Frost tolerant No. Feeding After plants set fruit, feed twice, at two week intervals, with a water soluble plant food. Companions Marigold, Sweetcorn, Nasturtium and Oregano. Spacing Single Plants: 90cm 2' 11" each way minimum Rows: 90cm 2' 11" with 90cm 2' 11" row gap minimum Sow and Plant Best direct sown once soil has warmed and there is no longer a risk of frost.
As they require a long growing season, melons are best started indoors about 3 weeks before the last frost of the season. Keep medium moist while awaiting germination. Additionally, Honeydew melon seeds will show better germination rates with heat.
In case if you miss this: Growing Leafy Vegetables on Terrace. Step 2 If you live in a climate with a short growing season or cool springtime temperatures, it can be better to start Honeydew melon plants indoors. Plant them about 3 weeks before your last expected frost date.
Step 3 To get a head start on melons or in areas with a short growing season, start transplants from seeds indoors about 3 to 4 weeks before the frost-free date. Plant seeds about 1 inch deep in sterile seed-starting media. A heat mat or warm germination location promotes earlier seed germination. Roots grow quickly on Honeydew melons, so be sure to use a large enough starting container.
A 2-inch diameter pot or 6-ounce yogurt cup with drainage holes will accommodate a Honeydew melon seedling for the 3 to 4-week period, but the melon plants become root-bound left in that size container much longer. Step 4 When the Honeydew melon seedlings have 2 sets of true leaves, thin to the strongest seedling in each container. After all danger of frost is passed, plant out in the garden in the recommended final spacing for hills or rows.
A starter fertilizer at transplant time gets the young Honeydew melon plants off to a strong start. Step 1 Honeydew melons provide a sweet summer treat, but container growing needs special consideration for the long vines. You can grow Honeydew melons in containers on balconies or porches if you provide the necessary support to train the vines vertically. Well-anchored trellises, such as those attached to a wall and support the weight of the developing melons.
Step 2 Place a gallon planter in a location that receives 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily. Use containers with bottom drainage holes and set the pot next to a firmly anchored trellis. Step 3 Fill the container with moist potting soil to within about 3 inches of the rim.
Use a soil that contains compost, peat, and vermiculite or perlite. Peat-based mixtures retain the moisture necessary for growing melons, or you can add water-holding polymer crystals to the potting mixture. Step 4 Sow three Honeydew melon seeds near the center of the pot.
Plant them about 1 inch deep. Choose a short vine Honeydew variety, if available, for container growing. Step 5 Water the soil in the pot when the top inch begins to feel dry. Depending on the temperature level and sunlight, potted melons may require daily irrigation. Step 6 Thin the seedlings so the strongest remains after they germinate and reach a height of 3 inches.
Continue to tie the vine up the trellis at intervals of about 8 to 10 inches as the plant grows. Honeydew melons are very similar to cantaloupe, but have a pale-flesh. You can eat honeydew directly from the garden or chill the refrigerator. Chop it up to eat it by itself, or toss it in with a fresh fruit salad.
Share this:. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Acorn Squash. Mustard Greens. Butternut Squash. Honeydews prefer semiarid regions for growth and tend to do poorly in humid conditions. Planting can be direct-seed or transplant. Sandy, light soils high in organic matter are best. Direct-seed honeydew should be planted about a half-inch deep in either rows or hills. Mulching will help maintain moisture, crucial until pollination.
Vines may trail across the ground or climb and will produce both male and female flowers. Each vine typically yields 3 to 4 melons. Pollination by bees is required for proper fruit set. Honeydew do not slip from the vine and must be harvested by maturity, not size.
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