When we turn to the subject of growing fruits and vegetables using hydroponics, melons are rarely mentioned. The truth is, hydroponic gardening lends itself well to the growing of fruits such as cantaloupe and honeydew melons, among others. Melons are a good representation of a fruit that requires a strong root base that is best grown in some alternative medium such as Perlite. Melons give us insight into methods used for “taming” plants that grow on vines and offer the risk of taking over your greenhouse. They also give us an idea of when it may be beneficial to introduce natural predators or pollinators to your greenhouse.

Melons like hot temperatures. The ideal greenhouse temperature should hover in the high eighties or low nineties and the hydroponic gardener must make sure the temperature does not fall below sixty degrees or you are likely to lose your entire crop. Because the fruit is heavy, additional support is necessary for your plants. For this reason, using a growing medium such as Perlite is safer for your plants than allowing them to grow in pure hydroponic nutrients as it gives the root base stability. Hydroponic nutrients should be delivered through a drip-irrigation method. This will allow sufficient feeding, without risking over-watering. An additional way to help strengthen the lower part of your plant is to keep the bottom six to eight inches pruned. This allows that area to thicken considerably and, in turn, add stability.

Indoor gardening provides less room for the hydroponic garden. Since melon grow on vines, you will need to have a system in place to help keep the plants contained within a certain area. If allowed to grow on their own, they will start to choke each other, eliminated necessary light and nutrition to each other. The best method for containment involves running a strong wire across the greenhouse, at a height of approximately seven or eight feet. Each plant then is connected to the wire above it and, as the fruit grows, the plant is guided around this wire and held in place with special clips that can be found at a hydroponic supply store.

Pollination is needed for plants to produce. Outdoors, this happens naturally with insects and wind. Inside a greenhouse, however, the hydroponic gardener needs to find other methods to facilitate pollination. Adding bees to your greenhouse is a perfect way to do this. The bees are natural pollinators and will achieve your purpose without damaging your plant. The use of commercial insecticides is not encouraged anyway, but more so now that you do not want to put the bee population at risk. If you do find yourself with an infestation that puts your crop at risk, you will be less likely to cause harm by using specially formulated pest-control products such as the Scorpion Juice found at Advanced Nutrients. These formulas are designed to cause the less damage to your plants.

Melons may be rare in the hydroponic farming area, but growing them is thoroughly satisfying. With the above advice, you will soon find yourself sitting down to a snack if ripe, sweet melon.

Hydroponics is easy to set up when you're a hobbyist, but if you have aspirations of becoming a master grower, you owe it to yourself to read the best hydroponics newsletter on the web.