Useful Tips in Growing Organic Melons

Melons are members of the cucurbit family which is one of the most popular garden vegetables planted in today’s times. Melons, like its cucurbit members, are vegetable crops that are grown at ground level, have sprawling vines with tendrils and bear many large, lobed leaves.  Melons, such as the cantaloupe and the honeydew, are crops that are suitable in warm areas and would require relatively dry summers for it to grow properly. These cucurbits may also grow in colder areas but this will be a challenging tasks.

The clamor for healthy melons that are organically grown has led to the development of different techniques in growing organic melons.  The following are the basic techniques in growing melons organically.
Melons need the sun to grow properly. It is important to choose a site that would get plenty of sun during the day time. The site for growing organic melons should also have natural or man-made barriers that would protect the cucurbits from gusts of strong cold winds. The soil that would be used in the site should also be rich in nutrients and should be loosely textured and well-drained to prevent mildew formation. One good technique for site preparation is to cover the soil with a black plastic to warm it before planting. This technique will also kill the existing weeds prior to planting.

Melons should be planted only after the last danger of frost has passed and only after the soil has reached a warm temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds planted in soils with temperature below 60 degrees will not germinate. When planting melons, it is important to choose the varieties which are resistant to the diseases that are common and have been observed before in the area. Melons should be watered using furrow irrigation or soaker hose and should be concentrated on the soil and not on the leaves. Wet leaves increase the chance of having diseases.

Weeding is an essential procedure when growing organic melons. Weeds can be pulled out mechanically by hand or by hoeing until the vines of the melons are dense enough to shade out the weeds. Pests control for growing organic melons can be accomplished by rotating the crops planted in the fields. Changing the location of crops planted each year will help control insect pest problems. However, spraying of organic pesticides may be used but should be applied in the late afternoon to avoid injury to the bees that are pollinating the melon flowers.

Finally, melons should not be harvested until they have ripened fully on the vines.  Melons that are detached from the vines would not mature anymore. It is always best to know when the melons will ripe.