Growing Melons in the Backyard Garden

Look at these beauties.  Actually, it’s should be singular, as this in ONE melon, but a picture speaks a thousand words — or two!  — so why not go with it?

Yes, for all you skeptics out there, this indeed came from my garden and with little or no effort on my part!  Beautiful.  Nature at its best. The watermelons are a different story. Big, beautiful, glorious and green, we picked them with great anticipation, but to our dismay, they were pink, not red.  Okay, deep pink, but must we dwell?  It’s disheartening enough. The kids were looking forward to a summer snack of watermelon on a hot humid day by the pool (is there any better?) and were discouraged to learn the one they picked wasn’t ripe.

How to Grow Melons

Melons can be grown in ground or using hydroponic towers. And while they will sprawl and spread their vines, they can be trained to grow upward. All they need is a good support system and you’re in business!

 

 

And because they are made up of mostly water, they will need consistent watering, then low during the ripening of fruit. Fertilize with extra amount of phosphorous and potassium, as these two macro nutrients aid in the growth of roots and fruits. Potatoes make bad companions for melons, while corn makes a good companion! And they like it warm–wonderful for a Florida gardener like me! As for in ground gardens, I know some people who form a mound in their bed, then plant the seed at the top.

When to Harvest Melons

My daughter, bless her heart, dared take a bite. “Just in case, Mom. Maybe its supposed to look this way.”

My son knew better. The scrunch of her nose sealed it for him. No good.

“But they look like they’re ready! How are we supposed to know when to pick them if these aren’t ripe?”

It’s a good question. Is there a sound I should look for when I tap the melon? Will it feel ripe? “Smell” ripe? Cantaloupes do. Why not watermelons?

They should. It’s not fair a kid should work so hard, raise their expectations so high, simply to be dumped into despair. Wait a minute. Did I say that out loud? Whipping my head around, I scan the vicinity. Whew. No children within range. Of course it’s good for them!

Every once in a while, anyway. Teaches them strength, endurance–dares them to give up–qualities they’ll need throughout life. Not to mention a garden!

How To Eat Melons

Sure, eating melons sounds like an easy proposition. Tap, pluck, slice, enjoy. But did you know that sprinkling a dash of salt on your melons will actually make them taste sweeter? It’s true! I didn’t learn this trick from a fellow gardener, rather an Italian chef. He serves prosciutto-wrapped melon at his restaurant which struck me as odd. Why wrap juicy sweet melons in salty ham?

The answer: Melons are composed of thousands of tiny cells. These are semi-permeable membranes which means water can flow into and out of them easily. Now, when you add a high concentration area of salt next to a low concentration area of salt, nature wants to reach an equilibrium and the low salt areas will be drawn into the salt areas and vice versa. As the salt is on the surface of the melon, it draws an extra punch of sweet melon flavor with it. Delightful!