Melons

Cantaloupes, Honey Dews and Muskmelons

Soil P.H. 6.0 to 7.0 – Plant seeds outside after last spring frost (don’t be in too big of hurry to plant, as the ground must be warm enough for the seeds to germinate). Plant in well drained, loamy soil that receives plenty of sunlight. To warm the soil, cover the area with black plastic two weeks before planting. At planting time, simply cut holes in the plastic to plant your seeds. Melons need plenty of water during the growing season, so it is a good idea to use soaker hoses or a drip irrigation system for watering. Plant 4 or 5 seeds every 4 to 6 feet in your melon patch.. Thin to the two strongest plants every 4 to 6 feet.

Maintenance:

Weed the area often and water on a regular schedule. Do not plant melons in the same area they were planted last year. Melons and cucumbers should be rotated, allowing 2 years to pass before growing these crops in the same garden space.

Pests:

Most insect pests can be controlled with a floating row cover. Simple cover your melon patch with a floating row cover at planting time. Remove to thin the plants, then recover the bed. Once the vines start to blossom, remove the row covers. By this time, you should have nice, healthy plants that can better resist any insect damage.

Harvesting:

Cantaloupes will give off a strong “musk” smell where the stem attaches to the plant when it is ripe. Some varieties will fall off the stem when ripe.

Watermelons:

Soil P.H. 6.0 to 7.0 – Plant seeds outside after last spring frost (don’t be in too big of a hurry to plant, as the ground must be warm enough for the seeds to germinate). For watermelons, plant 4 to 5 seeds in hills 6 to 8 feet apart. Thin to the two strongest plants every 6 to 8 feet. Except for the space requirements, watermelons are grown similar to cantaloupes.

Harvesting:

When watermelons are ripe, they will give off a “hollow” sound when tapped with your knuckles. This technique is learned through trial and error, and you may wish to try it on some melons at the farm market before making a mistake and picking one of your own too early.

Calories per cup of raw cubed pieces:

• 10 Protein : 9%
• Carbohydrates: 85%
• Fat Content: 6%

Don’t forget to make plans to grow a second crop of vegetables after your early spring crops have been harvested. In most areas of the country, you can plant beans, cucumbers or Swiss chard after the cole crops or lettuce have quit producing in the summer heat. In this way, you can get more production out of the same garden space.