Growing melons/watermelons

Has anyone tried growing melons and watermelons? I bought some seeds of Alvaro and Mini Love from Thompson and Morgan. I sowed them in April and May but the plants are still very small (in 12cm ish pots). I've never grown melons before so I'm not sure how far behind they are to grow this year, and whether to just bin them and start earlier next year. Thanks

 

We did (melons) 2 years ago in our tunnel. They were very small but we did harvest them and they were very sweet and very edible. No idea of the variety.

 

Thank you both for your replies and JWK for the link. I don't have a greenhouse or polytunnel so would be growing them outside and probably in pots. It would be sensible of me to forget about it for this year and start earlier next year but I'm too tempted! Good luck JWK with yours!

 

Perhaps you could grow them outdoors in a sheltered spot for now and once the fruit start forming, bring indoors to continue the warm season?

If you have a conservatory or a bright, large window you might be lucky and get more melons than pests- everything is worth a try!

 

Update to this..

I think the local foxes thought it was crazy for me to attempt watermelons this year so made the decision for me about a week after I'd planted it :( (it had it's first tiny fruit growing on it as well!). Oh well, next year. I still have an Alvaro melon plant which is so far untouched. Hope yours are doing well JWK!

 

I have tried Minnesota Midget, two in the greenhouse and a spare one that I planted outside and put a frame over. One of the greenhouse ones rotted at the root and the other hasn't set fruit yet. But the outside one has a fruit about the size of an orange and a couple of baby ones set. Next year I'm trying Alvaro as it's an F1 and might be more vigorous. I'm not giving up yet having seen the price of melons in the supermarket.

 

When you move them into larger pots try to ensure the crown of the plant (where the roots meet the main stem) is slightly raised above the compost - a mini mound.
They can easily succumb to rot if the crown is wet for too long. Planting them just slightly proud of the compost should stop that.
The same goes for cucumbers.
Good luck next year and I hope the outside ones do well for you this year

 

Thanks Pete8, I tried some ring things which were going free at the community garden. You put the plant in the middle and water in the outer ring. As I had 4 rings I put 2 tomatoes in them too but I didn't see any improvement, I don't thik I'll bother next year.

 

I grew some melons outside last year, a cantaloupe type and a watermelon, supposedly especially bred to our cool climate..

I planted them in a bed that was covered with black landscape fabric, idea being the black would heat up the soil.

I ended up with not much TBH, they took ages to produce female flowers, which did set, but not a great crop which was pretty much on the way out in September.

The weather last year was not good, very changeable and no really warm nights, which I think melons like, they dont really like ups and downs in temperature.

 

Hi All,

I've also given watermelon a go this year, had most germinate in the Spring and gave a few plants away, keeping 4 in the greenhouse. Had plenty of tiny fruits start to develop but one seems to have taken off:



I would say it is the size of a tennis ball now! No others seem to want to follow suit so I was thinking for this plant in particular, should I prune it right back so that all energy goes into this one fruit??