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Re: Melon update-can we compare notes?

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Erica and all,

I was also a first-time melon grower this year. My variety was Honey Bun dwarf 
cantaloupes. In April, I had a little trouble getting them to germinate, so I 
kept putting another 1-2 seeds in each of the 8 spots. I allowed four square 
feet for each plant. Soon, I had 4-6 sprouts in each spot. (I guess I wasn't 
patient enough -- it took about three weeks for them to sprout.) I thinned down 
to one plant in each spot after they got their second set of leaves.

After that, things seemed to be progressing OK. I had bushy growth, vines, and 
a lot of flowers, but no melons. Most of the flowers were hidden under the 
leaves, and I wondered if that was why no melons were forming. 

As soon as the weather heated up (end of June), I saw 1-2 small melons forming 
on some of the higher flowers. But, alas, I went on a 16-day vacation, during 
which we had a terrible heat wave, and when I got back, the melons were water 
stressed and covered with small white, sticky  bugs and ants. Within a few 
days, they were all so sick I had to pull them out.

So, good luck with your one plant! I hope it makes it! I'm planning to try 
again next year (and I'm not going on vacation!).

Elizabeth
Cary, NC, USA, Zone 7b


> I'm the one trying to grow melons for the first time--Jenny Lind type in =
> cinderblock bed on a square tomato cage as a trellis.  Since this is my =
> first time, I don't know if my results are weird or not.  Any tips or =
> explanations will be welcome.
> 
> First off, I planted 4 seeds directly outside.  Only 1 came up.  =
> Thinking some had been eaten by birds, etc., I planted 4 in pots inside, =
> soaking them first.  Still only 1 out of 4 came up.  I never got a =
> chance to get that one planted out, so I have 1 plant going.  Is getting =
> the seeds started always this difficult?
> 
> It started blossoming when it was small, but I can't detect any melons =
> forming low on the plant where they were.  It has grown a lot, on the =
> tomato cage and on the branches of neighboring tomato plants.  More =
> blossoms up higher on the plant, but only 1 appears to be turning into a =
> melon as yet.  I am wondering why--the heat, the fact that I only have 1 =
> plant, or is it too early in the season?  I am in So. Jersey, zone 6b.  =
> Is there some nutrient it might be missing?  The bed is made up of =
> compost, manure and a little perlite and I've only given it fish and =
> kelp emulsions.  I hoped to have at least 2 fruits so my husband could =
> take a picture of Erica and her melons. ;)
> 
> Thanks for any advice,
> Erica


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