Hydroponic cantaloupe (rockmelon) and butternut pumpkin

Growing cantaloupe (rockmelon) and butternut pumpkin in hydroponic recirculating Dutch buckets over summer is very rewarding. A 90+ day crop from seed results in many Rockies and pumpkin.
I start from seed and transplant the seedlings at the two or three true leaf stage into expanded clay media. I run the pump 24/7 so as to supply the plants with fresh oxygenated nutrient solution and at an even temperature at all times.
Powdery mildew is a disease I combat by spraying with Mancozeb plus as soon as the disease appears then every two weeks.
Melons are ready to harvest once the fruit separates from the vine. Careful observation will show that the fruit is ripe and the vine is splitting from the fruit. Place the fruit in the kitchen, when the aroma of fresh rockmelon permeates the house it is ready to eat.
Pumpkins are ready to harvest once the peduncle stem withers at the attachment point to the fruit.
Happy growing.

[@qpl88]

Nice work. This is really inspirational stuff!

[@hydroponicsbybrianbullock2488]

Thank you, yes the rockmelon ( cantaloupe) do really well in recirculating Dutch buckets. We are just about to plant out some rocky seedlings as it’s spring time here. Happy growing.