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Old 05-06-2009, 05:14 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens
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Default Melons

I live on a sand dune. That is, what ain't lava boulders. Nice southern
Utah sandstone sand. I want to plant some melons by some of the tree rings
where they seep out. Lots of regular water, but little nutrients.

Question: Where I plant, should I till out a cavity and put in peat moss
and other bagged amendments? Locals here say melons grow fine on sand, but
I'd guess you'd have to at least add some fertilizer.

Help appreciated.

Steve


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Old 05-06-2009, 06:30 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens
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Default Melons


"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I live on a sand dune. That is, what ain't lava boulders. Nice southern
Utah sandstone sand. I want to plant some melons by some of the tree rings
where they seep out. Lots of regular water, but little nutrients.

Question: Where I plant, should I till out a cavity and put in peat moss
and other bagged amendments? Locals here say melons grow fine on sand,
but I'd guess you'd have to at least add some fertilizer.

Help appreciated.

Steve


your area/your land grant college:
http://extension.usu.edu/files/publi...HG_2004-06.pdf


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Old 05-06-2009, 07:52 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens
mj mj is offline
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Default Melons

On Jun 5, 11:14*am, "SteveB" wrote:
I live on a sand dune. *That is, what ain't lava boulders. *Nice southern
Utah sandstone sand. *I want to plant some melons by some of the tree rings
where they seep out. *Lots of regular water, but little nutrients.

Question: *Where I plant, should I till out a cavity and put in peat moss
and other bagged amendments? *Locals here say melons grow fine on sand, but
I'd guess you'd have to at least add some fertilizer.

Help appreciated.

Steve


I have a sand beach in my back your and I burried some large black
pots filled with potting soil. The plants are doing great with lots of
room to spread out.

MJ
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Old 05-06-2009, 08:57 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens
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Default Melons


"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I live on a sand dune. That is, what ain't lava boulders. Nice southern
Utah sandstone sand. I want to plant some melons by some of the tree rings
where they seep out. Lots of regular water, but little nutrients.

Question: Where I plant, should I till out a cavity and put in peat moss
and other bagged amendments? Locals here say melons grow fine on sand,
but I'd guess you'd have to at least add some fertilizer.

Help appreciated.

Steve


My friend's summer place on L.I. was all sand. They added bags of compost
and composted cow manure plus a fertilizer. They mixed it all together and
grew great veggies including beautiful carrots.
--
Kelly..........
If you're a past or present resident of
NYC and want to share past experiences
and current events with others from NYC,
check out this free message Board:
http://members6.boardhost.com/QueensNYer/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Old 05-06-2009, 10:54 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens
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Default Melons


"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I live on a sand dune. That is, what ain't lava boulders. Nice southern
Utah sandstone sand. I want to plant some melons by some of the tree rings
where they seep out. Lots of regular water, but little nutrients.

Question: Where I plant, should I till out a cavity and put in peat moss
and other bagged amendments? Locals here say melons grow fine on sand,
but I'd guess you'd have to at least add some fertilizer.



I live right down the road from you, and I had some luck with making small
mounds of old leaves and grass, covering that well with commercial soil, and
just planting in that. The soil helps the seed to sprout, and as the
organic stuff underneath rots, the roots go down and eat up all those good
nutrients. By the time they hit the clay underneath they were so strong
they could make it in anything. I used drip irrigation to keep the water
right at the roots.
--S.



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Old 06-06-2009, 01:30 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible,rec.gardens
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Default Melons


"SteveB" wrote in message
...
I live on a sand dune. That is, what ain't lava boulders. Nice southern
Utah sandstone sand. I want to plant some melons by some of the tree rings
where they seep out. Lots of regular water, but little nutrients.

Question: Where I plant, should I till out a cavity and put in peat moss
and other bagged amendments? Locals here say melons grow fine on sand,
but I'd guess you'd have to at least add some fertilizer.

Help appreciated.

Steve


Add as much organic matter as you can get hands on, preferably already
rotted. Melons are heavy feeders AND need some water retention in the soil
as otherwise they will wilt excessively on hot days even with regular
watering. Peat most is a very expensive way to do this. I would use lots
of horse (or cow) manure plus compost if available plus some chicken manure
and also lime if the soil was very acid. A cavity will be useless as a well
grown melon will send out roots well beyond that. Mulch the surface well
and plant through it.

David

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