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[Back to Main Fruit Page]

Melons
Sowing	Planting		Pruning and Care		Harvesting
	Cold Frame	Greenhouse	Cold Frame	Greenhouse
Sow seed, edgeways, in mid or late April. Cover pots with glass and keep at at least 18 degrees C. Once germinated remove glass and keep at 16 degrees C. Plant out when seedling has 3-4 true leaves.	Harden off and plant out in late May. Mound up soil in the cold frame. Plant seeding in the mound leaving 1 inch of soil ball above the surface. Water in. Close lights and cover if sun is bright.	Place grow bag on the floor or staging against the side of the greenhouse. Create adequate support. Plant two seedlings in each bag leaving 1 inch of the soil ball above the surface. Water in. Place a six foot long cane behind each plant.	At the first sight of new growth remove shading and increase ventilation. Once the fifth true leaf has formed pinch out the growing point. About three weeks later select the four best shoots and train one to each corner of the frame. Once the flowers appear, open the lights during the day. When the fruits are the size of marbles remove all but one from each shoot and pinch out the stem two leaves beyond the fruit. Keep soil moist, water regularly but reduce when melons start to ripen. Feed regularly with high-potash liquid fertiliser when the fruits are the size of golf balls and continue until they ripen. Control the ventilation according to the weather and shade if necessary. Whilst ripening place each melon on a support to avoid rotting.	When the plants reach the top of the cane remove the growing point. Pinch out the growing tip of each lateral when five leaves have been produced. Male and female flowers are produced separately. Male have a thin stalk behind the petals and females have a tiny melon behind the petals. When six female flowers, one per lateral, are open remove a male flower, fold back the petals and push it onto the female flower. When the fruits are the size of marbles remove all but one from each shoot and pinch out the stem two leaves beyond the fruit. Keep soil moist, water regularly but reduce when melons start to ripen. Feed regularly with high-potash liquid fertiliser when the fruits are the size of golf balls and continue until they ripen. When the fruit reaches the size of a tennis ball, support each one in a net attached to the support wires.	Melons are ripe when the end away from the stalk gives when gently pressed and the stalk end develops a circular crack. It should come away easily from the stalk. Will keep for a few days in the fridge.

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