Ruth from @colorfulworldacreage shares her experience with growing melons as well as her new adventure selling her home grown flowers, fruit and vegetables in her community.
Here are a few tips that we discuss during the episode:
- Plant melons when the soil is at least 65 degrees, whether you direct sow your seeds or you are transplanting seedling.
- Plant in an area that gets full sun throughout the day.
- When plants are young, keep them well watered and provide them with a lot of nitrogen. One source of nitrogen to help your vines grow lush and green is fish emulsion.
- You can amend the soil with bone meal to help prevent blossom end rot.
- Hand pollinate or grow flowers nearby to attract pollinators.
- When watering, avoiding wetting the leaves and water deep.
- Once the melon has formed and you notice it has stopped getting bigger, stop watering to allow the sugars to concentrate so you get a sweeter fruit. Only water if you see the leaves wilting.
Ruth’s Top 5 muskmelon/cantaloupe
- Charentais
- Kazakh melon
- Papaya Dew
- Honey Melon (Rajasthan)
- Petit gris de Rennes
Ruth’s Top 5 Watermelons
- Orangeglo
- Jubilee
- Crimson Sweet
- Strawberry
- Moon & Stars
New varieties that Ruth will be trying in 2021
- Leelanau Sweetglo
- Kurobe
- Orange Flesh Melon
- Golden Honeydew
- Royal Golden Watermelon
Winter Melons
- Santa Claus Melon
- Valencia
- Navajo Winter Melon
If you are like me and have limited space for watermelons, here is a short list of a few varieties for “personal sized” watermelons:
- Doll Babies
- Rainbow Sherbet
- Petite Yellow
- Golden Midget
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Recent Comments