[carlrmj]

Hi,I was thinking of growing melons this year.

I have never grown them before and was wondering how difficult it would be, what type to grow,and whether or not they are worth the effort.
 
I have a small polytunnel,but can you grow outside under cloches

Thanks Carl

[NASH]

I think they are easy to grow but it is all down to how sunny you find your location in the UK is.

[GreenThumbs]

Same here Carl, I selected Emir F1 to try from DT Brown. Happy to share notes on how mine do (planted four seeds in propagator earlier this week).

[Trillium]

Melons are the one crop you can't fudge with poor soil. Grow them in a large container, raised bed or grow bag that has good rich soil with lots of manure. And be prepared to water regularly.  They aren't difficult but they are hungry and need regular water to do well. Over watering is just as bad if you get a lot of rain. A temporary shelter should help.

They're also frost sensitive so you might need to cover them for a while in spring and again in fall until they ripen. If you don't get enough sun and warmth, they might not do well so a cold frame or greenhouse is ideal.

[gobs]

As said, they are not difficult at all. More like a question of weather, along the line of pumpkins, but more tender and less prolific generally. Commercial growers only count with 3-5 fruits per plant of best varieties.

So do not ope for much, but not much needs doing though.

[Ian_A]

they are easy in a greenhouse, if well supported and if the weather remains warm and the greenhouse gets the sun. Go for it - the smell and flavour of grown melon is second to none

I did several plants in the greenhouse  - along with something I had never done (Lychees) and was sooooo impressed with the yield of each. But the main greenhouse on my plot in which I put these is in a very sunny position which helps big time

[Junie]

I tried to grow some here the year before last,as each farmer seems to do a field full each year.  We have the sun, but I do not think I watered them enough, they need plenty of water, more than anything else  I have grown!

[gobs]

All that. But to recommend a variety that seems to be sticking up to our weather most summers: Ogen.

[stompy]

If your a first timer then grow sweetheart F1

Good yield and easy to grow/ripen.

Have a look at this thread. . . .

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=80569.0

[dig4victory]

I can't remember the melon I grew a few years ago but it was in a largish tub in our little plastic 4 shelf shed thingy.

It got very hot in there at times and they do need a lot of water but I think they are like any cucumber plant.  I got just 3 smallish fruits (probably due to pot size restriction) but they were so sweet!

[JayG]

I can't remember the melon I grew a few years ago but it was in a largish tub in our little plastic 4 shelf shed thingy.

It got very hot in there at times and they do need a lot of water but I think they are like any cucumber plant.  I got just 3 smallish fruits (probably due to pot size restriction) but they were so sweet!

Mine weren't! The sweetheart melons did well, the oh-so-expensive F1 cukes, er, didn't! 

[angelavdavis]

I can't remember the melon I grew a few years ago but it was in a largish tub in our little plastic 4 shelf shed thingy.

It got very hot in there at times and they do need a lot of water but I think they are like any cucumber plant.  I got just 3 smallish fruits (probably due to pot size restriction) but they were so sweet!

Mine weren't! The sweetheart melons did well, the oh-so-expensive F1 cukes, er, didn't! 

Did you grow the melons and cukes together?  Last year my cukes were great - until my melon plants started flowering - the cross pollination turned the cukes bitter.  I removed the melon plants to elsewhere, but the cukes never did recover and all the crop was bitter after that.

This year, I am going to cover my pallet compost heap with clear corrigated plastic sheets (attached to a small water butt).  I will then top the heap up with some manure and plant the melons into the top, so they effectively have a fairly hot and fertile environment in which to grow - away from my cukes!

[JayG]

Mine weren't! The sweetheart melons did well, the oh-so-expensive F1 cukes, er, didn't! 

Did you grow the melons and cukes together?  Last year my cukes were great - until my melon plants started flowering - the cross pollination turned the cukes bitter.  I removed the melon plants to elsewhere, but the cukes never did recover and all the crop was bitter after that.[

They were grown together but the cukes didn't live long enough to cross-pollinate with anything (thanks for reminding me!)