Any views here on Melon varieties?

This year I grew Ogen and Sweetheart which seem to be the two varietes most
recommended for a cold greenhouse. The books seem to suggest that
Sweetheart is hardier and easier, but my experience is the opposite. The
Ogen plants are healthier and the fruits perfectly developed, sweet and
juicy. The Sweetheart plants look yellow by comparison and some of the
fruits have split (which is apparently caused by over-watering) as a result
of which they need to be harvested a little early.

Based on this experience, next year it will be Ogens all the way, but I
would be interested in the experiences of others.

"Rick Eggleston" wrote in message
...
Any views here on Melon varieties?

This year I grew Ogen and Sweetheart which seem to be the two varietes
most recommended for a cold greenhouse. The books seem to suggest that
Sweetheart is hardier and easier, but my experience is the opposite. The
Ogen plants are healthier and the fruits perfectly developed, sweet and
juicy. The Sweetheart plants look yellow by comparison and some of the
fruits have split (which is apparently caused by over-watering) as a
result of which they need to be harvested a little early.

Based on this experience, next year it will be Ogens all the way, but I
would be interested in the experiences of others.
No comment on growing, as I've never done so, but in terms of taste,
especially with a few very thin slices of Iberian ham, Ogens do it for me
every time!

"Rick Eggleston" wrote in message
...
Any views here on Melon varieties?

This year I grew Ogen and Sweetheart which seem to be the two varietes
most
recommended for a cold greenhouse. The books seem to suggest that
Sweetheart is hardier and easier, but my experience is the opposite. The
Ogen plants are healthier and the fruits perfectly developed, sweet and
juicy. The Sweetheart plants look yellow by comparison and some of the
fruits have split (which is apparently caused by over-watering) as a
result
of which they need to be harvested a little early.

Based on this experience, next year it will be Ogens all the way, but I
would be interested in the experiences of others.

Hi. Long-term lurker to group but see a few familiar "faces" here.

I'm growing Sweetheart and Jenny Lind in polytunnel.
Sweetheart are doing just fine (not harvested any yet) and the plants seem
nice and healthy. The Jenny Lind has been a disaster. I had 6 plants, 5 of
which failed and the one left is not doing very well. Will probably grow
Sweetheart again next year probably and will also be trying Sakata's Sweet.
Melons are in rich bed in polytunnel watered with leaky hose on timer and
fed organic tom food once/twice a week.

Liz
(North Cumbria)



--
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On Wed, 6 Sep 2006 Rick Eggleston wrote:

Any views here on Melon varieties?

This year I grew Ogen and Sweetheart which seem to be the two varietes most
recommended for a cold greenhouse.

I had an extraordinary experience this year. If I'd tried to grow melons
I wouldn't have been able to. In fact a year or two ago I did plant some
melon seeds and I had one plant which I grew on in my conservatory. It
produced one melon about the size of a marble.

This year I dug out my compost heap - compost which had been there for a
few years - and spread it on my allotment. After a few weeks I noticed
some rather strong-looking seedlings which I couldn't identify. Soon
they were growing rather like courgette plants but the leaves were
wrong. My neighbour suggested they might be melons. Oh yes, I remembered
that my wife was in the habit of throwing kitchen waste, including melon
seeds, on to the compost heap. Yes, it was possible they were melon
seedlings. All I could see, though, were just some small flowers. No
sign of any fruit. This was in July.

We went to France as usual for the whole of August and returned on the
31st, and a few days later I went up to the allotment. Imagine my
surprise! On two melon plants there was a total of twelve cantaloupe
melons!

I cut the largest and brought it home and let it ripen for a few days.
It weighed just two ounces short of three pounds. This evening we cut it
open. It was ripe, very juicy and full of flavour, as good as one bought
from a shop.

To say that I was astonished is an understatement. I had no idea that
cantaloupe melons could be grown in England out in the open, let alone
in a greenhouse. Is this normal or is this a result of the exceptionally
hot July. But yet the melons actually grew in August when it was much
cooler and wetter. I would be glad to hear of anyone else's experiences
in growing melons in the open in the UK.

David

--
David Rance http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk
Fido Address: 2:252/110 writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

"David Rance" wrote in message

We went to France as usual for the whole of August
To say that I was astonished is an understatement. I had no idea
that
cantaloupe melons could be grown in England out in the open, let
alone
in a greenhouse. Is this normal or is this a result of the
exceptionally
hot July. But yet the melons actually grew in August when it was
much
cooler and wetter. I would be glad to hear of anyone else's
experiences
in growing melons in the open in the UK.

WOW. I'm stunned. I tried growing rockmelons (cantaloupes) last year
as I thought that a good hot Aussie summer was just what they liked
but I failed miserably (even though I do have friends who I know grow
them in the district). Since you've now been so successful and have
found seeds that work for you keep some seeds and try again next year.
You may be onto a real winner.

Congratulations. You've inspired me to try again this summer.