Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - [NAFEX] growing melons over black plastic

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Alan Haigh <alandhaigh@gmail.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] growing melons over black plastic
  • Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:24:54 -0400

Someone asked me off list what I meant when I said that from Z6 down black plastic might be useful or even necessary for growing melons.  She is in a Z8 and wondered if black plastic might be helpful for her, which got me thinking more about growing stuff over plastic, especially melons.  Here's what I wrote her.
 
Same as counting down- you know- 4,3,2,1 (zones colder than 6).  Anytime you need more growing season black plastic is useful.  Soil temps are even more important than air temps and small plants can be covered from a late spring frost (over-night) and get good growth if the soil is warm. 
 
Small farmers around here use black plastic to grow many things to get a jump on production- even broccoli.  You might benefit from using it to get the melons to flower earlier and therefore ripen under a stronger sun which is crucial to get the sugar up.
 
The plastic also helps vines and fruit dry out more quickly and reduces dew and allows melons to ripen without a trellis on a spot not too wet.  Melons are generally a kind of desert fruit and humidity is not helpful.



  • [NAFEX] growing melons over black plastic, Alan Haigh, 06/10/2009

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page