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Vegetable Gardening

watermelon and cantaloupe

15 years ago

Hello All,

I am new to growing melons and have a few questions. I have always grown tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant but decided this year to try watermelon and cantaloupe. I planted one watermelon and two cantaloupe to start. both seem to be growing good. I have a couple of watermelon right now they are small and are the yellow doll variety. currently they are just laying on the ground. do i need to do anything with them or just let them lay on the ground. also is yellow doll a good type and how big do they get? The cantalopes have flowers but no fruit is growing yet. same thing with them can I let them sit on the ground? also what animals should i be worried about with the actual fruit of the melons? thanks for your help.

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Comments (2)

guitar7100
15 years ago
Hi abfromnj,

My experience wth melons is to either put some hay mulch(or whatever kind of mulch you want to use) down on the ground under the fruit or you can put the fruit on a small piece of wood or equivelant. Both methods will keep the fruit off the ground therefore warding off the rotting that could take place due to the fruit laying on the ground. I hope this will kinda help you along your way. Happy gardening!!

Karl
kioni
15 years ago
I just read in a (rodale) gardening tips book from the library that you can use a larger flat rock or paving stone or 2 bricks placed together, and place the growing melon on top. Will keep off the ground and prevent possible rotting, plus the rock/brick will heat up during the day and provide extra heat into the night to help with growing and maturing - something I will need in my zone since if my plants set fruit by the end of July I'll be lucky, and then I will really only have August (hot month) for the melons to grow well, by September things start cooling off good (frost by the 10th or 20th, growing season over!).
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