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4) Take advantage of the sun’s rays
There’s nothing you can do to change the climate where you live or the amount of sun in your garden, but there are some tips for making the most of the heat available in each location. Covering the ground of your melon beds with black plastic landscaping sheets, which retain heat like an asphalt surface, is an essential tip. You can also place clear plastic or transparent fabric covers over your melon beds to create a mini greenhouse. These should be removed in early summer, when the plants begin to flower, so that insects can pollinate the flowers. Cover the beds again in late summer to ensure optimal ripening in cold climates.
5) Don’t overcrowd your melon plants
Melons grow in sprawling vines and do not ripen efficiently when grown in tight spaces. Seedlings are usually planted in mounds (three per mound) 60cm apart in 180cm rows. Reduce the number of fruit to three melons per vine as this will recover more nutrients (and therefore sugars) in each melon. If space is a problem, build a sturdy trellis and place the melons on the south side of it – this saves space in the bed but also puts the fruit in better contact with the warm rays of the sun.
6) Sugar content begins in the soil
Sugar is produced in the leaves by photosynthesis and then sent to the fruit. The more abundant the leaf growth, the higher the Brix index. To encourage vigorous growth, mix 10-15cm of composted manure into your melon beds before planting. Then add a
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