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melons

bren

By Bren

LEICESTERSHIRE, United Kingdom

Looking for a bit of advice on my melons.3 plants growing well.have no fruits yet on one, three fruits on the next and 6 fruits on the third.my question is on third vine, do I nip out top of plant to stop growing,and do I also take out the laterals as well,so plant can put all its energy into developing fruits


On plant amber nectar castella melons thompson and morgan seeds


Answers

 

The basic advice for melons is to allow the main stem to grow to three or four feet then pinch it out. This makes the laterals grow more vigorously on which the fruit are formed.
You should stop each lateral by pinching out too after the fruit has formed, but after about three leaves. The real trick is to get all the melons (female flowers) pollinated at the same time or you will only get a few.
Sounds like two of them are doing well already so you must be doing something right.
Once the fruit are swelling and ripening, don't over water or you will destroy the flavour... which is what I did with some in our polytunnel.

29 Jun, 2009

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