[Caretaker]

Hi can you advise me.
I have started 6 Melon plants off, think they are cantenella.
I will be putting them in the border of the greenhouse, now how many can i put in one border 8 feet long, I will be putting 4 tom's on the other side and hope to have 2 cucumber plants at the end.
Reg

[philskin]

I hope someone can help im thinking along the same lines too mine is 12ft long

[mumofstig]

How far apart does the packet tell you to plant them............that should give you your answer.

Or is this a trick question? if you try to google

cantenella melon

it shows you norty sites :blink: 

[Trillium]

I ended up at the same norty sites MoS. No idea if we're talking a bush type melon or a climbing one which is important to know to determine spacing.

Otherwise, for general melon growing in a greenhouse, check this out:

http://www.gardenadvice.co.uk/howto/greenhouse/melon/index.html

[Caretaker]

I have just been over the allotment to clean up the greenhouse and have decided to plant 4 melons on one side that is when they are bigger.
Sorry that i can not find the name but have mislaid the packet but will keep looking.
The site http://www.gardenadvice.co.uk was good,but am sorry for the dodge site, I have a drip feed parts stowed away in my garage, will dig them out this weekend.
I can taste them melons now all watering down my chin.
 Reg

[little sweetpeas]

I also trying to work out how much space i need.

My packet doesn't mention space. They are melons from realseeds I was thinking about 50cm between each plant. They will be trained upwards.

[Trillium]

You could get away with 50cm but you'd have to keep pinching out side shoots so that it doesn't go naturally wild and everywhere. A bush type would need about 1.3 meters apart. Regardless, close spacing will require very frequent feeding as melons are heavy feeders if you expect a certain amount of fruit and taste.

[Caretaker]

Is 50cm about 2 feet in old money if so I'm going for 4 plants down one side.
Will not forget the side shoots (pinch out) and loads of feed/water.
I think the picture on the packet looked like a cobweb all around the fruit.
Happy digging
Reg

[Trillium]

That's right, about 2 ft. And I highly recommend an organic type feed like manure tea or comfrey tea. Fertilizers just can't give melons the right kind of flavour. Been there, done that.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, don't forget that some melons ned polinating so get out your little paintbrush.

[Kristen]

I plant mine along the edge of the greenhouse, and put one-per-pane of glass - so about 2' apart. I have horizontal wires attached to the frame of the greenhouse to take the weight of the Melons and I have a cane tied vertically to the wires for each plant to climb up.

Picture in My Blog (the string supporting the fruit was temporary, it needs a net / old stocking or somesuch in practice)

[cAnAry53]

Last year i grew my melons(sorry matron) 2 to growbag and staggered 4 bags down 1 side of my 8foot greenhouse,this was probably a bit too close because they do make a lot of growth,but i did get 12 2 person sized fruits from them.I would be interested to learn what you try and the results.

[Jay Dubya]

Hi, i was always taught to pinch out the plant at 4 leaves grow 4 laterals and 1 melon on each. Dig a hole a spade square and a spit deep and fill with well rotted compost heap the spoil on top to make a mound and the holes at least 2 feet apart.