Melons
Selection and Planting
Melon Varieties
Melons come in all shapes, sizes, and tastes. This category is very extensive and includes common melons cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelons.
Melons come in all shapes and sizes. Plants that produce large melons generally produce fewer of them. So if you are more into large numbers of fruit, selecting smaller varieties makes that possible.
Seeded vs Seedless Watermelon: For those who want to grow watermelon, the first question that comes to mind is if growing seedless melons is possible and if so, how. Well, yes, it is possible but it is trickier than the seeded varieties and isn’t recommended for new gardeners. In order to grow a seedless watermelon,\ you will need a seeded watermelon to serve as the pollinator plant. This plant must be located adjacent to your seedless watermelon to increase the likelihood of pollinating insects successfully transferring the pollen. Many seed suppliers provide an inedible seeded variety to plant with your seedless type to serve as the pollinator plant. If you don’t want to take up valuable garden space with an inedible fruit, you can plant an edible seeded variety next to the seedless watermelon. Do not spray any insect-killing chemicals on your watermelon plant as bees and other pollinating insects are required to pollinate the plants.
Planting
Melons in Rose Tree Garden can be grown from both direct seeding as well as healthy transplants purchased from reputable garden centers. If you are new to gardening, you should transplant your melons.
Melons shouldn’t be transplanted into your garden before mid May. Wait until the nightly soil temperatures reach 75 degrees F. Use the information from the Rose Tree Garden Weather Station to know when to plant. Melons do not grow well (and seeds will not germinate in) soil that is too cold. Be patient. If you would like to speed up the process, cover the growing area with a black plastic sheet at least 2 weeks before you plant to transplant your watermelon. This will allow the soil to warm up, improving the growth of your plants.
Spacing of melon plants can vary based on the variety. Generally, two seeds will be planted next to each other and those will be spaced 2-3 feet apart in rows 6 feet apart. Do not thin the plants and let the two melons grow next to each other as they will fill in available gaps on the ground.
When transplanting your melons, be very careful not to damage the roots and stems because they can be delicate. Water the plant well.
Growing Melons
Pests
Melons are susceptible to a number of pests. Regularly check the plants for signs of insect damage. Be aware of the pests that frequent melons and use the links below to determine the best ways to control them.
Diseases
Melons can be susceptible to many diseases including powdery mildew, downy mildew, and leaf spot. These diseases generally form on weakened plants or those grown in poor conditions such as high humidity. Regularly monitor the health of your plants and be quick to act when issues are discovered. Below is a list of three steps you can take to improve your chance of growing healthy squash plants
- Plant spacing: Melons plants that are positioned too close together will result in higher levels of humidity near the leaves due to air not being able to move between the plants. Making sure to give plants plenty of space will improve airflow and reduce the likelihood of disease
- Watering: Avoid directly spraying the leaves of the plant as this may increase the spread of disease. If you must wet the leaves, do so in the morning so the leaves will dry quickly in the sunlight.
- Crop rotation: A number of plant diseases come from a slow buildup in the soil over a period of time. Crop rotation (not growing plants in the same place every year) will keep the amount of soil disease low. Every year, move your plants to a different part of your garden.
Watermelon plants infected with downy mildew will show dark spots on leaves which may curl as the disease progresses. The dark spots will take on a fuzzy appearance, especially on the bottom of the leaves. The fruit and stem are not affected.
Watering
Melons plants demand large amounts of water, especially when producing fruit. Because of this they tend to have extensive root systems to extract water deep within the soil. Regularly check the moisture levels of the plant through the help of the Rose Tree Garden Weather Data. Water your plants when the soil moisture decreases or the garden has not received at least 1″ of rainfall in the past week.
When watering, be sure to avoid overhead sprinkling as this increases the likelihood of soil-borne diseases spreading to the plant. Water slowly at the base of the plant over a period of an hour to encourage deep root growth. Long and infrequent watering encourages the plant to focus on root development which will enable it to survive through periods of drought.
Weed Control
Keep area under plants clear of weeds to prevent competition. Because of the leaf density, only hand weeding is encouraged. Reduce the weed pressure by following our Weed Prevention suggestions.
Harvesting
Melon harvesting varies depending on the melon. Cantaloupes should be harvested when the netting becomes rough and the tendrils turn brown and dry. At this point gently pull and twist the melon and if it is ripe, it will pull away from the vine easily.
For watermelon and honeydew, look for the tendrils nearest the fruit to turn brown and die. Sometimes its best to wait for the nearest two tendrils to die before you harvest. You also want to wait for the bottom of the fruit to turn from green to yellow. As a last check, a ripe melon will sound different than an unripe melon when you tap on it. It will take time to become familiar with the signs so you will learn as you pick more fruit.