In article ,
dps wrote:
There are parts of the UK where melons could be grown, but I suspect
that the moderate temperatures make the season longer than the numbers
printed on the seed packet would indicate. Try the clear plastic route
to heat them up. Remember that the plastic has to have enough holes so
that bees or other pollinators can get in there.

Thanks, but I am afraid that is a common myth. Damn the low
temperatures, it is the low light levels and low high temperatures
that is the problem. For example, my garden has a growing season of
typically 300+ days for extreme northern plants, but perhaps 30 days
for heat and sun lovers - yes, really, there may be only 30 hot and
sunny days in the 90 days of summer. Autumn and spring are much
darker and winter is gloomy beyond most USA inhabitants' belief.

And I live in the south of England :-(

DISCLAIMER: I have never tried to grow anything in the UK. The above
comments are purely guesswork based on New England (USA) experience.

New England is halfway to the Deep South from here - look at an atlas!

The summer heat and light levels correspond to the extreme north west
of the contiguous USA and the coastal strip of Alaska, which is why
many USA gardeners in those areas look at uk.rec.gardening.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.