A Guide to Growing Melons and Watermelons: Proven Techniques by Charles Dowding
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 พ.ค. 2024
- Melon plants' season of growth is short, but we can prolong it by early sowing under cover. Growth in summer is rapid, and I show you different varieties, plus a watermelon plant. At the end is a tasting!
Don't underestimate the need for warmth, otherwise you may spend a lot of time and effort for little result. At Homeacres I grow them mostly under cover for decent harvests. I rarely enjoy success with outdoor melons.
My sowing dates here in 2022, were 31st March and 4th April.
Emir F1, Minnesota Midget, Petit Gris de Rennes, Ogen - all Charentais type.
See my online lesson about growing melons, which includes a seed to harvest video:
www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod...
When you make a purchase of products I recommend, please use this link to my page on Crocus tidd.ly/44dEU7d, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.
00:00 Introduction - melons on the hotbed
01:24 Potting on mid to late April
02:31 In the greenhouse 17th May, planting Early Moonbeam watermelon
04:12 Watering new planting
04:37 Planting with string in the hole, same method as for cucumber and tomato
08:05 More on watering after planting
08:55 Middle of June - a look at the melon plants
09:24 Twisting the top of the plant around the string, and what to do if the stem snaps
10:33 Comparing the two types of melon - Emir F1and a smaller-fruited Minnesota Midget
10:57 5 weeks later, mid-July - pinching out new growth, and regular watering
13:08 How to know when melons are ripe
13:32 The option of growing melons on the ground
13:50 Middle of August, three months since transplanting - a look at ripeness
16:00 Mildew on the leaves, why and does it matter?
17:12 Harvesting, and more on ripeness
19:25 Melons growing on the ground
21:13 Growth of plants outside - runner/pole beans, and French beans
21:51 A look at the watermelon in the greenhouse, transplanted in May, and how to tell if it’s ripe
24:22 Melon tasting. Different varieties
Check out this video short from 2022 on growing and harvesting melons:
• Grow and harvest melon...
And this one from 2020: • Melon growing and harv...
Filmed through 2022 by Alessandro Vitale @SpicyMoustache and edited by him, with a Little help from Edward Dowding.
You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
/ @charlesdowding1nodig
#melon #nodig #growyourownfood #healthyfood #nodiggardening - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
![Grow 200 LBS of Watermelon On ONE PLANT! [Complete Guide]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BAqEzLuHy5s/mqdefault.jpg)
Somebody give this man a "Gardener Of The Year" award! Awesome stuff!
Gardener of the century I’d say!👍🏻💪🤠💗🙏your channel is pretty awesome too.👍🏻
Awesome video! I struggle with the cucurbits, so I have a private playlist for growing them. I added this video as I plan to watch it over and over until I succeed. So many good tips.
Prophet of the No Dig!
Love your channel also, youre great
I agree, he talks more plain, understandable sense than any gardener I'v heard before.
The effort put forth to do this a whole year ahead of time in order to time it for people planting the next year... That's some real dedication, and the shots of everything were so great. I don't often have time to do the kind of garden like I'd want but just seeing your garden is an inspiration.
So nice thankyou
Yes !!!❕❕
So for you it's time that you don't have, for me it's space. And then the neighbours untrained dog that digs any moist soil it sees just So it can nest in the coolness
I find myself smiling at his pleasure of tasting the melons! Pure joy!
Nice to make you smile 🙂
The look on your face, tasting the melons, made my day. Great video!
26:46 😂
I think I enjoyed watching your taste session the most (24:25). The joy on your face on how wonderful some of the melons tasted kind of says it all for me. And why growing one's own is really so rewarding. The taste, smell and overall experience is simply so much better than anything one can find in a supermarket. 🙂
Agreeing with basically everything you're saying, and I would add that even buying from a farmer's market, you won't get the same taste as u can from something that was either JUST picked ( especially if the sun was on it - but not as-in, drying it out too much- ) or never been chilled/refrigerated, which often needs to happen between picking and u choosing it at the market, for various reasons.
I'm growing melons for the first time this year so I shall binge watch this video several times. Just like I do with all your videos.
Nice!!
Wow how about that it’s 14th of may today and I’m about to plant some sugar baby watermelon 🍉 so I came here to se what Charles is saying 😎👍🏼
I've just watched this video again to cheer myself up..rained again today- 4th April 2024, you always cheer me up Charles..my grandad and my grandson are also called Charles ! :-) thank you for being you.
I am happy to see this Clare, and your family are so well named!
Yes the rain and lack of sun are getting ridiculous, but there are some signs of improvement after about 11th April
Watching this in 4k is mesmerising!!
What an absolutely delightful and refreshing video. Labour of love in the gardening and the videography. Thank you to Charles and team
I love growing melons, usually 3 or 4 varieties. I love the reaction I get when you tell people you grow melons in Wales and they expect them to be not very good and when they taste them they are blowen away and say they are the best they have tasted.
The importance of planning ahead and watching this channel!
The moans of joy and enthusiasm when eating those melons made me laugh so hard 😂
On my dad's farm, growing melons is a requirement. People come for miles to get the best freshest melons. We love them.
Charles, are you relation to Sir Hugh Dowding? I love the British Spitfire, without it the u.s. Mustang would not have been modified.
I never knew a polytunnel worked in the summer! Incredible. You teach me something every time.
In cool summer maritime climates you need some kind of greenhouse for heat loving crops.
He had a particularly hot summer for his region and he wasn't able to harvest until August. That year he might have been able to harvest an outdoor crop in September... But many years that variety might have never produced an outdoor crop at all.
Thank Charles for all your video's and positive NoDig information.
You are very welcome Robert
I love seeing you enjoy the "fruits of your labour"!
This made me yearn for summer.
Me too!
What a lovely documentary, Mr. Dowding et al.!!
Thank you for the time and effort, although enjoyable to you I’m sure, that you put into these videos.
You are very welcome
I like that you show the progress of these plants in a single video. Thanks.
Charles!!! I don't believe I've ever seen you taste on camera (only once before)
but it was so authentic! I loved watching from beginning to end 👍
So nice thanks Peggy!
I grew my cucumbers up strings last year after watching your recommendation and it worked an absolute treat!! Also tried mini watermelons and they grew well too until they wilted after setting one little fruit!! Sticking with cucumbers this year!!
Great to hear! Interesting about watermelons
too much heat ,had the same problem, all the flowers burned before they got pollinated, got better late summer
I really appreciate your videos! There is such a simplistic joy that emanates from you, it is rather tangible from your videos. I loved the proud comment toward your watermelon plant that it hasn't been fertilized except for the compost at the beginning of planting. That really ignited something in me! I love gardening & feel extremely blessed at all the Lord brings forth when I am a good steward of what He has given to me. I learn so much from you. I look forward to all that my garden will produce this year!
Lovely to read this Stephanie.
Plants like gratitude! 💚💚
One of your best videos to date. It was just like being there with you. And that surprised look on your face in that melon taste was priceless. Thank you!
So much fun to watch your enjoying the garden.
Beautiful and wonderful,thanks Charles !!
Hello Followers
pay attention Charles is seed saving has he opens up each melon. Brilliant 👏
So excited to get my melons going this year!
Beautiful work
I am currently enjoying this Charles. Great video.
Great video, Charles. I love growing watermelons and melons. I would like to grow more of the different melons in the future.
My mouth is watering 😅! Thank you so much for the hard work and sharing with us ❤
Great job having the on the ground and up the string plants to be able to compare outcomes of the different two styles. Nice job!
Awesome!! I treated myself to some melon seeds to try out this year. Now I can't wait to sow them!
beautiful garden , thank you
This came at exactly the right time as I want to grow these this year
Thank you, never planned melon before, will try it.
The filming of this is absolutely stunning, as is the content!
What a lovely video for a cold winter day! I wasn't planning on growing melons in the PT this year, but maybe...... 😀
great video charles
This guy is a blessing!
Ohh God! I miss summer months so much! :) Greetings from Ireland!
Great video Charles! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.😁
Bravo! Charles, you are so inspiring and your passion is Larger than Life. I am ready to put seeds into the ground. Thank you for sharing. Cheers!
I love watching people grow things that are in very different climates then I'm in. I live in central Florida USA. I'm worried about my plants not burning up in July and August. I'm waiting on my melons to ripen. Tomatoes get so hot they won't fruit. They are more of a spring and fall plant. However bananas, oranges, lemons, limes and others grow great.
Thanks.
Glory to Ukraine. God Bless Ukraine and her people. 🇺🇦🇺🇸
Amazing to hear this compared to the UK! Thanks for sharing
wow, what an explosion of summer in the middle of a very cold and grey march day!
We were watching this in our allotment earlier - very useful! :)
Hi Charles, just wanted to drop by and say that your videos are amazing! I'm really impressed with how informative and educational they are. Your passion for gardening really shines through, and I appreciate all the hard work you put into creating such quality content. Your video has definitely inspired me to try some new gardening techniques in my own backyard. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us, and keep up the great work.
That is great, and thanks for your lovely comment 💚
Charles ever since the first time I seen your tomatoes on a string, I've wanted to do that. Last yr I took all the things off the grans swing set, put it on the edge of the garden and voila, I finally had something to put string on, I used clothesline cord. It gave me room for 10 strings, I grew tomatoes & cukes up it, worked like a charm.
So cool!
That’s it I’m going to grow melons this year, my mouth was watering at the end 😆
this is awesome, please do more topics like this
Your joy after eating the Ogen melon😂 I felt it in my core. I know the feeling completely 💚
Just listening brings peace! Much success to you!
That's good to know and thank you
Again I find one of your videos so damn useful. Thanks Charles.
Brilliant man!
As I mentioned in one of my comments last year Charles, I've had major success with both a red and yellow variety watermelon. I planted them between my weed matting joins and just let them do their thing along the ground (bar a little guided direction from time to time). I loved every minute, from planting to cropping, i even managed to sell some to local Thais, who were well impressed with my no dig garden. A welcomed video charles, I am really looking forward to Homeacres (UK) spring and summer through your eyes 🙏🙏🙏.
Brilliant!
Aáa
Aáa
Excellent video thank you! I learnt more in 30 minutes than I have in 2 years 👌👍
It's great. Wish you good health
Thank you so much for this video, I have picked up so many tips. Have a great year.
Thank you! You too!
So much information in one video!
Excellent video Charles! I've been hoping for one of these tutorials from you for a while now 🙏
Thanks, I wish I had time for more of them!
You give me hope. I will not give up on my melon dreams.
💚 good
Exiting with melons in the greenhouse. We are giving it a go this year. Thank you for your work and inspiration. 🙂
Good luck!
Sweetest and gentlest gardener ever.❤️
That is kind thank you Eddy
Fantastic Vid, thank you! LOVED Charle's expression when he tasted the Ogon melon, ha haa!!
I can still taste it Wendy!
Haven’t watched the video yet, it just popped up on my phone as published but to your comment above (ie where it was watched 2 weeks before published) just want to say ”How organised are you!” 😂 My videos are more “spontaneous” shall we say 😉 Thank you for ALL of your efforts Sir!
😊 cheers Tracey
You are doing such a great job and are incredibly likeable, dear Charles!
Thank you very much Rachel!
Someone please call TH-cam, i want to like this video two times over!🤔☺️
How lovely thanks
Congratulations!!!!!
Ooh, I can almost taste how sweet these were!
Nice time lapse on the melons, they are the most fun fruit to grow. I feel like I should comment on the string you use. A few years ago I used that plastic string and found when I went to use it the next year it was shedding tiny fibres off it as I handled it, you could see it quite clearly. Anyways I went back to Jute string just so I'm not contaminating my garden with micro fibres.
Thank you for the info. I'm going to try growing tomatoes up string this year and I just wondered, in your experience, does jute last the whole season? I read online that it takes 1 - 2 years to decompose so I'm guessing it will last the season.
@@HornyKoala Yes it last all season no problem and the only part I see rot is where it touches the ground, most of it's still hanging with dry husks on it the next year. I use the 3 strand jute for tomatoes and where I built a bunch of 3 legged trellis' from branches I then wind some 4 strand around them for heavier veg and fruit like squash and melons. I don't put my string under the root ball like Charles does here as I mature my plants inside before going out to garden but I see why Charles does it because he doesn't want the strings in the way for applying frost cloths on those chilly nights. My plants don't go out till June when it's safe. Good luck and happy gardening
@@royormonde3682 Thanks so much for the response 😃
@@HornyKoala Well... unfortunately I had a different experience and had some tomatoes fall to the ground. That is why I am going to go with plastic this year as charles mentioned the same problem in another video. It might depend on the thicknes of the jute though. I try to use as little plastivc as possible in my garden though. So if someone can recomend a more durable plastic free alternative I would be very happy.
@@anniinglucksdorf960 -->hemp
bring on summer!
I enjoyed watching you taste test at the end of the video here immensely!!!! So inspired. Love all the beautiful varietals. Bravo!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good planting season,yields better fruits for melons
Love the fruit vids!
great video very indepth charles and shout to spicymoustach. that guy is also a legend
Indeed!
Oh, my goodness Charles! I love melons! My mouth is watering 😊🤗🤗
🍈 wonderful Cami
Glad you enjoyed them!🤗❤️
I actually push lightly on the stem and see if it slips loose. I've found that taking sooner results in unripe or less ripe fruit that's unappealing with sweetness and texture not being ideal. It's disappointing. My melons are quite a bit bigger so I have to support them vertically or they'll pull the plant off the trellis. Anyway, I enjoyed the tour and respect the patience in producing a video over the long period.
Have any Canadians had success growing melons? I’m in zone 3A I believe.. I have a greenhouse but haven’t tried growing any in there yet… maybe I should start my seeds indoors now and try it out!
Love your videos Charles!
Try Farthest North variety
I wish I’d grown some last year with that heat we had! I don’t have a greenhouse yet but I think they’d have coped outside last year!
Now this has given me some good ideas
Think I'm going to try this in my greenhouse
Have fun! And I'm intrigued how you found the link to watch this? Because we have it still as 'unlisted' and not public! Somehow, it is reaching a few people, but I want to publish it in about 10 days time because we have other videos first.
I've ordered some minnesota midget seeds and can't wait to try
Hello sir, thank you for sharing such lovely information. I'm gonna give melons a try in a cold tunnel.
Thanks for this lovely video. So nice to see the progress in growing melons, and to watch you eating them! I had to see that section twice. I have a new tunnel this year and now I think I will try to grow melons!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Loved this video, and so timely that it's released on this cold, grey March weekend, when we all want that warmth and sunshine! I'm definitely trying Minnesota Midget in my polytunnel this year - had no idea about tying up on string, and pruning. Thanks Charles!!
Thanks so much :)
Ogen has been my favorite for years.I tried Georga Rattle snake water melons last summer and was amazed at how sweet and large they grew.(many over 38 pounds) They were also fairly early . Flavor is like a Jolly Rancher watermelon candy.
So many simple and valid details
Cheers Mike
I said this some years ago and keep doing so......this man is the David Attenborough of gardening 🫶
Great advice🙂love your shows
Thanks so much Stephen
After seeing all the melon varieties that you grow, I think I will up my melon game. Thanks Mr. Dowding
😀
Just a tip, if u have a dog and grow melons. Make sure they can't meat eachother. Our dog ate more melons than us this year 😅
Charles I've been watching you for years now, and I love the no dig info but I love this harvest and tasting video. You need to do more tastings, love the wealth of knowledge you've given to us. Thank you
So nice of you thanks :)
That face is why I chose cantaloupe over other melons to grow this year. They have such flavor. Very excited to see what I can do this summer.
I used to grow little Sweetheart Melons in a cold frame (because it was all I had, Toms filled my greenhouse!) they were delicious and their fragrance filled the house while they sat in the fruit bowl ! Thank you for another really interesting video.
I embrace you as a good farmer
When you cut into the Minnesota Midget, I could almost smell it. It looked marvelous, Mr Dowding.
Nice to hear!
Thanks you for sharing your thoughts and knowledge of the wonderful gardening 🙂 aloha from Hawaii
Thank you Charles, all the different pointers are so useful to me as I have no sense of smell. Fabulous video!
Great to hear!
Great video. I love your setup. I been doing the same "string trick" for years with my squashes and they love to climb up into the trees.
Let's get cooking.
Nice!!
Charlie!!! What a wealth of Information You Are... 💯❤️ God Bless You Kind Sir 🙏☺️
Thank you Bobby
Wspaniałe melony i arbuzy. Gratuluję. Życzę wszystkiego dobrego. Pozdrawiam.💚