Cantaloup(E) Melons

[billd766]

Has anybody tried or succeded in growing cantaloup melon from the seeds that you normally throw away?

[soidog2]

They are all hybrids, you'll never make it.

[billd766]

They are all hybrids, you'll never make it.

Not a big problem as at the moment I just throw the rind and the seeds on the garden so I may get lucky, or not.

[rice555]

Hello All, I picked up this mag yesterday waiting for the rain to let up,

future Thai U-boat commanders from Chonburi with a green thumb.

The seed packs are the most common melons I in the markets in Korat.

Between Bt.18-20 a packet.

ricw555

[billd766]

Hello All, I picked up this mag yesterday waiting for the rain to let up,

future Thai U-boat commanders from Chonburi with a green thumb.

The seed packs are the most common melons I in the markets in Korat.

Between Bt.18-20 a packet.

ricw555

Thanks for the photos. I vaguely remember a shop in the village selling them so I will look next time I am down that way.

[Iamemjay]

The ones you buy are hybrids and are most likely sterile. But I've had plenty of success germinating seeds bought in packets locally - but my success stops there, The vines grow to a certain size and then fail, just as flowering begins

I've tried in both dry and wet seasons with similar results. When I ask for advice I've been told by some to plant in wet season, and by others that planting should be in the dry season to prevent rot. Its all a puzzle to me!!!

[rice555]

Hello All, a lot of what I've seen in Thai mellon production

is grown vertically, be it open field or net/greenhouse.

Helps to cut down on fungal problems.

This picture is in a net house built with cement posts for

the main support, everything is bamboo. The top is covered

with greenhouse film.

The bags are filled with dirt/CRH/sand/multi veritys of cow

and bird shit.

He does use chem fertlizer through the growing season, you

should be able to come up with some OG teas or such to

grow OG. Will post the full artical this evening.

rice555

[Iamemjay]

Thanks rice555 - most interesting!!

This is exactly how I grow large sized (Western) organic tomatoes, but had never thought of applying it to melons. By greenhouse film, you mean a material that is impervious to water (thus allowing control of moisture levels?

[rice555]

Hello All, to answer you question lamemjay, it's the film that most greenhouses are

covered with.

The following article(in Thai, from House Ag Mag, also has adds for GH films'ect.)

also talks about growers that plant in the ground, in that case, it can be set up with

drip tape to irrigate.

The last 2 pages are a time line from start to finnish. Depending on the amount of

plants you want to grow, it might be best to stager starting dates so you don't have

it all needing to be tied up at once or all harvested at once, think about labor.

I have coppied one of the pictures off the page to try to clean up so you can see the

cement post and the bamboo better.

rice555

[rice555]

Here's open field growing.

rice555

PS, you can buy prepunched rolls of plastic mulch.

[rice555]

forgot the picture.

[slapout]

The best cantalope I have found in the CM market places are those grown in the Chiang Rai area. They start coming in, in January and it seems the season is only 3 to 4 weeks long. The meat is a rich orange color and they have the taste and odor of what we call real cantalope.

Maybe some of the Chiang Rai members can help in the location of seed source.

I had some musk melon seed sent to me several years ago, and they were planted late and got flooded out before maturing. The first picking which was made (don't ask why) was before they matured and thus were uneatable, much less marketable..

[billd766]

forgot the picture.

Thanks very much for the first class information, much appreciated.

[Zpete]

LOL Bill,

Aline digs all our vege scraps, egg shells etc, into the ground around the fence and has pumpkins w/melons come up without any encouragement.

The worms she has (in the garden that is. he he) from her style of composting, are as fat as ya lilfinger...... well my lilfinga.

Pull them out now, they take over the whole yard.

She seems to be able to make sticks grow.

Guess ya may want some posted over, seeds from fresh melons, cantelope etc.

[SundayAfternoon]

rice 555,

those are the seeds I've currently got growing up a trellis.

My first plant was a bit of a disaster - small, disfigured, and stunted fruit, and the leaves were getting big holes in them, so I pulled the plant and started again.

This time, (different location) I have two plants that are doing well. Tiny fruit is starting to develop!

I think the lack of pollinators is the problem I have for the fruit not developing properly. So, I'm hand polinating.

[billd766]

rice 555,

those are the seeds I've currently got growing up a trellis.

My first plant was a bit of a disaster - small, disfigured, and stunted fruit, and the leaves were getting big holes in them, so I pulled the plant and started again.

This time, (different location) I have two plants that are doing well. Tiny fruit is starting to develop!

I think the lack of pollinators is the problem I have for the fruit not developing properly. So, I'm hand polinating.

How do you pollinate by hand and what with?

[billd766]

LOL Bill,

Aline digs all our vege scraps, egg shells etc, into the ground around the fence and has pumpkins w/melons come up without any encouragement.

The worms she has (in the garden that is. he he) from her style of composting, are as fat as ya lilfinger...... well my lilfinga.

Pull them out now, they take over the whole yard.

She seems to be able to make sticks grow.

Guess ya may want some posted over, seeds from fresh melons, cantelope etc.

Hi Pete

I am just keeping my eye on this thread at the moment.

Thanks anyway.

[loong]

LOL Bill,

Aline digs all our vege scraps, egg shells etc, into the ground around the fence and has pumpkins w/melons come up without any encouragement.

The worms she has (in the garden that is. he he) from her style of composting, are as fat as ya lilfinger...... well my lilfinga.

Pull them out now, they take over the whole yard.

She seems to be able to make sticks grow.

Guess ya may want some posted over, seeds from fresh melons, cantelope etc.

Hi Pete

I am just keeping my eye on this thread at the moment.

Thanks anyway.

You take a male flower, remove the petals and wipe the pollen onto the female flower centre parts.

can't remember what is called what, stamen , sigma or whatever

Female flower has the fruit forming behind it, the male flower has no fruit

[billd766]

LOL Bill,

Aline digs all our vege scraps, egg shells etc, into the ground around the fence and has pumpkins w/melons come up without any encouragement.

The worms she has (in the garden that is. he he) from her style of composting, are as fat as ya lilfinger...... well my lilfinga.

Pull them out now, they take over the whole yard.

She seems to be able to make sticks grow.

Guess ya may want some posted over, seeds from fresh melons, cantelope etc.

Hi Pete

I am just keeping my eye on this thread at the moment.

Thanks anyway.

You take a male flower, remove the petals and wipe the pollen onto the female flower centre parts.

can't remember what is called what, stamen , sigma or whatever

Female flower has the fruit forming behind it, the male flower has no fruit

Thank you for that information. Something I never knew.

I will have to try that when I try to grow melons again.

[SundayAfternoon]

Sorry for the late reply, billd766, but yes, exactly as Loong described.

There are you tube videos and such that show you how.

I now have two, beautiful formed fruits, about the size of ping-pong balls. Plants are looking healthy, and I've got my fingers crossed that I'll be eating cantaloup soon

[billd766]

Sorry for the late reply, billd766, but yes, exactly as Loong described.

There are you tube videos and such that show you how.

I now have two, beautiful formed fruits, about the size of ping-pong balls. Plants are looking healthy, and I've got my fingers crossed that I'll be eating cantaloup soon

The only time I tried the melons were growing reasonably well then the dogs thought they were toys.

Now I have no dogs and I will try again next year I think.