Honeydew, also known as White Antibes melon, is a type of muskmelon grown end-to-end America. Casaba, Persian and Crenshaw are some of the sub-varieties of honeydew melons. These melons are usable from May to October for consumption. Although these melons grow best in California, Texas and Arizona, they also can be grown in your garden, provided you give them proper care.

Suitable Mulching

Honeydew vines require at least 2 to 3 months of heat to produce quality fruits. Once the fruits are mature enough, they also ask heat to ripen with ample sweetness. This attains growing honeydews in the northern region of America a bit difficult. You are able to overcome this difficulty by using black plastic mulches or black tarps so that the soil beneath these mulches remains warm enough. Floating row covers had better as well be accustomed trap warm air near the plants during the ripening stage of the fruits. If mulching the garden bed with plastic sheet spoils the look of your garden, you can also mulch it with straws, salt hay, or compost. Even so, this needs to be replenished from time to time, and this method becomes more and more difficult as the vines develop; so it is advisable to use plastic sheets only.

Seasonable Fertilizing

Setting the soil is another important thing. The pH level of soil should ideally be between 6 and 7. These plants require plenty of water for healthy growth; so make sure that the soil can hold water for longer periods. While preparing the bed, dig a 12–inch-deep trench; fill it with 9 inches of fresh or rotting manure and 3 inches of mixed layer of compost, sea weed, and soil. When the manure starts rotting, it produces lot of heat and also meets the nitrogen requirement of the plant.

Honeydew melon* should not be planted directly into the soil. First, plant these seeds in small pots and wait for them to germinate and grow up to 6 inches. While transplanting them to the beds, make a slit in the plastic sheet and keep the leafy part above plastic; the rest of it can be placed below the soil level.

Right Watering

Honeydews need more water; first, when they’re transplanted, and second, when they bear fruits. So make sure that during these periods, the soil is always moist, but not water logged. Excess water will definitely kill the plants. Even while watering, do not pour water directly over them; use soaker hoses instead. Pouring water all over the vines will make the leaves wet, which might lead to fungal infection. If you are watering them directly, it should ideally be done in early morning so that the leaves dry out by afternoon.

Seasonal Care

Honeydew melon vines essential be protected from cold winds all the time. The finest option is to install row covers. Do remember to remove them when flowers bloom on vines. For the plant to bear fruits, it is important that the insects pollinate them; this can’t be achieved if the flowers are covered. Row covers also keep all types of infections and pests at bay.

Plant Care after Melon Formation

* Once fruits become heavy, place them on a hard surface and not on the mulch. This will prevent rot in fruits.
* Pinch off tender vines or apical buds when the fruits are formed. This will make the melons more sweeter.
* Equally soon as melon ripens, remove it from the vine so that the plant does not divert its useful nutrients to the already-ripe fruit.