You'll get 5 melon cradles in this set, constructed of galvanized steel with a smooth powder covering. The cradle has a long tapered spike at the base, so it slides easily into the soil and remains firmly upright. Just 6½ inches high, the cradles lift the fruit away from damp, unhealthy soil conditions without stretching or breaking the vine.
Measuring 7¾ inches in diameter, the cradle itself is cupped, like a shallow bowl, with widely-spaced supports that admit plenty of air and prevent rain from accumulating anywhere on your fruit. They will not impede the growth or change the shape of your melons and squash. Instead, they make it possible to grow fruit with no "bad side," no flattened or discolored or soft areas created by contact with soil, straw, or other surface!
You will wonder how you ever gardened without Melon Cradles! They nest for easy storage at season's end. Pick up several sets for your bumper crops! Set of 5.
When you think of melons, you probably think of summer. It's hard to beat the simple pleasure of eating a sweet, juicy slice of chilled honeydew or watermelon on a hot day. Well, the world of melons has far more to offer than that one nostalgia-inducing delight, and what a delicious world it is!
There's a wide variety to choose from, ranging in size from slightly larger than a softball to hefty 50-pound beauties, and they come in a range of colors, both inside and out. Melons are extremely versatile, proving wonderful freshly picked or cooled in the refrigerator, and they make a healthy dessert or snack as well as an ingredient in salads, salsas, entrees, side dishes, and drinks!
Choosing a Variety: Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew
When choosing which variety of melon to grow, you will want to take into consideration the size of your growing area. Melons are vining plants and tend to require a lot of space, so be sure to grow only varieties you know you'll enjoy eating. Some gardeners have started growing melons vertically (on trellises, etc.) in order to conserve space. If you want to try this method, research which ones would be most appropriate.
Since melons come in such a wide variety of sizes, colors, and flavors, these characteristics will also play a role in what types you decide to plant in your garden.
When to Start Melon Seeds
If you live in an area with a long growing season, Melons do best if the seeds are sown outdoors when the soil is warm and all danger of frost has passed. You can sow them indoors 3 to 4 weeks before night temperatures remain above 55 degrees F.
How to Start Melon Seeds
Whether you are planting indoors or out, sow your Melons at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds. If you're planting inside, sow them in individual pots, as they don't like being transplanted. Seedless Watermelons should be started indoors.
When sowing outdoors, make a small hill of fertile, well-drained soil and plant 3 to 5 seeds about 2 inches apart. Water well.
Expect your Watermelons to germinate in 8 to 14 days. Other Melons will germinate within 7 to 10 days.
Transplanting Melon Seedlings
You need to harden off your young Melon plants for at least a week before planting them out. Set them outdoors in a lightly shaded area for an hour or two. The next day, give them a longer visit outside until they remain outdoors overnight, still in their pots. Naturally, if a cold spell hits, bring them indoors again to wait for the temperature to rise.
Watermelons:
You will want to transplant your Watermelon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Be very careful with the roots -- they resent being disturbed. Space them about 2 feet apart in rows that are 6 to 8 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 6 to 8 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Other Melons:
Fertilize before you plant and then again every 4 weeks. You will want to transplant your Melon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Space them about 18 inches apart in rows that are about 4 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 4 to 6 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Once your Melons have been transplanted, if cold weather should threaten, you can make a mini-greenhouse out of a one-gallon, plastic milk jug. Just cut the bottom off and set it over the plant, pushing it about ½ inch into the ground. During the day, it can be vented by removing the cap.
Special Considerations
Be sure not to start your Melons too early.
Watermelon:
Growing Tips for Melons
Pests and Problems to Watch For
You'll get 5 melon cradles in this set, constructed of galvanized steel with a smooth powder covering. The cradle has a long tapered spike at the base, so it slides easily into the soil and remains firmly upright. Just 6½ inches high, the cradles lift the fruit away from damp, unhealthy soil conditions without stretching or breaking the vine.
Measuring 7¾ inches in diameter, the cradle itself is cupped, like a shallow bowl, with widely-spaced supports that admit plenty of air and prevent rain from accumulating anywhere on your fruit. They will not impede the growth or change the shape of your melons and squash. Instead, they make it possible to grow fruit with no "bad side," no flattened or discolored or soft areas created by contact with soil, straw, or other surface!
You will wonder how you ever gardened without Melon Cradles! They nest for easy storage at season's end. Pick up several sets for your bumper crops! Set of 5.
When you think of melons, you probably think of summer. It's hard to beat the simple pleasure of eating a sweet, juicy slice of chilled honeydew or watermelon on a hot day. Well, the world of melons has far more to offer than that one nostalgia-inducing delight, and what a delicious world it is!
There's a wide variety to choose from, ranging in size from slightly larger than a softball to hefty 50-pound beauties, and they come in a range of colors, both inside and out. Melons are extremely versatile, proving wonderful freshly picked or cooled in the refrigerator, and they make a healthy dessert or snack as well as an ingredient in salads, salsas, entrees, side dishes, and drinks!
Choosing a Variety: Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew
When choosing which variety of melon to grow, you will want to take into consideration the size of your growing area. Melons are vining plants and tend to require a lot of space, so be sure to grow only varieties you know you'll enjoy eating. Some gardeners have started growing melons vertically (on trellises, etc.) in order to conserve space. If you want to try this method, research which ones would be most appropriate.
Since melons come in such a wide variety of sizes, colors, and flavors, these characteristics will also play a role in what types you decide to plant in your garden.
When to Start Melon Seeds
If you live in an area with a long growing season, Melons do best if the seeds are sown outdoors when the soil is warm and all danger of frost has passed. You can sow them indoors 3 to 4 weeks before night temperatures remain above 55 degrees F.
How to Start Melon Seeds
Whether you are planting indoors or out, sow your Melons at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds. If you're planting inside, sow them in individual pots, as they don't like being transplanted. Seedless Watermelons should be started indoors.
When sowing outdoors, make a small hill of fertile, well-drained soil and plant 3 to 5 seeds about 2 inches apart. Water well.
Expect your Watermelons to germinate in 8 to 14 days. Other Melons will germinate within 7 to 10 days.
Transplanting Melon Seedlings
You need to harden off your young Melon plants for at least a week before planting them out. Set them outdoors in a lightly shaded area for an hour or two. The next day, give them a longer visit outside until they remain outdoors overnight, still in their pots. Naturally, if a cold spell hits, bring them indoors again to wait for the temperature to rise.
Watermelons:
You will want to transplant your Watermelon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Be very careful with the roots -- they resent being disturbed. Space them about 2 feet apart in rows that are 6 to 8 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 6 to 8 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Other Melons:
Fertilize before you plant and then again every 4 weeks. You will want to transplant your Melon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Space them about 18 inches apart in rows that are about 4 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 4 to 6 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Once your Melons have been transplanted, if cold weather should threaten, you can make a mini-greenhouse out of a one-gallon, plastic milk jug. Just cut the bottom off and set it over the plant, pushing it about ½ inch into the ground. During the day, it can be vented by removing the cap.
Special Considerations
Be sure not to start your Melons too early.
Watermelon:
Growing Tips for Melons
Pests and Problems to Watch For