[lisa80]

Maybe a silly question but someone has given me a melon plant is quite lge and established what i would like to know is does it climb or trail? at the moment it is trailing but does need re potting  dont want to do that until i know weather it need supporting.

[Bozwell]

If you have ever grown cucumber the methods are pretty much the same.
I don't know what type of melon you have but I think all should trail. The fruit will weigh far to heavy for them to climb.

[peanut]

trailing is better, unless you have something very sturdy for them to climb up - if this is the case, use netting to create "hammocks" for the fruit to sit in, thus taking some of the weight.

[Bozwell]

I grow my cantaloupe melon in a 4ft x 4ft cold frame.  As they grow you pinch out the main shoot tip when six leaves have formed. Then select four shoots to grow on. Train one shoot to each corner of the frame. Then when the shoots reach the corners of the frame pinch out the tips and also pinch out any other side shoots after three leaves.
Spray regularly with tepid water if you've time. I also then pollenate mine myself by taking the petals off the male flower and insert this in to the female flowers. Feed the plants then once a week when the fruits start to swell. Sounds a bit more tricky than it is.

[lisa80]

Thanks for advice will have a good look at it later and see if i can sort some contraption to help it out a bit!

[Rangerkris]

Do they have to be grown in a frame or greenhouse

[Kristen]

I train mine upwards 

I have horizontal wires attached to the "walls" of my greenhouse, and a vertical cane attached to them.  Train the plant up the cane and pinch out at 5' - 6'. Laterals are trained to horizontal wires and stopped at 5 leaves, and the sub-laterals at two leaves beyond the first female flower. Fruits are support with old tights / stockings etc.

I've only ever grown them in a greenhouse, and that is hard enough to get 3 or 4 fruit per plant such that I think that outdoor crops are likely to disappoint.