Growing Rockmelon, also Canteloupe

View the Rockmelon page

30 Oct 12 Suzanne (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have just planted rockmelon seedlings & would like to know if they prefer cow manure, horse manure or chook manure, as I can get any of the above. Also on the seedlings punnet it says to grow them on a fence or trellis? I had not heard of this before? what benefits are there to this type of growing? Thank You.
01 Jan 13 Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
Suzanne, Do not use horse manure unless you compost it. Cows have 4 stomachs and any weed seeds are disolved. Do not make the mistake that l did & use horse manure. Horses only have one stomach & you will get a fine crop of weeds, year after year.
07 Jan 13 Suzanne (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thank you Michael, I have lots of rockmelons on the vines, but when I picked 4 yesterday, only one was edible, due to little holes in the others and when cut open they had little fruit maggots in them! They have obviously been "blown" by something? What should I spray the other young ones with before I lose even more. It was so disappointing as the melons that I picked were ripe and smelt delicious!
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