I can't seem to grow a sweet melon. Help? - Page 3

JRinPA · May 2, 2023

I bought some half price seed at the end of last season, cantaloupe and watermelon. Now I am pretty I will just give up trying for melons. It just seems like an ongoing ordeal that I never seem to win, trying to grow them in whatever odd spot to hide them from the cucumber beetles. Last year's just didn't finish well. They never handle the rain in the heavy soil. If I had more room and devoted rows, probably, maybe. I learned a bit last year, refresher course I guess, it made look closer at the sugar production, Calvin cycle, etc.

If I were to try melons here again...I'd probably want to add a lot of sand to a few rows and then crop rotate yearly with something else that wants the same looser soil. I just get too much splitting when they are coming ready in late August. Sweetness was not usually the problem here, just no room or devotion to growing them since they all come at once anyway.

ac21686 · September 15, 2023

Well, the melon patch this year was awful.

I’m not sure we could’ve done that much this season…too much rain during late July and throughout August. Did not have a single good one. The plants stayed quite healthy, we picked them at full slip, near slip, etc…didn’t make a difference. Sunlight compared to last year must’ve been awful. I don’t know what to try anymore. Maybe make the entire section black tarp (right now it was just maybe a 3’ wide tarp) to heat the soil more, prevent weeds. We don’t amend the soil too much…this area used to be all tobacco fields and good farm land. Everything else seems to grow just fine. Maybe they need more fertilizer and nutrients than I originally thought…my dad always tells me they grew in basically sand in southern Italy and they were always good! How maddening.

MrsJustice · September 17, 2023

Do not feel bad, because the most important thing you did "Right Amen" was keeping your plants healthy. I had plants that were not producing but I kept them healthy, and they are producing in these strange weather patterns.

PM me with your Address, Amen!!

I have Native Americans Melon Seeds to give you.

May 2, 2023	#1
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 965	I bought some half price seed at the end of last season, cantaloupe and watermelon. Now I am pretty I will just give up trying for melons. It just seems like an ongoing ordeal that I never seem to win, trying to grow them in whatever odd spot to hide them from the cucumber beetles. Last year's just didn't finish well. They never handle the rain in the heavy soil. If I had more room and devoted rows, probably, maybe. I learned a bit last year, refresher course I guess, it made look closer at the sugar production, Calvin cycle, etc. If I were to try melons here again...I'd probably want to add a lot of sand to a few rows and then crop rotate yearly with something else that wants the same looser soil. I just get too much splitting when they are coming ready in late August. Sweetness was not usually the problem here, just no room or devotion to growing them since they all come at once anyway. Last edited by JRinPA; May 2, 2023 at 02:06 PM.

September 17, 2023	#3
MrsJustice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Hampton, Virginia Posts: 1,391	Do not feel bad, because the most important thing you did "Right Amen" was keeping your plants healthy. I had plants that were not producing but I kept them healthy, and they are producing in these strange weather patterns. PM me with your Address, Amen!! I have Native Americans Melon Seeds to give you. __________________ May God Bless you and my Garden, Amen https://www.angelfieldfarms.com MrsJustice as Farmer Joyce Beggs

September 15, 2023	#2
ac21686 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: CT Posts: 68	Well, the melon patch this year was awful. I’m not sure we could’ve done that much this season…too much rain during late July and throughout August. Did not have a single good one. The plants stayed quite healthy, we picked them at full slip, near slip, etc…didn’t make a difference. Sunlight compared to last year must’ve been awful. I don’t know what to try anymore. Maybe make the entire section black tarp (right now it was just maybe a 3’ wide tarp) to heat the soil more, prevent weeds. We don’t amend the soil too much…this area used to be all tobacco fields and good farm land. Everything else seems to grow just fine. Maybe they need more fertilizer and nutrients than I originally thought…my dad always tells me they grew in basically sand in southern Italy and they were always good! How maddening.