Melon plants can be grown in the greenhouse or outdoors. Melons can be grown from seed started early in the year or later from grafted plants which will give strong faster growth. A popular variety is Melon 'Anasta' as shown in these photographs.

Grafted Melon Plug Plants sent by post

Melon plants can be grown up frames, obelisks and arches. They can also be grown along the ground but are more vulnerable here to being attacked from slugs and other ground pests. As the melons grow and swell they may become too heavy for the plant to support and risk falling to the ground when fully ripe and being bruised and attacked. Any melons close to the ground are also best supported to prevent them touching the ground, especially if grown outdoors.

 Melons have a high water content so they need to be watered regularly through the growing season. When the flowers have set give the plants a weekly feed of liquid seaweed fertiliser as the melons swell. With melon plants in the greeenhouse keep the humidity high by spraying the floor with water.

 There are several ways of supporting the melons including buying melon nets from ebay or a cheap way of using tights as described here.

Using tights to support Melons

 A couple of ways of supporting melons are suggested here using different sections of a pair of tights, though outdoors beware of the support getting too damp.

Using the leg section

 Tie a knot at the end of the leg. Place the melon in the leg of the tight to hold the melon and tie the top of the net with string, if necessary, to a supporting struct.


Knot tied at end of leg

Melon placed in hose and tied to support

Make hammock

 Cut off and open out the pantie section of the tights


 Tie one end of the section to a support.

Knot tied at one end
 Stretch the open pantie section out and tie the other end to another support at least of the width of the melon apart.

Stretching out the pantie section

 Make a hammock with the pantie section to hold the melon and place the melon in it.

Hammock supporting melon

 To obtain suitable supports for the hammock it may be necessry to tie one or both ends of the hammock with strings.

hammock supported by strings

Melon Photo Gallery

Melons ripening over arch in September

Melon plant growing up obelisk

Melon portion cut ready to eat