| Botanical name | Cucumis melo; Cucumis citrullu |
|---|---|
| Plant Care |  Deciduous Deciduous – Sheds Its Leaves Annually  Full Sun Full Sun – Prefers 6 or more hours of sun per day.  Frost Hardy Frost Hardy – Can Handle frost without damage.  Moderate Watering Moderate Watering – Requires Regular Watering.  Pruning Required Pruning Required – Needs to be Pruned.  Non Indigenous Non Indigenous – Exotic to South Africa. |
| Categories | |
| Common name(s) | Melons |
| Origin | |
| Planting instructions | Prepare basins of well-manured soil, 300mm in diameter and 1.5m apart.Plant five to six seeds per basin, about 15mm deep. Thin out to three plants when 100mm tall. |
| Maintenance | Keep the basins free of weeds, and water the plants well in dry weather. Feed every two weeks with liquid fertilizer once the flowers appear. |
| Interesting planting ideas | Plant near garlic chives, mint, morning glory and pennyroyal. |
| Interesting info | Botanically, melons fall into the same family as cucumbers and require similar treatment in cultivation. Recommended varieties: Hales Best, an orange fleshed sweet melon; green-fleshed Honeydew.(Watermelons are not really suitable for home gardens as they occupy too much space for very little return). Most melons grow on vines along the ground, but some small-fruited varieties, such as Jenny Lind, will grow on trellises, This is a handy space-saver in a smaller garden. |
| Possible problems | Don't plant melons near potatoes, sweet potatoes or radishes or near citrus trees. They seem to dislike one another and each stunts the other's growth. |
| Common pests and diseases | Aphids, pumpkin flies (to control the latter, make a bait solution of Malathion plus 100g sugar per liter of water; spray onto the leaf surfaces when the first flowers appear, repeating as necessary). Mildew. |
| Harvest | Melons should be really ripe when picked, as they do not improve after picking.Ripe muskmelons develop a slightly yellower color and feel soft at the blossom end when pressed.The netting on the skin becomes more pronounced, the color changes from dark green to grey-green and finally to yellowish-green and the fruit smells delicious. |
| Yield | Five plants should yield enough sweet- or winter melons for a family of four. |
Cucumis melo; Cucumis citrullu (Melons)
- Botanical name: Cucumis melo; Cucumis citrullu
- Common name(s): Melons
- Categories: Fruits and Vegetables
Plant description:
There are two types of melon: the summer varieties, collectively known as muskmelons or netted melons after the appearance of their skin, and popularly called sweetmelon, spanspek, rock melon and cantaloupe; and the smooth-skinned winter melons, which include honeydew and watermelon. Botanically, melons fall into the same family as cucumbers and require similar treatment in cultivation.
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Botanical Pronunciation: KOO-koo-mis MEL-oh
Cucumis melo; Cucumis citrullu requirements and features
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Moderate Maintenance
Requires moderate maintenance.
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