How to grow melons

Ready for sweet summer melons? Plant in May, give them sun and care, and watch for the signs of a perfectly ripe harvest.

Nothing says summer like a slice of fresh melon! Oklahoma’s long summers are perfect for growing watermelon, muskmelon, and other melons, which take up to 120 days to mature. These sun-loving plants are sensitive to frost and benefit from warm soil, making May the ideal time to plant. Get your melons off to a good start with these tips.

Selecting Melons for the Garden

Melons require a lot of room to spread out. If space is limited, consider planting bush-type varieties and “icebox” melons to save garden real estate. Many melons grow well on a trellis, which saves space and makes plants less vulnerable to squash bug infestations. When growing melons this way, use a sling or other method to support the weight of the fruit as it develops.

Several viruses impact melons and can be transmitted through seed as well as insect feeding. Look for disease-resistant varieties when selecting melons and purchase certified virus-free seeds. Crop rotation also helps minimize disease. Plant melons and related crops in a different portion of the garden each year, following a minimum three-year rotation.

Growing Melons in the Garden

Melons benefit from loose, well-drained soil and at least six hours of direct sun per day. You can grow melons from seeds, purchase transplants from a garden center, or start your own plants indoors four weeks prior to planting outside. Enrich soil with 1 to 2 pounds of balanced fertilizer (e.g. 10-10-10) per 100 square feet before planting. For best results, conduct a soil test and fertilize according to the results.

Plant melons on 6- to 8-inch mounds of soil, called hills, to enhance soil drainage and promote faster germination and plant growth. Space hills according to package instructions for the variety you are growing. Plant 4 to 5 seeds per hill, setting them one inch deep. Thin seedlings after they develop two true leaves, keeping two or three of the healthiest plants per hill. Transplants are also planted on hills, with two plants per hill.

Caring for Melon Plants

Melons require consistent moisture but do not tolerate wet soil. Supplement rainfall as needed to provide one to two inches of water per week. Do not allow the soil to dry out. In sandy soil, you may need to water two times per week, reducing the rate per application.  Drip irrigation works well for melons as it helps reduce foliar diseases. For overhead sprinklers, water in the morning, which allows the foliage to dry in the sun.

Feed melon plants after they have established but before the vines begin to run. Sidedress with ½ cup of balanced fertilizer per plant. When plants bloom, they require higher levels of phosphorus and potassium to set fruit. Sidedress plants once more, this time with a low-nitrogen fertilizer. Avoid overfeeding as excess nitrogen can reduce fruit set.

Melons are impacted by the same pests that attack their relatives: cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and aphids. Many gardens cover plants with floating row covers to exclude these pests during the critical seedling and early growth stages. However, melons rely on insect pollination so covers must be removed when plants flower. Enhance fruit production by planting nectar-rich flowers near melon plantings to entice bees and other pollinators.

Determining when to harvest melons can be difficult. One trick involves looking at the tendril (the curling bit of vine) at the base of the leaf closest to the fruit. The tendril will turn dry and brown when the fruit is ready to harvest. Experience is your best teacher in deciding when to harvest different melons.