Guidelines for Cultivating Melons from Seeds
Stuck in the cold? Grow luscious melons in your greenhouse with this simple guide
Got a green thumb and a greenhouse? You could be tucking into juicy homemade melons in no time! Melons are a close cousin to cucumbers and need similar growing conditions to thrive. Here's an easy-peasy guide to grow mouth-watering kicks of cantaloupe and honeydew melons in the UK!
What You'll Need:- Melon seeds- 9cm pots- Seed compost- A heated propagator- 30cm pots- Potting compost- Plant supports- Plant ties- Liquid feed- A pair of tights or netting
Let's Get Started!
Sowing Your Seeds:1. Sow 2 seeds per pot of seed compost in a 9cm pot. Water well and place the pots in a propagator at a temperature of at least 18°C (65°F). Keep it well-lit.2. Leave them to germinate, then remove the weaker sprout and keep the compost moist.3. After the first true leaves emerge, reduce the temperature in the propagator to around 15°C (59°F).
Time for the Big Leagues:1. Plant out in late spring to early summer.2. Pinch out the main growing point to encourage sideshoots. Add a plant support, like a bamboo cane, and water well.
Growing Tips:1. As the plants get stronger, tie the main stem to a support and keep the compost moist.2. Weekly liquid feed will encourage strong growth, and pinching out sideshoots after three or four leaves keeps the plant from getting too crowded.
Love is in the (Green) Air:1. Both male and female flowers bloom. Female flowers have a developing fruit, while male flowers have a thin stem. To ensure pollination, you may need to hand-pollinate them in a greenhouse.2. On a warm, sunny day, when the flowers are fully open, gently move the male flower into the female bloom to transfer the pollen.
Plenty More Where That Came From:Growing watermelons or Canary melons is possible, but cantaloupes and honeydews are the easiest melons to cultivate in the UK. Happy planting, and enjoy your sweet harvest!
With your greenhouse and love for home-and-garden lifestyle, you can grow various types of melons like cantaloupe and honeydew. As these melons are akin to cucumbers, tending to them with similar conditions will yield delectable results.
