The exotic honeydew melon can also be grown in our garden. We reveal what you have to consider when planting honeydew melons in beds and pots and give important tips on proper care.
Honeydew melons (Cucumis melo) are one of the most coveted refreshments of the summer and have many fans. But the sweet treats don't always have to come from the supermarket - you can actually plant the honeydew melon in your own garden or even on the balcony. Here we tell you what you have to consider when planting honeydew melon and which varieties are particularly suitable for growing yourself.
Growing honeydew melon: The best varieties
Melons are often wrongly referred to as fruit, but they are actually a vegetable. Botanically, they actually belong to the Cucurbitaceae family (Cucurbitaceae) and are closely related to cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and squashes (Cucurbita ) related. With well over 500 species, the melon comes in numerous types, colors and variations. However, melons are divided into two groups: watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) and cantaloupes (Cucumis melo) - the latter also includes the well-known honeydew melon. Since the honeydew melon originally comes from the Mediterranean area, not all varieties are suitable for cultivation in Germany. However, there are more and more modern breeds that also thrive in the colder German climate. If you want to plant honeydew melons, you should always make sure you choose varieties that can cope with the climatic conditions in this country.
Honeydew melon varieties for the garden
Less cold-sensitive, robust varieties have proven themselves for cultivation in Germany. Varieties of honeydew melon that are particularly suitable for planting in your own garden include the following:
'Blenheim Orange': Reliable yield even in poor climatic conditions; oval fruits up to 1 kg with fragrant, sweet flesh.
'Petit gris de Rennes': Ripens well even in colder temperatures; smallround fruits between 500 g and 700 g with orange, sweet flesh with a slight taste of caramel.
'Ananas': Very cold-tolerant honeydew melon; oval, yellow to beige fruits with a net pattern and white, juicy-sweet flesh with a hint of pineapple.
'Sweet Granite': Very early melon variety, particularly suitable for regions with short summers and cool weather; Orange-yellow fruits with a net pattern and sweet flesh.
Honeydew melon varieties for the pot
Growing honeydew melons is not difficult - in fact you can even grow honeydew melons on the balcony if you can offer them a sunny spot. Choosing the right variety is essential if you want to grow honeydew melons in pots. Examples of varieties suitable for growing in pots include:
'Minnesota Midget': Ideal beginner's variety, which is suitable for growing in pots thanks to its low height of about 40 cm, bushy growth and short tendrils; early-ripening melon variety with a ripening time of only 60 days; high number of small, sweet fruits.
'Ancien': Ripen well even in the German climate thanks to the relatively short growing season; Plants do not need pruning; aromatic, sweet but small fruits.
Growing honeydew melons in the garden
Growing honeydew melon in the garden sounds harder than it is. In fact, annual plants can also be grown wonderfully in the garden if you pay attention to a few points when caring for them.
When to plant honeydew melons?
Honeydew melons originally come from the Mediterranean area and therefore need warm temperatures. It is therefore advisable to start growing the melon plants indoors and only transplant the larger melon plants into the bed. The ideal time to start growing is early to mid-April. Depending on the variety, the honeydew melons can move to their new bed from mid-May. The seeds begin to germinate particularly well if they soak in a thermos with lukewarm water for 24 to 48 hours beforehand. A classic potting soil - such as Plantura organic herb and seed soil - and pots can be used for sowing. Only one seed should be used per pot. This is about two to three centimeters deep in the ground and should be moistened regularly with a spray bottle. The growing pots should be in a bright and warm locationan average of 23 to 25 °C, for example on a sunny window sill. The seeds should then start to germinate after eight to ten days.
Tip: To mimic the climate of a greenhouse, you can stretch cling film over the pots. This will keep the soil and seeds moist. However, the film should be opened daily so that fresh air can get to the seeds and mold does not form.
The ideal planting time for honeydew melons:
- Sowing indoors: mid to late April
- Seeds are grown 4 to 6 weeks ahead
- Prepare in a bright location at 23 - 25 °C
- Planting out in the bed: depending on the variety from mid-May
Planting honeydew melons in the bed
As soon as there are no more frosts to be expected, you can plant the honeydew melons in the bed. The ice saints (i.e. mid-May) are usually mentioned as the key date, since the danger of late frosts is over by this time. Two weeks before the seedlings are planted, they should be given a portion of green plant fertilizer to strengthen them. Outside, the plant needs a sunny but sheltered spot. However, young plants should not be left in the blazing midday sun at the beginning, as otherwise the sensitive leaves can quickly be burned. When choosing the right location, it is also important to ensure that no other plants from the pumpkin family are nearby in order to avoid cross-pollination - there should not have been any pumpkin plants in the previous year either, otherwise there is a risk of diseases and reduced growth increases. Since honeydew melons are heavy feeders, they need soil that is particularly rich in nutrients and humus, but also loose. Legumes are therefore a good pre-culture, as they represent a natural green manure and also loosen up the soil. These should be quickly heated by the sun, but also have a good water storage capacity. In addition, a slightly acidic pH value is optimal to support the growth of the plants.
The distance between the individual young plants should be at least 80, but preferably 100 centimetres, so that the plants have enough space later and do not have to compete with each other. It is also advisable to stretch a trellis or several cords for the plants so that they can climb upwards - this not only improves the vitality of the plantsplants, but the fruits can also be harvested later more easily.
What is the perfect spot for a honeydew melon?
- Sunny and sheltered from the wind
- Young plants must be shaded
- No other cucurbits in the pre-culture or as bed neighbors
- Porous, nutrient-rich soil
- Slightly acidic pH
- Planting distance: 80 - 100 cm
- Set up trellis
Planting honeydew melons in a pot
You don't need a huge garden to grow honeydew melon. In fact, honeydew melons can also be planted in pots and thus cultivated even in smaller gardens or on the balcony. A sufficiently large container of at least 25 liters volume, in which the plant can develop well, is crucial for successful cultivation. The plant can react very sensitively to later transplanting into larger containers, which is why the honeydew melon should be planted in a sufficiently large container from the start. When choosing a location, the same conditions apply as in the bed: the honeydew melon likes a sunny but wind-protected location with loose and nutrient-rich soil. However, young plants should also be shaded initially, as they tend to burn quickly. Unlike in the bed, a honeydew melon planted in a pot has significantly less substrate available, which is why particular attention should be paid to good quality and sufficient nutrient concentration in the soil. So that there is no waterlogging even when it rains, the pot for the honeydew melon must be provided with sufficiently large drainage holes. Depending on the variety, a climbing aid may also be necessary for honeydew melons on the balcony.
Tip: Note that the plant can form tendrils of up to five metres. Depending on the variety, honeydew melons in a pot may not have enough space to develop on a small balcony.
What does a honeydew melon need in a pot?
- Sufficiently large planter (at least 25 litres)
- Sunny, sheltered location
- Loose, nutrient-rich substrate
- Sufficiently large drainage holes
- Trailing aid required depending on honeydew melon variety
Caring for honeydew melons after planting
The planting is done: But how do you properly care for honeydew melons so that you can look forward to a rich harvest? Most important is the watering - melonsneed water regularly to develop their large fruits. However, this should not be cold, as temperature fluctuations can reduce the quality of the fruit: regular watering with tempered water is therefore ideal. It should be poured so that the soil is soaked to a depth of about 20 centimeters. But be careful: honeydew melons cannot tolerate waterlogging, so watering too much could also be harmful. As soon as the fruit starts to appear, it should be watered about every two to three days - even daily in particularly hot summers.
It is also important to ensure that the melon plants are optimally supplied with nutrients. Not only does this affect how well the plant and fruit grow, but also how well they resist diseases and pests, and affects the shelf life of the fruit. When planting, it makes sense to use a primarily organic long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer. This is particularly suitable because the honeydew melon, like tomatoes, has an increased need for potassium. After 2 months you fertilize again, so that the plant is well supplied until the end of the year.
Honeydew melons usually don't need to be cut. If the honeydew melons are grown without climbing aids, it is important to regularly remove sprouting weeds until the shoots of the melons completely cover the ground. When the first fruits finally form, they should be placed on a surface such as straw, flower pots or wooden boards to protect them from moisture and rot.
In contrast to cantaloupe or netted melons, ripe honeydew melons do not indicate the right time to harvest with their distinctive scent. Even the tapping test known from watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) does not provide any clear information about ripeness. In fact, it is not easy to determine the degree of ripeness of a honeydew melon. The best way to tell when a honeydew melon is ripe is by its skin: depending on the variety, it should be brightly colored and smell pleasantly sweet. It also gives way under slight pressure, but must not be too soft.
What do you have to consider when caring for honeydew melons?
- Regular watering with temperate water
- Fertilize with long-term organic tomato fertilizer
- No cutting needed
- Weed regularly
- Place fruits lying on the ground on a pad
You want more about melonsExperienced? We have summarized everything you need to know about the different types of melons in our article "Melons: origin, types and variety".