Grow Your Own Magazine

is it possible to grow melons in britain from seed and if so how would you advise that i go about it. i've got a greenhouse but it's un-heated

I had a go this year, in the greenhouse, as you say, (unheated). They germinated fine, and put on a few feet of growth, but not much more than that. I ended pulling them up as they were taking up valuable space and putting in peppers instead. I reckon you could do it in a warm year.

i've got 2 types of melon growing, one from a packet, one from a melon, dunno if i'll get any fruit, but they are just flowering now, as are my squash/pumpkins and courgettes, so i'm not giving up hope yet ..... i'm sure if i'd planted them earlier than the beginning of june they would be huge now ..... i'm growing them out in the garden, after germinating them indoors.

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"dunno if i'll get any fruit, but they are just flowering no"

Sorry Lynda66 but I rather doubt it - its getting a bit late in the season

I've grown melons, on and off, in the greenhouse for years. The book says you should be able to get 4 per plant, I normally get 1 or 2 per plant.

Can't beat the smell of ripe melons when you open the greenhouse door in the morning! but they are a bit of a luxury crop - in terms of yield-to-space-needed

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K's Garden blog last update 3rd August 2008

Doubtful you get any in the greenhouse, if you fail to pollinate them, unfortunately.

I've got some melons in my plastic greenhouse. The fruit are setting now, it took ages to set because of the cool, wet weather. I have one that is a decent size which I hope to eat, but I'm not holding out to much hope for any more. Will try again next year though, and hope that the weather is a bit less rubbish!!

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Have had no problem growing melons in my unheated greenhouse this year, we potted up 6 plants in each tub and have had in excess of 20 fully ripe fruit and they are still coming. Maybe just beginners luck for me but I can honestly say I have at least a further 10 melons growing.

Topaz: what variety are you growing?

Thanks.

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K's Garden blog last update 3rd August 2008

Well dome Topaz. I tried them for the first time this year in the conservatory. The seeds germinated no problem and the plants grew vigorously - maybe a bit too vigorously. They flowered well, both male and female flowers, but despite my best efforts with a paint brush, no fruit set. I'm not going to bother with them again.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

I grew Ogen, Sweetheart and Galia. Have saved the seed from each if anyone's interested.

i have just dug out a half eaten melon that i put in the bin yesterday scooped out loads of seeds onto kitchen paper what do i do with them now?

rinse them and allow them to dry in a bowl or similar item, don't dry them on kitchen paper as it tends to stick to them and you'll have a devil of a job getting it off. When dry store them away till next year

yeah, i guess, but i'm not giving up yet, my pumpkins arent supposed to be ready till Halloween, and you never know, we may get 2 months of glorious sunshine now

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Hi
I've got two large and deep raised beds against the side of my shed and I planted a melon there and put two old window frames propped against the shed for protection. Melons have grown, but they are quite small and I doubt with the weather as it is that they will grow much better but with a good summer would have got four melons.
Sue

"we may get 2 months of glorious sunshine now"

I'm off to put my hat in the oven at Gas Mark 5 for 10 minutes to make it slightly less chewy

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K's Garden blog last update 3rd August 2008

Hi Topaz thanks for that but when do i plant next year thanks belle

will be nice served with custard ...... well it's sunny this morning

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How many tubs did you have, Topaz?

I find Ogen good, too.

i'm going to try next year with "collective farm woman", a melon which is supposed to ripen in moscow!!!!so who knows might do well here.
anyone tried it before?
i'm hoping getting seed especially for colder climes and poor summers might help!

I grew a couple of plants this year on my new allotment - they grew far larger than I'd anticipated and took up lots of room (which wasnt a problem for me, being a first timer with space), attracted lots of bees which alone has to be a good thing, and I had one melon per plant. Next year I shall look after them a bit better, I rather ignored them this year, and hope for two per plant (greedy? Who, moi?!). If you have the space, then go for it, but fairly early in the season to give them plenty of 'summertime (I almost jest) to grow.

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You will not be pleased to hear this, Mandi, but Moscow enjoys a rather hot continental summer.

I grew 18 plants in total so 3 tubs in all, greenhouse looks like an invasion of the triffids but hey so much fruit for hubby to enjoy ( i dont like melon)
I had in excess of 60 plants to start with but gave them away to other people.
I planted mine in February in an unheated greenhouseand planted them up in tubs in May

I think I must have sowed mine far too late then (May) - will try again next year and start them off early. I'm not having them in the GH though, I think, I'll stick them on the lottie under one of those plastic tunnels.

I tidied mine up today and found LOADS of set fruit. I have kept one per plant so if we get those 2 months of glorious weather I might have as many as 4 melons yet! Realistically, 2 of them are still very small (one an elongated golf ball and the other slightly smaller) but I have hopes for the other two (about tennis ball sized or a bit bigger). They are F1 Sweethearts.

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thanks for all the help and advice. seeds washed and drying just have to wait now