How To Plant Melon Seeds (Step By Step Guide)

Melon is a summer-favorite and highly nutritious fruit. Nothing gives off better summer vibes than a juicy slice of watermelon or honeydew melon. There are many different kinds of melons out there, each with its unique taste. Which one you prefer depends entirely on your taste buds and taste palate. Now, if you’re looking to get those summer vibes at home, then you need to grow your own melons. And you’ve come to the best place to find out how to do that.

We will be talking about how to plant melon seeds in this step-by-step guide. Read on!

Requirements To Grow Melon Seeds

When attempting to grow your melons, the following is a list of things you must ensure your plants have enough of.

How To Plant Melon Seeds at home

Soil: Melons need really warm and moist soil to grow. So you will have to make sure the soil temperature is above or close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the soil is below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, your plant will not grow. It is also important to provide the melon plant with a lot of nutrients. So soil with a good amount of compost mixed in before plantation will be really good for the melons and ensure a healthy crop. The compost will provide a lot of nitrogen, which is important for good vine growth.

Sun Exposure: Melons are warm-climate fruits, and so they love the sun. Make sure your melon plants get enough sunlight to make them thrive.

Water: Melons are around 90% water, so it’s no surprise that the plant needs a good amount of water. If you live in a region where it often rains then your melon plant will need around 2 inches of watering every 6-7 days. If it doesn’t rain often, then you’ll have to increase that to supplement the rainwater.

Depending on the kind of mulch you use, you can use a soaker hose to water the plants and keep the hose under mulch. If you don’t use a soaker hose then make sure when you water from above not to get foliage wet, as this will cause diseases to spread.

Fertilizer: During the beginning stages of the plant, you’ll need soil rich in nitrogen to encourage vine growth. But as the plant begins to mature and flower and move towards developing the fruit, then you’ll need soil rich in potassium and phosphorus. So buy fertilizer that has less nitrogen and more phosphorus and potassium when the fruit starts to form.

how to grow melon seeds at home

How To Grow Melon Seeds

Now that you know what’s needed to grow the melons of your choice, let’s take a look at a step-by-step guide on how to go about growing them. Follow the instructions below on growing the melons from seed to harvest, and you won’t need to look at any other resource.

Step-By-Step Guide To Growing Melons

  • The first step is to consider the climate you live in. Melons need warm climates and thrive in hot environments. So if you live in a cold region where summers are a lot shorter, then you’ll need to start the seedlings indoors and move them outdoors once they are developing leaves. If you live in a warm climate, then you can plant seedlings directly into the soil
  • It would be best to start the seeds indoors for colder regions to give them more time to grow. When planting indoors, you can plant in small pots, and make sure to plant only 3 seeds per pot. Don’t overcrowd it with seeds. Plant the seeds a quarter-inch deep into the soil, and use seed starting mix for soil
  • Once the pot is ready, place it over a heating mat to ensure a warm temperature of around 85 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the seeds should germinate nicely and sprout in about 4-5 days
  • Once the plant starts growing, you should decide when you want to move them outdoors. Ideally, this should be when there is no chance of frost. The plant needs to be hardened so keep the pot outside for half an hour each day, at least 10 days before completely moving them outdoors. Each day increase the time you keep the pot outdoors to get the plant accustomed to the sun exposure
  • You can easily plant the seeds outdoors if you live in warmer climates. When planting outdoors, make sure to leave a gap of about 26-35 inches around the seed to give it ample room to grow
  • Make sure to mix compost in the soil before plantation, as the nitrogen will aid in vine growth. Keep the pH level between 7-8 for adequate growth
  • Once you notice the plant has started to flower and produce fruit, you need to add some potassium and phosphorus-rich fertilizer
  • When harvesting the melon, you need to look for signs that the fruit is ripe and ready to be cut from the vine
  • For a watermelon, when the stem closest to the fruit and vine turns brown, then the watermelon is ripe enough to be harvested. Use shears to harvest the watermelon once it’s ripe
  • For honeydew, when it is white or yellow, then it’s ready for harvesting. Once ripe, use garden shears to cut the stem and separate the fruit from the vine
  • For cantaloupes, when the outer part of the fruit changes color to a dull yellow, then it is ready for harvesting. You can harvest it by putting gentle pressure on the stem, separating the fruit from the vine

tips to grow melon seeds

Tips To Grow A Healthy Melon

  • To ensure a juicy and sweet melon, you can sacrifice some melons on the vine and pick one with the most potential. This will allow the melon to absorb all the nutrients offered by that vine
  • Use plastic mulch around the soil to keep the soil wet and prevent weeds from growing in between the vine
  • Once the melon starts to grow, you need to keep it off the ground. You can use a small inverted pot and place it under the melon to prevent it from touching the soil
  • Use a soaker hose to water the soil to prevent getting the foliage wet

growing melons at home

Final Thoughts

We hope this article helped make you understand how to plant melon seeds. They are not just great fruits to grow, but their plant structure of vines, leaves, and fruits make for a very beautiful little garden that will look great too. So get your melon seeds today and plant away!

 Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What type of soil is best for planting melon seeds?

A: A sandy loam with a pH level of 6.5 is ideal for planting melon seeds. You can also add some compost to the soil to increase nutrient levels.

Q: How many days does it take for a melon seed to germinate?

A: On average, it takes 4-5 days for a melon seed to germinate.

Q: What is the best way to plant melon seeds?

A: The best way to plant melon seeds is by planting them in small pots indoors and then transferring them outdoors once they have started growing. You need to keep the pot outdoors for at least 10 days before completely moving them outdoors.

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