Nothing beats a sweet, chilled melon from your own garden on a hot afternoon. Watermelon (thannimathan) and muskmelon (shamam) love heat and sunshine, which makes Kerala's dry season perfect for growing them.
When to sow
Melons dislike heavy rain, which causes rot and disease. In Kerala, sow from around December to February, after the monsoon ends, so the vines grow and fruit through the hot, dry summer months.
Where to grow
- Full sun: at least 6–8 hours of direct sun a day.
- Light, well-drained soil: sandy loam enriched with compost is ideal.
- Space: vines spread widely – allow about 1.5–2 metres between planting spots on the ground. Compact varieties like Sugar Baby can also be grown in large grow bags and trained up a strong trellis, with each fruit supported in a cloth sling.
How to sow
- Soak seeds in water for a few hours.
- Prepare small mounds or pits mixed with compost or vermicompost.
- Sow 2–3 seeds per spot, about 2 cm deep.
- Seeds usually sprout in 4–7 days. Keep the two strongest seedlings per spot.
Watering and feeding
Water deeply at the base of the plant, not over the leaves, and keep the soil evenly moist while vines grow and fruits swell. Mulching with dry leaves or straw keeps soil moist and fruits clean. Add compost every few weeks. When fruits are close to full size, reduce watering a little – this helps sweetness.
Help with pollination
Melons have separate male and female flowers; female flowers have a tiny fruit behind the petals. Bees usually do the work, but on terraces you can help: in the morning, pick a male flower, remove its petals and gently brush it onto the centre of a female flower.
How to tell when they're ripe
- Watermelon: the curly tendril nearest the fruit dries and turns brown, the patch touching the ground turns creamy yellow, and the fruit sounds hollow when tapped.
- Muskmelon: the skin netting becomes pronounced, it smells sweet at the stem end, and ripe fruits come away from the vine with a gentle push.
Most varieties are ready about 70–90 days after sowing.
Buy melon seeds online
Sow this season with our Watermelon Sugar Baby seeds, watermelon seeds and muskmelon (shamam) seeds, or explore our full fruit seeds range.