Melons

GrannieAnnie · « **on:** June 23, 2006, 21:58 »

I'm growing melons for the first time. 2 plants are in the polytunnel in the ground and the other 3 that germinated are in pots in the small greenhouse. They all look wonderful, lots of flowers, but they all seem to be male flowers. Do I have sterile plants?

Oliveview · « **Reply #1 on:** June 23, 2006, 22:20 »

How do you know the difference between male and female flowers Ann? Thought I´d have a go at growing them next year in my garden!! (From Tuesday all being well now)

supersprout · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2006, 06:00 »

Lady flowers have a little bump behind them, male flowers have a stalk

If you grow squash, it's just the same - but melon flowers are amazingly small, so you have to look a bit closer.

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2006, 22:21 »

Mmmmm, I know the melon flowers are smaller than my cucumber flowers, but they definitely look all male, however, saying that, my first courgettes had male flowers first, then the females came, so I will be patient.

Hi Oliveview, like supersprout says, the male flower just has a stalk behing it, the females have litle 'bumps' which grow into melons. Same as cucumbers and courgettes and things. Melons should do well out in sunny Spain, however, although my courgettes are doing really well outside, the ones in the plytunnel kept shrivelling up, so I put them outside to and they've perked up. So they don't like the tunnel. The cucumbers seem to like the tunnel though, strange eh???

stompy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2006, 09:58 »

I'm growing an oragen mellon, does anyone know if it is a climer or a ground dweller. :?

It also has 4 main stems, do i let these all grow or treat it like a tomato plant and just have one main stem. :?

It's doing realy well.

milkman · « **Reply #5 on:** June 26, 2006, 11:37 »

I'm growing melons too this year. Previous year's efforts have failed miserably but so far so good this year. I have four plants now in the greenhouse. They all seemed to start off producing male flowers only, but now they all have a mix of male and female flowers and now I think I even have a small bump of a melon that's growing in size. Did attempt to do a bit of tickling from flower to flower with the end of a bit of twine but now am just letting nature take it's course. Am not doing much to them except watering them every day with liquid seaweed feed every now and again. If I ever get a melon of edible quality I will post a pic on this excellent site!

Oliver · « **Reply #6 on:** June 26, 2006, 12:00 »

She is growing melons for the third time (In the poly) - the first year nothing happened (variety 'NoName' ?Suttons seed).
Last year - one plant, many male flowers. (?Name dunno - the 'lacy' skin type wth orange flesh). Eventually got two females. Waited to make sure the fruit was doing something - sometimes it just falls off. Then cut off all the branches with no fruit. Left three leaves above the growing stalks with the fruits and cut off the rest. Did some tickling with a paintbrush. Something must have happened because she finished up with two golfballs - in size and feel! they tasted ok, though.
This year got one plant and four stalks. Two of which have females as the second flower, all the rest are males so far. The fruits are half the size of golfballs already so things are going great guns early on. Have not any tickling so perhaps something else has been having a go? Will wait a little longer to see is the fruit does not drop off then will cut the other stalks off and leave the fruit to mature! If she gets anything worthwhile will post it up to the site! :shock:

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #7 on:** June 26, 2006, 22:41 »

Thanks Oliver, and hopefully my melons will have some female flowers too soon!!!

supersprout · « **Reply #8 on:** June 26, 2006, 22:50 »

Quote from: "stompy"

I'm growing an oragen mellon, does anyone know if it is a climer or a ground dweller. :?

It also has 4 main stems, do i let these all grow or treat it like a tomato plant and just have one main stem. :?

It's doing realy well.

Then let it go - four main stems is recommended. If you want to make it climb to save space, you can - or let it trail, whichever fits your situation best. Good luck!

stompy · « **Reply #9 on:** June 27, 2006, 10:04 »

Thanks supersprout.

I will let one stem climb and the others will go allong the ground. :idea:

I will see which ones do best. :shock:

Oliver · « **Reply #10 on:** June 27, 2006, 11:49 »

She has a long face this morning - one of her melons has dropped off. The other one is still doing well (at the moment). It is about 50 mm long and 20 in diameter. Fortunately there are still three branches - one going up the mesh the other two dangling towards the ground. she will support the growing fruit in a sort of hairnet if it does anything!

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #11 on:** July 10, 2006, 22:15 »

YIPPEE, I've got melons!!!! Fingers crossed, some of them will stay on the plant!!!!!!

Oliver · « **Reply #12 on:** July 11, 2006, 12:06 »

Her Melon - Lunabel - is doing very well. It is now being supported in a net and is nearly as big as it should be, hold thumbs. took a pic about 2 weeks ago). Can' type very well holding thuns...

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