Cucumis melo Charentais

Soil preparation

Melons require nutrient-rich soil and plenty of warmth for successful fruiting. Choose a location that is both sunny and sheltered. Melon plants prefer moist but well-drained soil. Loosen the soil to a depth of about 10cm (4in), without turning it over. Add well-decomposed organic compost. If the soil does not drain well, it is possible to create a small mound for each plant.

Sowing under glass

In areas with less sunlight, it is wise to sow melon seeds on a warm bed in a greenhouse before transplanting them to the ground. Starting from the end of March, fill pots (minimum 8cm (3in) in diameter) with special seed compost and plant 2 or 3 melon seeds per pot, with the pointed end downwards to facilitate root development. Moisten the soil, which should remain moderately moist. The seeds usually germinate in about a week. When the plants have three true leaves, thin them out to keep only one plant per pot. Depending on the sowing date, you can either transplant them to the ground if the soil is warm enough and the risk of frost has passed, or keep one plant in each pot until the soil warms up. When transplanting in the ground, leave a spacing of 1m (3ft) between rows and between plants in a row.

Sowing in the ground

In warm regions or on the Atlantic coast, it is possible to sow melon seeds directly in the ground. Make sure beforehand that the soil is warm enough. Sow two to three seeds in holes, with the pointed end downwards, keeping a spacing of 1m (3ft) between rows and between plants in a row. Moisten the soil, which should remain moderately moist. When the plants have three true leaves, keep the strongest one. This sowing can be done in May, once the risk of frost has passed. Use cloches or mini-tunnels if necessary.

Melons require regular watering (about twice a week in summer, depending on the climate). Be careful to water only the base of the plant and not the leaves to prevent powdery mildew. Regularly weed and hoe.

Melons are quite "hungry," so you can follow them with peas or broad beans.