This subject is a little mysterious to me. I _hear_ the farmland just north of Las Vegas is some of the most productive melon land in the country. Yet, of two large nurseries I asked about growing melons here, one said, "who told you, you could grow melons in the desert here?", and the other, which has a very informative web site, does not have a single thing about growing melons here in Las Vegas. Last year, I went to the local hardware store and planted a couple of honeydews and cantaloupes in some bad soil, in late june and put them on a drip. they were all on clearance for 99c. They grew like crazy. when temperatures started to cool and the leaves began to yellow, I pulled them back and found a couple of the best honeydews i have ever tasted. the cantaloupes were not as successful. but that was without even trying.

this year, i did the same, and bought two honeydews and two cantaloupes and fortified the soil with some cheap mulch. one of the cantaloupes is exploding. the two honeydews are almost dormant, doing nothing, and the one plant in part-shade, another cantaloupe, is doing pretty well.

anyhow, does anybody have any specific tips for growing melons in las vegas climate?

and also, why do the big nurseries know nothing about melons around here? while the little local hardware store with the tiny little self-serve garden department, sells them. i'm in boulder city. also, when i try to google about melons in las vegas, there is very little, except a thread here at gardenweb. something is weird.

-peter

This post was edited by pcrussell50 on Sun, Jun 15, 14 at 23:25