If you haven’t grown melons before, we’d like to persuade you…because they are so tasty when homegrown!
Melons are best grown in a polytunnel or greenhouse (you could try one of our new Sunbubbles if you don’t have a greenhouse). Grow bags work really well. If you are growing them outside, choose a sunny, warm and sheltered spot – a patio that is a bit of a sun trap would be great – and ideally cover beds with black plastic to warm up the soil. Dig in plenty of organic compost before planting and add a handful of worm cast fertiliser when you pop the melon plans in the ground. If you have space, you can let them trail on the ground. If not, they’ll need a support to grow vertically – pop a grow bag at the base of a trellis and they’ll be perfect.
Keep your melon plants well watered and give a weekly liquid feed once flowers form. Pinch out the growing tip on the stem once you’ve got 5 leaves growing. This will encourage more fruit-bearing sideshoots to grow. If you’re growing them vertically, tie the stem and main shoots to the trellis as the plant grows and support each fruit with a mini hammock attached to the trellis. You can make hammocks from an old pair of tights or netting. Harvest once the fruits start to smell like melons and eat them nice and fresh.