Growing Rock Melons

Growing rock melons this summer!!. Here are some tips to help you get the best results from growing rock melons in a GreenSmart self watering planter. In ten to sixteen weeks you will be eating beautiful fragrant melons from your own garden.

Rock melons are (also called cantaloupe) semi tropical plants so like plenty of warmth. They grow best with a soil temperature of 20 – 32 degrees C.

Growing Rock Melons in a GreenSmart Planter

If you have not assembled a GreenSmart planter before, have a look at this you tube clip.

Videos About Greensmart Pots

 

After assembling the GreenSmart planter, position it somewhere where it will get at least six hours sunshine. All day sun and out of the wind is ideal. Mix a bucket of good organic fertliser (e.g. well matured horse manure, poultry pellets, sheep pellets, seaweed etc) into the bag of potting mix in the planter. Check out the link at the end of this post warning about risks with using potting mix. You can grow rock melon from seeds or from seedlings. Seeds can be planted roughly from mid September to mid November. Seedlings can be started in November and December.

Give the soil a good wetting then plant the seeds at about three times the diameter of the seed. Fill the water reservoir through the water gauge.The seedlings will emerge in five to seven days. I suggest planting a dozen seeds then thin out them out so you keep the four strongest plants.

Pinch out the growing tip when

Liquid Fertiliser for Rock Melons

When the plants begin flowering, give them a regular boost with a liquid fertiliser directly into the water gauge.

Harvesting

Once the first melon is ready to harvest, the others on that plant will soon to follow. An obvious sign of maturity in most melon varieties will occur when the rind changes colour from green or grey to yellow. Additionally, once ripe the stem is easily separated from the vine by hand.

Warning about using potting mix!! – we need to take care with using potting mix. Click here for more info >