Compact Melons?
 

I'm thinking of growing melons in a very cramped greenhouse, and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what variety(s) to pick. I've heard Minnesota Midget, Honey Bun, and Sleeping Beauty are compact varieties. Anyone know of any varieties that have an even more compact growth habit?

Green Machine is said to be another compact and prolific melon. I hope someone who has grown these varieties under glass will add their comments.

Don't know if there are any parthenocarpic varieties (as with cucumbers) so you might have to hand pollinate.

You might want to pick something with powdery mildew resistance if possible since you have a high humidity environment. A fan to more the air (if you have electricity available) might be good.

We are waiting to hear how they do for you! Good luck!

If my memory is correct, Petit Gris de Rennes has short vines.

This year I am actively going to grow some melons for my wife(she is addicted as I am).I have prepped some mounds,went to north Fl.to check on some farms,methods etc.Including this link below.Got 5 varietys at four leaves now,temps at 60-80ish for a while hopefully,and humidity is low.good dry loamy beds,manures,wheat straw infused organic planting holes .Now I am hooked.Maybe this might be some of your answer with a proper variety selection.My couple of boxes are made up.My niece at 10yrs is running the grow.Should be fun.

[url]http://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=square+watermelon+greenhouse&s_it=img-ans&imgId=8104BB30C1033C5BD150A2B75DEE2571B027EF5D&v_t=keyword_rollover[/url]

I'll add Petit Gris de Rennes and Green Machine to my list of potentials, thanks!

When trained upward/vertically I think Heart of Gold is quite manageable. It produces better for me than Minn. Midget.
I would love to trade seeds with you if you have some for trailing marrow and such... I am all about growing vertically as well...

[B]Kurt[/B] - So you don't have problems with caterpillars affecting the fruit? I gave up because of this even spraying BT didn't work and every fruit was affected.

I was very successful growing cucumbers this past summer by draping tulle over the entire plant at night and no spraying BT at all.

What 5 melons are you growing?

[B]Luigiwu[/B] - How was your tomato season? No updates on your thread?

[QUOTE=luigiwu;600859]When trained upward/vertically I think Heart of Gold is quite manageable. It produces better for me than Minn. Midget.
I would love to trade seeds with you if you have some for trailing marrow and such... I am all about growing vertically as well...[/QUOTE]

My space is very limited, so I'm looking for "surprisingly compact" rather than "quite compact" :))

[QUOTE=Hatgirl;601019]My space is very limited, so I'm looking for "surprisingly compact" rather than "quite compact" :))[/QUOTE]

Is your space smaller than a rain gutter? ;)
[url]http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=37141[/url]

[QUOTE=luigiwu;601022]Is your space smaller than a rain gutter? ;)
[url]http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=37141[/url][/QUOTE]

It's very impressive! But yes, those are too tall for my growing area, I'd lose the light for half the greenhouse

Kurt - So you don't have problems with caterpillars affecting the
 

@Barb
Ace,Honey Orange,Honey Orchid,Farmers Wonder , we threw in a store bought(Whole Foods) as a challenge .Hopefully the medium we selected will not have any eggs/larvae contained within.

Sleeping beauty is one I hear lots of people rave about.

Well, my parcel from RareSeeds/Baker Creek arrived yesterday. I may have gone a bit overboard :))

I bought 10 varietes of melon and 4 varietes of watermelon. All of them mature at 70 days or less. I'm going to try and see if any of them manage to mature outdoors this summer in the incredibly unsuitable environment of a windswept Irish mountain. Wish me luck! :))

Best of good luck to you!

Melon fest
 

[QUOTE=Hatgirl;604368]Well, my parcel from RareSeeds/Baker Creek arrived yesterday. I may have gone a bit overboard :))

I bought 10 varietes of melon and 4 varietes of watermelon. All of them mature at 70 days or less. I'm going to try and see if any of them manage to mature outdoors this summer in the incredibly unsuitable environment of a windswept Irish mountain. Wish me luck! :))[/QUOTE]

Good luck Hatgirl! 14 melon varieties are really not that many.:love:

[QUOTE=Barb_FL;600878][B]Kurt[/B] - So you don't have problems with caterpillars affecting the fruit? I gave up because of this even spraying BT didn't work and every fruit was affected.

I was very successful growing cucumbers this past summer by draping tulle over the entire plant at night and no spraying BT at all.

What 5 melons are you growing?

[B]Luigiwu[/B] - How was your tomato season? No updates on your thread?[/QUOTE]

I have had that problem before also and found the only thing that stopped them was Sevin. Usually they aren't too bad but some years they are really a problem.

Bill

If you're also looking for watermelons, you might try Sugar Baby Bush. I haven't tried it. So, I don't know how big it gets.

[QUOTE=Hatgirl;604368]Well, my parcel from RareSeeds/Baker Creek arrived yesterday. I may have gone a bit overboard :))

I bought 10 varietes of melon and 4 varietes of watermelon. All of them mature at 70 days or less. I'm going to try and see if any of them manage to mature outdoors this summer in the incredibly unsuitable environment of a windswept Irish mountain. Wish me luck! :))[/QUOTE]

Put down black plastic about 2 weeks before you plan to plant out to warm the soil- melons like hot feet. If you can make a wind break of some sort to help catch the heat and slow it getting away or to act as a heat sink for you. Maybe a hoop house over each melon with both sides open ( like a row cover with the ends open? I am describing this badly, LOL, but to help keep in the heat.

[QUOTE=shule1;613713]If you're also looking for watermelons, you might try Sugar Baby Bush. I haven't tried it. So, I don't know how big it gets.[/QUOTE]

It is one of the varieties I ordered! I'll.let you know how it turns out.

[QUOTE=imp;614590]Put down black plastic about 2 weeks before you plan to plant out to warm the soil- melons like hot feet. If you can make a wind break of some sort to help catch the heat and slow it getting away or to act as a heat sink for you. Maybe a hoop house over each melon with both sides open ( like a row cover with the ends open? I am describing this badly, LOL, but to help keep in the heat.[/QUOTE]

I have plastic hoop cloche, and a fleece cloche. I'm going to find out which works better. But the.main difficulty will be stopping them from blowing away! The wind is very strong here :twisted:

[QUOTE=Hatgirl;614597]It is one of the varieties I ordered! I'll.let you know how it turns out.[/QUOTE]

Awesome! Thanks. I've tried regular Sugar Baby, but not Sugar Baby Bush. I'm curious about days to maturity and productivity (and how bush-like it is).

Now is the time , to get ready for planting melons. I like sweet ones like Honeydew do or some Korean varieties. I think I have to buy the fruits , taste it then plant seeds it if I like it.
I am not a huge fan of cantaloupe. They are too chewy ,to me, and not sweet. But I will plant a couple anyway.

I have Halona and Cucamelons up now, waiting awhile till I plant the rest.

Asian melons can be very small and a trained plant will be small. Sakata sweet comes to mind.

Please consider

[url]http://www.southernexposure.com/ice-cream-green-machine-muskmelon-2-g-p-231.html[/url]

And yes I've grown it and yes it is compact and a very good variety as well.

Carolyn

[QUOTE=carolyn137;625729]Please consider

[url]http://www.southernexposure.com/ice-cream-green-machine-muskmelon-2-g-p-231.html[/url]

And yes I've grown it and yes it is compact and a very good variety as well.

Carolyn[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the tip; I just ordered it and Tender Grey zucchini. Both smaller varieties

[QUOTE=carolyn137;625729]Please consider

[URL]http://www.southernexposure.com/ice-cream-green-machine-muskmelon-2-g-p-231.html[/URL]

And yes I've grown it and yes it is compact and a very good variety as well.

Carolyn[/QUOTE]

I did actually get some Green Machine seeds 8-)

So last year's experiment was not successful. I planted the melons on mounds in raised beds. I didn't give them any kind of covering protection and they just stayed as 4 leaves, sulking, until the first frost. I didn't get a single flower!

But this year I manged to find a brand of large cloche that hasn't blown away, and I planted the melons and watermelons on mounds inside. And one variety is flowering - Golden Jenny!

I had the two in the photo under the cloche until yesterday, but we're in the middle of a heat wave so I removed it. The other varieties I am trying out haven't flowered yet so are still under their cloches.