The honeydew melon is not the type of melon with the strongest flavor, but the fruits are still appreciated by many connoisseurs due to their sweetness and the honey-yellow color of the flesh.
How can you grow a honeydew melon yourself?
To grow honeydew melons successfully, you should sow seeds in spring or rottable plant pots in spring, transplant the young plants outdoors or in a greenhouse in May and pay attention to sufficient watering and protection from strong sun. Avoid hybrid varieties for propagation.
Cultivation should start early
Honeydew melons are usually grown in warm locations such as Iran or the Canary Islands, which is why they are sometimes called “yellow canary”. So if you want to plant honeydew melons yourself in this country and also harvest ripe fruits, you have to start sowing the seeds early in the spring. Only if you grow the honeydew melons on the windowsill from April and plant them outdoors or in a greenhouse in May will you be able to harvest fully ripe honeydew melons in late summer and autumn with good care.
Be careful of root injuries, dryness and strong sun
The roots of all types of melon are relatively sensitive to any movement immediately after the germination phase. Therefore, when sowing, you should always put two seed cores (€1.00 on Amazon) in a spring pot or in a rotting plant pot so that you can later leave the stronger plant in it and plant it out completely with the usual substrate. In spring, when the weather is sunny, you should not put the young plants in the blazing sun straight away, but instead accustom them to the stronger sunlight for a few hours at a time. Especially when growing melons in pots, regular watering is necessary so that plump and aromatic fruits can ripen. If you have a greenhouse available, it is a good idea to grow honeydew melons in it because it offers the plants:
- lots of warmth
- Solar radiation
- a controlled moisture balance with increased air humidity
- Protection from heavy rain and hailstones
Choose the best seeds for propagation
When buying seeds, make sure not to use hybrid varieties, as these are generally not suitable for further propagation. Otherwise, you should take the seeds from the best fruits from he althy plants and free them of any adhering pulp. Then let the seeds dry before putting them in paper bags for storage over the winter.
Tips & Tricks
The seeds from purchased honeydew melons are only suitable for growing the plants if they are not hybrid varieties. In general, it is better to store seeds you have collected yourself in paper bags rather than in screw-top jars, as this can better prevent the formation of mold.
