5 Tips on Growing Lovely Melons ...

Melons should be planted in hills, instead of in a patch of soil that is completely level. Place 3 to 5 seeds per mound of dirt, with each seed being approximately 2 inches apart. Can plant more seeds than this if you want, but you will have to thin out the smaller plants and leave only 3 to 5 of the larger ones in place.

Gardeners living in northern climates where the weather warms up at a slower rate can also successfully grow melons. Seeds can be started indoors to give them a head start on the growing season. If planting seeds directly outdoors, then black plastic mulch can be used to warm the ground up and allow the seeds to germinate.

Surprisingly, melons only need an inch or 2 of water during a week's time. Excessively hot and dry weather will require a bit more water than usual, but don't allow them to set in standing water, no matter how high the temperatures outside are.

It is often the second round of flowers that are the female flowers, which are the ones responsible for producing fruit.

Unlike tomatoes, melons don't change from one color to another to signify when they are ripe. You might pick a melon before it is completely mature, but it will still ripen on its own. If you stop watering a week before harvesting, the melons will have a sweeter flavor.

Ripeness is tested differently on each type of melon. However, most melons will begin to smell sweet when they are getting close to maturity. What types of melons are you interested in growing?

Top Photo Credit: Ming chai