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Melons – Muskmelon, Watermelon, Cantaloupe

Melons – Muskmelon, Watermelon, Cantaloupe

Melons are annuals and belong to the Cucurbitaceae family with different types
varying in size, shape, color, texture, and sweetness. Melons requiring similar conditions for
planting and growing are watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe and muskmelon. (grown in
summer for harvest by early autumn).
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Pick a spot outdoors where your seedlings will get full sunshine and plenty of warmth during the day. The ground temperature must be above 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) before you begin planting, or else the seeds will not germinate. If you live in an area with long winters and short summers, it’s best to start growing melons indoors until it is warm enough to transfer your seedlings outside. If you plant indoors, place seeds in containers of compost and peat moss. Transplant your seedlings outdoors once the weather is consistently warm.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
Pick a spot outdoors where your seedlings will get full sunshine and plenty of warmth during the day. The ground temperature MUST be above 70 degrees F (21 degrees C) before you begin planting, or else the seeds will not germinate. Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure: You’ll likely need at least a 4×6 foot (1.2×1.8 m) area to grow your melons, so be sure you’ve cleared sufficient space for your plant beds by removing any sticks or rocks in the vicinity. Prepare the soil in your plant beds by breaking it up with a shovel or a tiller. In most temperate locations, you should begin planting in sometime between late May and early June. You must wait until after the last expected frost of spring and allow the wet soil to dry before planting seeds. Each mound should be approximately 1 foot (0.30 m) (30 cm) high, and between 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m) (60-90 cm) wide. Leave about 1–2 feet (0.3–0.6 m) (30-60 cm) of space between each mound, and space rows about 4 feet (1 m) (120 cm) apart to ensure your melon vines have plenty of space to grow. Your seeds should be planted between 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) below the surface of your dirt mounds. If you are planting seedlings that you started growing indoors, or if you purchased seedlings from a nursery, plant 2-3 seedlings per mound. Saturate the area with water when you are finished planting. Especially if you live in a cooler climate, covering the area where you are planting melons with plastic mulch or black landscaping fabric will help preserve the heat in the soil and keep your seedlings warm. You can also cover your plant rows with floating row covers to preserve heat while protecting your seedlings from pests.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Because other members of the Cucurbitae family are all attacked by cucumber beetles, planting watermelons next to these crops are not recommended nearby:cucumbers, summer squash/zucchini, pumpkins winter squash. Potatoes can attract melon aphids so avoid also. Tomatoes and peppers can lead to space issues. Aster, sunflower family, and roses attract the highest number of aphids. Lavender and borage are good companion plants for melons because of their continuous or intermittent blooming.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
Your melon plants need at least 1-2 inches (2.5-5.1cm) of water per week, so make sure you water them more often if the weather is very hot and dry. Keep the mounds well watered to the roots. Be careful not to over water your plants, as this can cause your melons to rot. If water is standing on top of the soil, add some mulch around the melon plants to help absorb it. Water your plants less frequently as your melons begin to ripen, as this will allow your fruit to develop more flavor and sweetness.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Plastic mulches are widely used for heat-loving melons.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Soil pH 6.0 to 6.8, ensures sufficient calcium levels in your garden. Once correct, fertilize your plant beds using compost or a natural fertilizer so melons are planted in a nutrient-dense environment. You can also make your own compost tea to use. Composted manure (or other compost) is also great for them.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
There are many different aphid species. The one that attacks watermelon is the melon or cotton aphid. The following plants can either deter the aphids or can serve as trap plants to distract the aphids from attacking the watermelon plant garlic, catnip, dill, mint, nasturtiums. Both spotted and striped cucumber beetles harm watermelons so plant corn, broccoli, radish, marigolds, and tansies.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
You’ll know your melons are ready for harvest when you can smell the melon through the skin. If your melons aren’t ripe yet, you can keep them unrefrigerated for up to 2 days. Leave melons uncovered on a counter or tabletop. Alternatively, keep melons in a closed paper bag to accelerate the ripening process. Signs of an unripe melon may include shiny skin, pale coloring, and a light mass.
How to Harvest:
Once they’ve been picked from the vine, melons will get softer, but not sweeter.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
If you don’t eat your melons shortly after harvest, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 12-15 days. Melons need both moisture and cold to stay fresh, which can be difficult to achieve. The best approach is to refrigerate whole melons in perforated bags to keep them moist without letting them dry out. Buy perforated plastic bags or make one by poking about 20 small holes in an ordinary bag with a pen or hole punch. Melons may sustain chilling injury if they are kept at a temperature under 50 °F (10 °C). This will likely result in browning of their rinds, loss of sweetness, dryness, and fast deterioration. Check the temperature setting in your refrigerator to ensure that it is higher than 50 °F (10 °C). If the melon was cut in pieces, Keep it in the fridge for no more than 3 days before discarding it. If you can’t use ripe melons before they go bad, freeze them to add to cocktails or frozen drinks in the future. Use a melon baller to make round melon balls, or cut melon pieces into cubes for storage. Melon pieces can be kept for up to 12 months in the freezer. Store melon pieces in freezer bags or airtight plastic containers. Note that the flavor and texture of melon may deteriorate after freezing. Mark the date on the bag or container when you freeze it to remember when you have to discard the melon.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
Don’t plant seed from right from the fruit. You have to wash the seeds with soap to remove the sugary contents, dry on a paper for a week then you can plant.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

Try an alternative melon growing method, such as planting them next to a tall, sturdy trellis. When the plants start to vine, wrap them around the trellis. When melons grown on the vines, they won’t be lying directly on the ground. Bacteria can begin to grow on cut melon if it is not refrigerated. This may lead to spoilage and food poisoning. Be sure to throw out any melon left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours instead of storing it. If you’re not sure how long the melon has been left out for, it’s better to be on the safe side and toss it in the trash. Wash melon before cutting or eating it by running it under water and scrubbing it with a clean vegetable brush. Do not use soap. Always cut melon with a clean knife on a clean cutting board to prevent the spread of bacteria.

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