[cAnAry53]

I AM CONSIDERING MAKING A HOTBED ON MY ALLOTMENT PROBABLY FOR MELONS,ANYONE TRIED THIS BEFORE AND CAN PASS ON ADVICE/OPINION?

[Poolfield2]

Hi Canary53, welcome to the forum, pop along to the welcome bit and say hi to everyone. I'm sure someone who knows about such things will find this soon.

[Trillium]

Canary53, could you please use lower case letters as upper case is the equivalent of shouting at people. Thanks.

[peapod]

Maybe this would get more replies in GYO? Marvellous mods, do your thing 

[Poolfield2]

Maybe this would get more replies in GYO? Marvellous mods, do your thing 

Canary that means Grow Your Own section on the forum home page.

[peapod]

Maybe this would get more replies in GYO? Marvellous mods, do your thing 

Canary that means Grow Your Own section on the forum home page.

Yep thats the one 

[lacewing]

Hotbeds are hard work and I think I read somewhere that the heat only lasts about six weeks.

[Yorkie]

They use hotbeds at Heligan in Cornwall to grow pineapples.  Lots of manure is needed to retain the heat, and they have walls and ducting to maximise the ambient temperature. 

You could perhaps try growing your melons in a warm compost heap / manure heap (check it's aminopyralid-free) but I doubt you'll get the heat generated by the professional gardeners.

[DIGGER]

Regret no advise,did read about them once and have seen them,the idea being superceeded by the heated greenhouse.

Depending where you are based they can sometimes be seen in action at some gardens.
Barnsdale nr Oakham for example.

There is a programme on the television at present relating to Victorian gardening,I have not seen it but i would imagine it being covered on that.