2008 melons...help!

[jenn_sc]

Can anyone tell me how Charentais and the Cherokee strain of Moon and Stars might do in a zone zone 7/8 area? I'm interested in growing one watermelon and one cantaloupe/muskmelon.

I've never grown melons and I'd like to have success the first time! Craig mentioned growing Charentais as well, and I think he's zone 7 too.

[feldon30]

I am still in the learning stages on melons. My current beliefs are that melons aren't afraid of heat, as they were originally a desert plant. Also, that they love sandy, extremely well draining soil. And where composted manure might make up only 10% of your soil for growing tomatoes and other vegetables, you can go crazy (up to 50% compost or composted manure) with melons.

Even on Burpee's website, they suggest splitting open a bag of compost and a bag of potting soil in a mound, mixing them together, and sowing seeds in the middle. Not that I take advice from Burpee.com.

So in South Carolina, my concern would be rainfall causing fungus (solved with mulch and very loose soil and, if you are ok with it, antifungal products), and soil prep.

The above was not advice, but thinking out loud.

[jenn_sc]

Thanks for your thoughts on this, Morgan....and no, I have no issues with using anti-fungal products. I have used Daconil on my tomatoes in the past and probably will again this year.

I will probably grow an extra vine or two of each of the melons I end up choosing, since space isn't an issue. Maybe that will increase my odds

Jennifer

[tuk50]

Jenn, I grew M&S last year and I live in zone 8/9. They were the best overall. I was suprised because I grew a couple from native seed search and one we used to grow in Okla. called Mountain Hoosier. Also, Black Diamond, Crimson Sweet, and Sugar Baby. The ones that my family liked was 1. M&S 2. Crimson Sweet 3. Sugar Baby in that order. M&S had o disease problems even with our monsoons where it rained almost everyday in July. And like Morgan said Lots of compost. My Grandpa used to haul tons of cottonseed hulls in from a gin (before the days of defoliants) and it was a sandy loam soil which is what I have here in Az. and I used a lot of compost and Christmas tree mulch to keep the vines off the ground. The Mountain Hoosier mellons and the immature ones I had not picked yet were eaten in one night by a herd of javalina and the two from nss just died in a matter of days of some disease. 8)

[jenn_sc]

Thanks! Can you tell me which strain of M & S you grew? SSE lists Yellow, Cherokee, and Van Doren. I wonder which would be the best...

I'm thinking I'll give each melon plant it's own big bag of composted manure, mixed into the soil at planting time. As for mulch, I hope tons of pine straw will be ok....I have LOADS of it (many, many big old pines on our property) and I'm planning to use it for mulch to save $$. I hope it's ok (for melons AND tomatoes!)

Jennifer

[Hristo]

Watermelons I have grown: Blacktail Mountain, C. S. White Flesh, Ledmon, Orangeglo, Petite Yellow, Royal Golden, Wilson Sweet, Sweet Siberian, Cream of Saskatchewan, Golden Midget
My choice for small and tasty watermelon: Cream of Saskatchewan. Next - Sweet Siberian and Petite Yellow

Melons grown: Minnesota Midget, Spear, Haogen, Charentais, Early Oriental, Golden Sweet, Sakata's Sweet, Orange flesh honeydew, Prescott Fond Blanc.
For me the best (by far) was Haogen (also some of the russian varieties which grew, but sadly they were F1's and F2's)

[Hristo]

Forgot to add this link:
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/melons

[Steph]

All my experience with growing melons has been bad (need to work on the soil - everything else goes gangbusters except melons), but one co-worker with sandy soil grew the Amish Melon the last couple of years and brings them in to share. Absolutely stellar taste.
Craig, it wasn't even on your list but maybe one more to consider!

Steph

[wesleythewatch]

I've been tempted to try melons myself this year (Klondike Blue & Collective Farm Woman), though I must admit I havent got a clue of how to get started. I was planning to grow them under glass and in a "Hot box" as the weather here in the UK seldom gets very warm.

So do any of you knowledgeable folks have any advice as to when and how to get these seeds started?

Wes

[velikipop]

Wes,

Start the melons indoors late April early May and then plant them when soil is warm. You might want to cover them for a while with cloth or plastic covers until you get nice warm summer weather. They need lots of water and nice rich loose soil.

Alex

[wesleythewatch]

Thanks Alex,
Should I use a speial compost to start them off? or will common multi purpouse stuff be ok?

Wes

[robin303]

Over the Pond Guys try out my friends here:
http://www.freewebs.com/egvga/

[orflo]

Wes,
I use home-made compost for sowing, I take a small 10 cms. pot, put in the compost (important:don't push , make sure the compost is 'airy') , and fill it up to about 1,5 cms. from the top.Then I put the seeds on this compost and, on top of the seeds, I put about 1 cms. of 'rough' things, these could be immature compost, dried grass, hay cut into small pieces,...Make sure they are covered.I tried many methods of sowing, and came to the conclusion melon seeds germinate much better when they have something 'airy' on top . Place the pots in a good warm spot, greenhouse or a light windowsill, I give them water with a little plant spray, in order not to compact the earth.Within a week, seeds should germinate (it depends a bit on the variety), when they are 3-4 cms. you can transplant the seeds into individual small pots or directly on their growing spot,
Frank

[velikipop]

Wes,

I have never tried starting seed in compost, I just use the normal seed starting mix. But I know that cucurbits love compost rich soil. Starting them in peat pots is a good idea to avoid disturbing the roots when you plant, but you should cut the pots along the sides when planting so as to allow for the roots to spread, sometimes the peat does not break down and inhibits root growth. This year I will try pots made from coconut fibre. I just hope we get some warmth this year, because there is nothing like eating great melons from your garden, with the exception of course for tomatoes, peppers....etc...

Alex

[Raymondo]

I make a big pile of fresh grass clippings, make a small depression, fill it with reclaimed potting mix and sow into that. The cucurbits love the heat coming up from the rotting grass and leap out of the ground!