Melon madness
The 3 melon plants that Ruth gave me earlier this summer are now down to one. The other two withered and died when I was away for a few days which was a shame but completely my fault.
This remaining plant is thriving on my south-facing patio and I am keeping a very close eye on its progress.The leaves are healthy and there have been 4 flowers but, to date, no fruit has emerged.
I read that melons like companion planting so I have put them next to the morning glory and nasturtuim in the hope that they might attract bees for pollination.
It would be great to have some horticultural advice on growing melons. I lovingly spray, feed and water about 3 times a day and tuck the little darling up with two cloches at night - maybe I am missing something?
Rumour has it that we are in for an Indian summer in September/October which would be perfect timing for ripening the fruit - if I can just get them to appear!
Filed in Climate Change, Climate Change in my garden, Vegetables One Response so far
Lucy Corrander on 07 Aug 2008 at 7:30 am #
Hello, I just dropped by from Blotanical because I was interested to see another British Blog.
I’ve never grown melons . . . so what I’m about to say may be totally irrelevant . . . but, in case they are like pumpkins and squash . . . which they may not be . . . it’s just that they look similar . . . um round and on the ground . . .
If the trouble is pollination . . . with pumpkins and squash, the female flowers have a sort of rudimentary fruit at their base. The male flowers don’t. And they don’t necessarily appear at the same time. Which is irritating - and means fertilisation may need a little active help in the brief time when they overlap.
A soft paintbrush, wielded by the squash-carer works very well as a subsititute for a bee. So maybe melon growers have to do the same?
Of course, if you never get the two kinds of flower even remotely overlapping - well, you sort of have to enjoy the leaves.
This may or may not be helpful. As I say, I’ve never tried to grow a melon but . . . even if it isn’t . . . hello!
Lucy Corrander
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