothing at all. This year I’m trying again, hoping ‘Emir’ lives up to its catalogue description (though to be on the safe side I’m keeping two melon plants a little snugger in my greenhouse). So far, so good, and flowers are developing well. Now all I need is to cross-pollinate them, and keep my fingers crossed. Will I be cutting into sweet, juicy melons later this summer?
Just one problem has come to light this week. One of my melon plants is developing the characteristic white patches of powdery mildew on its leaves. If this spreads then my optimism may well be short-lived.
I could do with some advice from any melon experts out there on what to do next to ensure I get a decent crop. Just what is a reliable method for controlling mildew on melons?
I think I’ll delay buying in the accompanying Parma ham just yet!
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I can’t claim to have any more success. I’ve got three plants in the greenhouse and they are only now starting to look at all vigorous. One has had a few male flowers but that’s it. A friend I gave one to has had no better success. The seeds I’ve grown are T&M Eldorado but I can’t say I’d bother again.
Hi,I am growing melons too, I have made sure that i water at least twice a day, this does include damping down. but do not do this if you have just polulated them.So far i have at 10 Melons, some are the size of a small football.
good luck.
We have never tried growing Melons, can you grow them in a small greenhouse or is it better outside with protection? any comments welcome.We have been trying to grow Butternut Squash,last year we started too late but this year the plants have done well and starting to produce fruit.(small) They are growing flat on the ground and there are lots of large leaves. We are watering and all this extra rain is helping too!Has anyone some advise as to how to grow bigger squash? Should we stop the plants producing too many flowers or does this not make any difference? I can find lots of recipes but not advise.They are fed miracle grow once a week and watered regulary.This is our first experiment with Squash, can anyone recommend any varieties we should try for next year? thanks.
I have had the same problem with mildew recently. Eventually the melon plants died, and I was distraught! But I found some info in an organic kitchen garden mag, and it told me to do this:
Find a spray can, Fill it with 9 parts water 1 part milk Spary the leaves of the affected plant!
I tried this method with some cucumber plants and a grape plant, and I do believe that cucumbers have a very similar structure of the leaves as melons, so it should work. I did find that the method worked.I hope this comes in handy!
I’ve got plants that look like day of the triffids and have had male and female flowers galore. I’ve watered the, cross pollinated them carefully with paint brushed and by putting the flowers together, I’ve tried stressing one by removing a third of the leaves to promote fruiting. All to no avail. I’m afraid with space being at a premium in my greenhouse they are off the menu for next year!!!
I tried melons for the first time this year and after a disappointing start (only two plants from a whole pack of seeds!!) They are now doing well in the greenhouse. I pollinated them with a feather. Have quite a few fruits now, one slightly smaller than a football. The only dilemma I have is knowing when to harvest! Anyone got any tips?
i have been successfully growing long melons in my back yard . the seeding requires the more than 20 degree and the plant has life cycle from sep to april… often watering is not like by the palnt. when flower developes u have to hand polinate the plant good luck…
I am growing melons in a growbag in my greenhouse in my dads allotment. i have 3 plants doing very well. I have no signs of mildew so far.there are signs of melons on each plant. i am feeding these about once a week with liquid feed. The melons seeds i used are johnsons emir. tolerant to cool conditions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2009/06/03/melonman_feature.shtml
i am growing melons in my greenhouse for the first time i also have tomatoes,peppers,beans,and chillies is it ok to cross polinate all these plants
Reply to MELON MASTER- you don’t need to cross pollinate any of these plants. They should pollinate themselves on their own.
this my third year of growing melons in my greenhouse in 5x 12 inch plastic pots. 1st year was Cantaloupe i had none. 2nd year i tried Galian and i got 2. This year i am growing Ogen and i have 15 formed and swelling nicely. I sowed seed in heated propogator in March. During the day the house now reaches 80-100f and i water 3 times a day both plants and the concrete floor. I dont spray the plants. Masses of male and female flowers i pollinate with a very small paint brush. i have had no leaf problems i remove 25% gradually. i feed once a week with tomato feritliser. interesting and satisfying to grow, time and patience needed.
I have just found that my cherry tomato plants on my allotment are suffering with tomato blight! What a disappointment. I have begun to remove all of the most infected plants. Can anyone advise me please. Should I spray (with Dithane I think) or is it pointless now? Help
Confused!!!! You will be. My melon plants are growing like “triffids”, from Thompson & Morgan seed in unheated green house, however I am unable to distinguish between male & female flowers as they all look exactly the same. They all have a swollen part at the base & a fine stem connecting to the laterals. The packet advises to hand pollinate, how is this possible when all the flowers look the same? Any advice greatfully received.
Middz, no – you only have male flowers so far. All of the flowers have a green bulge at the base of the petals, male and female – what you are waiting for is a baby fruit behind this. It is quite distinct when it happens, but the plants start by producing lots of male flowers. Be patient and keep looking. On my plants the female (fruiting)flowers only seem to occur on the side shoots, not on the main stem. Hope that helps!
(I am growing three ‘Alvaro F1′ chanterais type melon plants, put in to the greenhouse in May, and they have about ten fruits between them so far, the largest about 6in across)
Thanks for that. I await the female flowers with anticipation. Good luck with the Alvaro F1’s.
This is my first year growing melons although I only have one plant purchased from a garden centre. It is growing very well and looks very healthy with lots of flowers but they keep falling off – why is this?? I water and feed regularly, although have not pollunated as don’t know if the flowers are male or female – it’s all very confusing. Can anyone help me?
We bought a small melon plant from Homebase a couple of months ago – it’s our first year with a greenhouse so we are trying all sorts of things. It has been a slow process, and we tried hand pollinating early on with no success.
We’ve pretty much been ignoring the plant apart form watering it twice a day with everything else, feeding once a week with everything else and training it to supports, but this week we have found 6 baby melons developing, so I guess some local pollinating insects have doen their job!
We’re just off to find some old stockings to support them with!
The melons in my greenhouse are also like triffids with only one female flower produced and no melons. If I were to grow melons outside would they need hand pollinating as do those in the greenhouse?