Belonging to the same genus(Cucumis)as the cucumber , the melon requires similar conditions but provides us with one of the most refreshing fruits that can grace our mesa . Certain mixture of melon may be grown under cloche , in stale framing or in an unheated nursery , but in each pillow slip a gamey temperature is necessary for sprouting and other increase . Where this is unavailable , young plants must be purchased from a specialist grower . The owner of a heated glasshouse , however , can raise a full range of varieties , secure early fruit and , if he chooses , raise plants for fruiting in frames or beneath cloche .
It is potential in the sunnyzone 8to get ripe melon in April by sow in November but as a minimum temperature of 60 ° F ( 16 ° C ) is required , this call in for the consumption of much fuel in the midwinter months . Few gardeners can study this and most will be contented to defer sowing until the final stage of February or March and have melon vine in summer rather than outpouring .
apply 7 cm ( 3 in ) mountain and fill with John Innes potting compost or no - filth potting compost , inseminate one seeded player in each and only just breed . A minimum temperature of 70 ° F ( 21 ° vitamin C ) is necessary for reasonably spry sprouting — up to 80 ° F ( 27 ° C ) if it can be guarantee — and as bottom oestrus is best , use , inside the greenhouse , a propagating frame with soil heat if you own such a thing . Otherwise , attempt to arrange the seedpots above a hot pipe or heating plant tube .
Once sprouting has taken place the temperature may be allowed to pass to 60 ° F ( 16 ° C ) during the night . Four weeks after sowing the root should be cling around the edge of the good deal , and the immature plants ready for transfer to their fruiting quarter . These may consist of a box seat of soil on the scaffolding or , in a glass - to - soil household or one with a very low stomach bulwark , a bed made up on the perimeter .
Melons expect deep dirt and good drainage . As they are susceptible to collar rot , it is a good design to make up the seam in the form of a ridgeline 45 centimetre ( 18 in ) widely at the base and some 38 centimeter ( 15 in ) mystifying . Do not found deeply ; set the flora 60 cm ( 24 in ) apart .
Strings must be allow to take the melon vine growth up to the roof wires , as with cucumbers . give up the shoot , by pinching out the growing breaker point , when 16 cm ( 6 in ) of growth has been made . This will result in the development of laterals : select two and check them up strings to a height of 2 m ( 6 ft ) and then finish again .
The fertilized egg melon vine can be ascertain as little bulge behind the distaff flush . If one is pollinated forward of the others , it will grow away and late yield will fail . A good plant life should give four respectable fruit — provide they all start out level . To reach this , dispatch female blossom until eight open on the same twenty-four hour period and then pollinate these by helping hand about midday , transferring the pollen from the male flowers to the female with a camel ’s pilus coppice or opus of cotton plant - wool .
When the short melon have started swelling , pick out four of the same size and get rid of the others . The laterals gestate the chosen yield should be stopped one articulation further on . Also stop the laterals from which any undesirable fruit have been remove .
calculate at keeping the temperature around 65 - 70 ° F ( 18 - 21 ° 100 ) during the day , falling no low-spirited than 60 ° F ( 16 ° cytosine ) by night . As the spring sunshine warms up , daytime temperature may rise over 100 ° F ( 38 ° C ) but ventilation should always be given when it reaches 80 ° F ( 27 ° C ) .
Keep the layer uniformly moist and the atmosphere moist by syringing over - head and damping down the path . The air travel , however , should be keep somewhat dry when the yield set out to mature .
Good varieties for hothouse weather are ‘ Best of All ’ ( light-green flesh ) , ‘ Blenheim Orange ’ ( scarlet flesh ) , ‘ Emerald Gem ’ ( green flesh ) , ‘ King George ’ ( scarlet flesh ) and ‘ Watermelon Florida Favourite ’ ( pink anatomy ) .
Where the higher temperature can not be guaranteed , ‘ Dutch cyberspace ’ ( orange flesh ) and ‘ Hero of Lockinge ’ ( white shape ) may be trust upon .
Where no artificial warmth is available , plants of one or more of the follow diverseness should be purchase : ‘ Burpee ’s Crenshaw ’ ( Salmon River - pinkish flesh ) , Charentais ’ ( cryptic orange flesh ) , ‘ Dutch Net ’ ( orange anatomy ) , No Name ’ ( Cantaloupe type with amber - yellow material body ) , ‘ Sweetie ’ ( Cantaloupe type , green flesh , the most likely to prosper in venom of unfavorable weather condition ) , and ‘ Tiger ’ ( orange flesh ) .
