jojostone
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hot bedi'm thinking of making a hotbed in the polytunnel so i can give melons a try. anyone tried it? I've fouind some instructions where you put 60-90cm of fresh manure then 30cm of soil on top then plant but it says the heat will only last two months and then you need to do it again. How will that work if i have a couple of melon plants growing on the top?
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kimmie
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matty is growing melons in his polytunnel they seem happy so far...will ask him to pm you
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Maria
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I really wanted to grow melons this year. Failed miserably. Germinated 3 from 8 - kittens killed 2 - left with one lil baby melon seedling....ahhh....then the dam winds knocked it of my ever so clever (not) swinging shelf in the poly.  Thinking it's maybe a sign that I don't try again. Melon last year got 6 leaves then refused to grow anymore.
Saying that, fi's mum has grown melons in her poly - not far from here. I'll ask her what her secret is. 
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pete_inthehills
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I tried this a couple of years ago and it didn't seem to work. I think the problem was that I didn't have enough manure so it didn't really heat up. The other problem was that as it composted, it collapsed on itself and so the soil above sank in places.
I am now considering the building of a strange raised bed with a gap beneath it to put manure in. I was thinking of getting an old coffee table, I could nail boards around the top to hold the soil and then in the space underneath I could put the manure. It would also allow me to replace the manure every month or so which would keep the heat coming.
Its still very much a theory...but one day...one day it'll come to fruition and then I'll patent it and you'll find plastic versions in B&Q and I'll make a million....
pete
inthehills
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jojostone
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that's really good thinking pete, you are clever. i was thinking i'd have to dig up the melon then change the manure and then replant the melon but your idea makes much more sence, although like you say more tricky to construct. i'll have a think about what i have lying aroung that i can use. but like you say maybe for next year, this year i'll maybe pop them in a growbag
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