Growing Ogen Melons

Does anyone have any hints and tips regarding growing Ogen melons?
I'm intending gowing one or possibly two in a polytunnel.
Any ideas regarding how many melons I could expect to get from one plant?

 

You should expect to get 4-5 decent fruits per plant, but it depends on how long you want to train the growth.
SOWING, PLANTING, CULTIVATION---
sow the seed under cover in early spring, preferably in 3" pots, 2 per pot, removing the weaker one if both germinate. when risk of frost has past, harden off, and plant 3' apart, or in deep pots.
after 5 leaves have developed, pinch out the growing tips to encourage further shoots.
when these are well developed, reduce them to about 4 of the most vigorous shoots. Train 2 shoots on either side, between adjacent plants.
when the flowers start to appear, as you will be growing them inside, you may have to hand pollenate.
thin to 1 friut per shoot when they are about 1" dia. and stop all the sub-laterals at 2-3 leaves beyond the developing fruits. Pinch out the main shoots when they are 3-4' long, and remove any further sub-laterals that form.
place a slab, matting, or plank of wood on ground under the fruit to protect from soil borne deseases.
water regulary, feed every10-14 days with liquid feed [tomorite] when fruits begin to develope.
reduce feed and watering as fruits ripen....hope you get some good fruit...

 

Very many thanks Rossco. I've searched all over the web for info but you've come up trumps!

Dave

 

Thanks it sounds like hard work!! I probably will end up with nothing again..as i am useless at melons and aubergines i have never grown one yet ..allthough i will do as you say and see what emerges..thank you..

 

I've not tried recently, but some years ago now I used to grow them.
I always got the impession that they needed a longer summer, they would really be going well and then september would come and all growth seemed to stop.
I used to get a few small melons, but not as far as I'm concerned worth all the effort.
They like high night temperatures I reckon, something that we cant guarantee in this country, along with bright sunny conditions.
Hope you have more sucsess than me Dave.

 

It's sitting in the polytunnel Pete and about 3 inches tall. Gets tucked up at night with a couple of layers of fleece.
With global warming or a good summer I might be lucky.

Then again I might not! :(

 

It cant hurt to try, good luck.

 

mine have now germinated..so thats one step in the right direction!!..all i will end up with is stalks...

 

Not the same vareity. I put mine in March and keep them warm in conservatory and house if frosty. They are slow to start mine are only small at this moment about 4" high but look ok. I grow Unwins Sweetheart 4 to a plant, they grow to a resonable size but not a big as in the greengrocers. They will let you know when they are ready by the lovely sweet smell. Pollination is done by hand the male flower is placed in the female flower and wriggled about[ I look the other way] its all coming back to me, and with a bit of luck late autumn [ depending on the summer] some nice melons will be available. They are so juicy and sweet. Not always though sometimes it goes wrong cold nights etc the fruit then are small or just do not develop. I grow mine behind the tomatoes and away from too much direct sunlight.