It is hard to find a single person who would not love the sweet and fragrant melon. This crop is native to Central Asia and Asia Minor, so it is resistant to heat and drought. Later, the plant began to be cultivated in different parts of the world. Thanks to the greenhouse, the melon can be grown even in places with a very harsh climate. Many people think that the plant can be planted only in the open ground or in greenhouse conditions, but this is not true. At home, with proper care, you can also get a crop of miniature tasty fruits, planting melon, for example, on the balcony. Read how to grow melon at home in this article.
Conditions for growing melon
Lighting
Melon should be grown in warmth in a well-lit place. Plant melon at home is better on the brightest balcony or windowsill.
Growing melon on the balcony is actually not that difficult. If your knowledge is not enough for a good harvest, you can always get it from open sources.
The following will describe the detailed instructions, which conditions need to be met to make everything work.
Temperature
The temperature, even at night, should not fall below 15-17 degrees, because the plant because of its origin is heat-loving.
Watering
Culture does not like high humidity of the soil, so watering is needed very moderate. It is enough to water the soil once every three days with warm water 30-32 degrees, cold water is contraindicated. On sunny, hot days watering can be more frequent, and on cloudy days, on the contrary, it is better to reduce.
Container
Initially, the seeds are planted in a small container, such as a plastic cup. And then the grown sprouts are transplanted into a pot of larger volume of 4-5 liters.
Soil and fertilizer for melon
You will need loose neutral or slightly alkaline soil for planting. It is best to buy ready-made soil mixture in a gardening store to eliminate the possibility of infection. Soil “For cucumbers” is ideal.
Melon should be fertilized with mineral fertilizer, which includes nitrogen. However, after the formation of ovaries, the plant stops fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, they are replaced by fertilizer with a large amount of phosphorus and potassium. However, fertilize the soil should be moderately weak solution, since the melon reacts poorly to an overdose of fertilizers.
Shaping a melon bush
Soaked seeds are planted in small in volume containers, wait for germination. After the formation of 5-6 leaves, the sprouts are slightly pruned. This procedure will allow the side stems to develop better. Later the seedlings are transplanted into larger containers.
The twigs must necessarily be tied to twines, because on their own they will not wiggle. During the flowering period, male and female flowers will begin to appear, the first – in the center of the stem, and the second – on the side. At home, the plant needs hand pollination “flower to flower”. Female flowers are not difficult to recognize, they have a miniature fruit in them.
When the ovaries are formed, leave a few fruits at the base of the stem, and pluck the others. The stems should be pruned, leaving 5 leaves for each remaining ovary.
Diseases and pests
Characteristic diseases for this culture are: fusarium, anthracnose and powdery mildew. Therefore, the soil mixture before the planting process should be treated with a special biological composition that prevents such diseases. Also, melon during the flowering period should be sprayed with a special liquid preparation, such as Fitosparin.
Melon can be harmed by: spider mites, whiteflies and melon aphids. There are special means to eliminate this problem. Do not neglect such preparations if you find harmful critters! They can destroy your entire crop. Although the probability of bringing insects is small enough, it is still worth paying attention to the plant, because if you took soil from open areas – you could bring pests in your little garden.
Instructions for planting and caring for melon
- It is necessary to sow the seed for seedlings, it is best to do it in March-April. Seeds can be planted in two ways. Dry seeds can be planted immediately in the prepared moist soil mixture, they will come up on about 5 day. The second option is to plant the seed, pre-soaking it in a solution of a stimulant for rapid germination out of the ground. In this case, sprouts will appear on day 2-3.
After the appearance of 5-6 leaves, the top of the stem, which is in the center, should be pruned. This will make the side shoots grow better. At the initial stage of seedlings should be grown on a window sill in a room, so that the temperature does not drop below 22-23 degrees.- Then the seedlings should be transplanted into a larger pot, without damaging the root system. We make a depression in the ground, gently place there the rhizome and bury it to the level of leaves. Container with the plant on the balcony. After about 7 days, you should treat the seedlings with a special composition against parasites.
- Then go to the standard care. It is necessary to regularly water the seedlings and make small doses of fertilizer. When the branches become long, they must be tied.
When the flowers appear, you need to pollinate them yourself using the “flower-to-flower” method. Male and female flowers are easy to recognize, since the latter have a small ball on them.- During the formation of ovaries, it is necessary to leave only the strongest fruits at the base, and remove the others. And the branches themselves should be cut so that each ovary has 4-5 leaves.
- During the ripening period, watering should be reduced, and feeding the melon now at all is not worth it. The fruits should be plucked from the stem when they acquire a yellow hue. Usually the melon ripens in late summer (July-August).
Types of melon
There are a great many varieties of this crop, but there are no specific species for growing at home. But if you decide to plant melon at home, choose hybrid early maturing varieties, they will be more resistant to diseases and parasites. In addition, you can harvest in this case already in 1,5-2 months. The best choice is the Sybarite’s Dream, or Anson. Other suitable varieties are Slastena, Siberian early-ripening, Honey, Cinderella, Golden Sweet and Northern papaya.
Growing a very fastidious crop at home is not easy. But if your efforts and care pay off with a good harvest of tasty little fruits, then you will have something to be proud of.
The article genuinely surprised me, since I was sure that melons and other heat-loving fruits can be grown only in greenhouse conditions. The idea to grow my own small melon garden on the balcony is very tempting, especially for a resident of the south.
In principle, based on the article, to do it is not that difficult, since the author in detailed, step by step describes the whole labor-intensive process.
A little effort and patience and as a result you can enjoy the sweet fruits of this melon culture.
Thank you for such a comprehensive article, I have heard that you can grow melons at home, including on the balcony, but could not find such a detailed description, especially about the pests that can ruin our labors. I will plant melons on the balcony in the spring, fully following all your advice, I will prepare in advance that the temperature regime is respected and I will leave my impressions, and if there are questions, screenshots of the results of sprouting and the like. Just very interested in the opportunity to grow such a favorite delicacy at home.
Good afternoon. The situation is as follows: Let me tell you right away, I had no intentions of growing melons. I just dug a pot of sandy soil and buried the melon core in it. I moistened it and tamped it down. I thought it would just decompose. But it turned out that a few days later the sprouts began to sprout. A week later, the whole pot was full of sprouts. The problem is that the pot is small, for houseplants, and the sprouts of the dark, pots are still available, but all the small volumes of 12-15cm, What to do? At least one can fit in such a pot?
For many years now I have been growing melons on my balcony (and in my dacha, of course). The varieties are a gift from Grandpa Ho She Minh, a sybarite’s dream, and the Altai variety. All gave a harvest. But the taste of balcony cultivation satisfied only the Altai. I will plant seeds in a week. First in peat pots, then in large pots.
Great post! This is a great guide for anyone interested in growing melons at home. It’s clear and informative, giving helpful tips on how to get started with the process. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!