How to Grow Melons in the Garden

In short: Sow melon seeds in April about 0.5 cm deep and keep them at 18–22 °C. Plant hardened-off seedlings with 3–4 leaves outdoors after 15 May, at least 50 × 50 cm apart, in light, nutrient-rich soil. Melons need warmth and regular watering and are harvested about 100 days after planting, at the end of August.

How to Grow Melons in Your Garden

Watermelon (lat. Citrullus lanatus) - is also known by the botanical name Common watermelon. Watermelon belongs to the cucurbit family (lat. Cucurbitaceae). It originates from Africa and southern Asia. It arrived in Europe in the 15th century. China is now the largest grower and worldwide exporter.

Watermelon is certainly among the most popular vegetables of the summer months. From a botanical perspective, the watermelon fruit is a berry. This "berry" as the fruit of the watermelon has a dark green rind and red soft flesh full of seeds. The honeydew melon "berry" has a yellow rind and yellow-white meaty flesh with seeds in the middle. This family also includes the honeydew melon ("honeydew", lat. Cucumis melo). These two melons are the most commonly grown varieties in our region.

Melon cultivation thrives in the Czech Republic. The best natural conditions for growing melons are in wine-growing regions - in South Moravia and the Elbe River basin, also in Haná and in areas where corn is grown.

How to Grow Melons

Watermelon is a crop originally from tropical and subtropical regions. It therefore has higher heat requirements and is sensitive to temperature fluctuations during the day and cooling at night, prolonged rainfall and poor weather conditions. Melons can also be grown in greenhouses and polytunnels.

Sowing

Sowing melon seeds can begin as early as January. We must ensure sufficient heat and light for the germinating seedling. As standard, it is therefore recommended to start sowing in April, when it is warmer and there is more sunlight. Melon seeds are sown in pots or seedling planters. Peat pellets with placed seeds can be inserted into the pots. Peat provides heat during germination. Seeds prepared in this way for germination can be covered with plastic film. Or use a cover from a cut PET bottle over each seed. In our e-shop, you can purchase a professional mini greenhouse designed not only for germination. This mini greenhouse looks more aesthetic than yogurt cups and you don't have to be afraid to place it on the windowsill even in modern interiors.

Melon seeds are placed approximately 0.5 cm below the surface of prepared substrate designated for sowing and germination. Plants should receive regular watering. To avoid waterlogging germinating seeds, we can water by misting using a sprayer. Provide seedlings with a temperature of 18-22°C during germination; the sowing can be placed on a heated windowsill.

Planting

An optimally developed seedling has 3-4 leaves and a firm, rooted ball with white - not brownish - tips. Before transplanting, lightly harden the plant overnight. When transplanting the melon into soil, we can cover the plant up to the leaves. When transplanting into a cold frame, always plant 2 plants per frame. In a greenhouse, 1 plant per 150 cm.

Planting and Growing Melons

Hardened-off seedlings are planted in the bed in May, preferably after May 15th. We must prepare the soil well for growing melons. Fertilize it in autumn and dig and loosen it thoroughly in spring. Melons prefer lighter, nutrient-rich soils. We plant them with spacing of at least 50x50 cm, if the bed allows, we choose larger spacing, even 100x100 cm. Once the plant produces a longer leafy stem, we pinch it after the 3rd-4th leaf to encourage branching. We also pinch the branched side stems. On the shoots, we leave 1-2 leaves and one flower for one fruit.

Melons begin flowering at the beginning of May. Bees take care of pollination; if we're growing in a greenhouse, we can pollinate the flowers with a small brush.

Melon, as a tropical plant, loves warmth. If temperatures drop below 5°C even at night, we cover the bed with black fabric to protect the plants from cold. If temperatures drop this low during the day as well, we keep the plant covered. We can prepare an insulated bed for melons, which we either cover with mulch bark or black fabric, in which we prepare openings for the plants.

Melon loves warmth. If temperatures drop to 5°C even at night, we cover the bed with black fabric to protect the plants from cold.

Watering

We recommend watering with settled water, it shouldn't be completely ice-cold or freshly drawn from the tap (garden hose). We water preferably in the evening and also 2-3 times during the day. We water more frequently but with smaller amounts of water. During dry days, we can intensify watering, but without waterlogging the plant. If we underestimate watering, the plant may develop cracks in the fruit. During the ripening period, we no longer water the melon crop.

Fertilizing

Fertilizing is an important component of growing melons. We fertilize by digging mature compost or farmyard manure into the soil in autumn. When the plant develops 3-4 leaves, we can supplement with saltpeter.

If our melon plants aren't covered with fabric, we can regularly hoe around the plant and loosen the soil. We also remove dried and pest-infested leaves. We protect melons from slugs.

Harvest

We harvest melons approximately 100 days after planting, at the end of August. Handle harvested melons carefully. Melon is not intended for long-term storage, but for quick consumption. Therefore, let's enjoy melon in its best season, ideally immediately after harvest.

How do we recognize a ripe fruit? Dew doesn't form on a ripe fruit in the morning. Those who aren't such early observers can recognize melon ripeness by tapping, when the sound is hollow. The stem also dries and curls up on the melon.

Interesting Varieties for Container Growing

• Attractive is Pepino - trailing melon for growing on outdoor walls, balconies, or in hanging baskets. With well-chosen fertilization, the plant can support up to 30 half-kilo melons. The seedling grows very slowly, we recommend sowing as early as January

• Kiwano - African horned melon, which is also grown in containers.

Recommendation! - with hanging melons, we need to account for the fact that the final weight of the plant can be higher due to the quantity of fruits, so for example, place the container on a wall or other support.

Other melon varieties include excellent fruits with exotic names and flavors grown mainly in southern countries - Italy, Spain, Africa.

• Galia Melon (originates from Israel, contains lots of sugar)
• Cantaloupe
• Charentais
• Pineapple Melon
• Piel de Sapo (toad skin),
• Kukumelo (square melon from China)
• Cavaillon and others.

Vitamins

Melons contain lots of water and are therefore a suitable food in weight reduction diets. The water content in melons ranges around 90 - 93%. They also contain fiber, which aids proper intestinal function. Due to their water content, they have a diuretic effect and are suitable even for kidney inflammation. Melons contain components that calm the organism, also folic acid, malic acid, citric acid, iron and calcium. They help maintain fluid intake in children, and chilled melon helps when the first teeth are coming through.

Melon is the king of cold appetizers and salads. Yellow melons can be wrapped in Parma ham, creating a light and very tasty southern appetizer. We can enjoy melon not only in summer salads, but also simply cut into cubes, crescents and served chilled. Melon can also be served chilled and hollowed out for parties, mixed with alcoholic beverages.

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Author: Hana Michalíková,