So I may have jumped the gun a little when I started my melons, but I honestly didn't expect them to grow SO FAST!!! They sprouted up like jack's bean stalk. It seems like over night they shot up and out and I pretty much have a 100% sprout rate too so I have way MORE melons than I need.
Anyway currently they are still in seed tray but they're too big for it. I got some jiffy pots and I think I'll transplant them into those since I don't think they can go outside yet. I have a watermelon, a honeydew type melon and some melon that's like a watermelon but orange in the middle (all heirlooms).
I know melons are hot weather plants, but what's the minimum these guys can take? I have been putting my lemon tree outside when it's 40 and above at night and it's been doing great. Even flowering and sprouting again. Someone told me that I should wait til temperatures are consistently 50 and above for the melons. But I just wanted to check. Thanks!
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rainbowgardener
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You can probably bring your melon plants out in pots in the daytime when the air temperature is above 50. But you don't want to plant them in the ground until the SOIL temperature is 70 degrees or above. They are the last thing to get planted in the spring. Planting them in to cool soil just encourages root rot and diseases.
Great! I have a soil thermometer and I remember being surprised at how warm the soil was a week or two ago. I got to stick it in and see how it is now. It appears to be warming up again here...I hope I can stick them in the ground soon as they're really growing like crazy and I think would like to be set loose.rainbowgardener wrote:You can probably bring your melon plants out in pots in the daytime when the air temperature is above 50. But you don't want to plant them in the ground until the SOIL temperature is 70 degrees or above. They are the last thing to get planted in the spring. Planting them in to cool soil just encourages root rot and diseases.
Ok I took the soil temp in a couple different places in where I want to plant my melons. It says 71. Can they be planted yet? The weather here is INSANE lately. Monday its supposed to be 90!! The lowest in the 10-day forecast its supposed to get is 46 but I usually don't get that low where I am. Highs for the next 9 days: 79,88,77,65,67,69,68,65,63. Lows: 56,60,63,51,46,48,52,48,46,47.
I do have the plants outside in their planters (along with my artichokes) but should I bring them inside at night?
I do have the plants outside in their planters (along with my artichokes) but should I bring them inside at night?