How to Grow Iroquois Melons

Start seeds indoors if the soil in your garden does not warm up until late spring or early summer, because this melon needs warm weather and warm soil in order to succeed. Plant seeds in flats or pots according to packet instructions and keep in a warm, sunny area for four to six weeks.

Prepare a planting area in a sunny spot that has good soil drainage. The Iroquois melon will perform well if you add organic compost to equal 1/4 the volume of your soil. They also like well-composted animal manure in their soil. When you create hills, this melon will also thrive. Dig a trench 3 to 4 inches deep in a 3-foot circle, piling soil into the center to create the hill. If you build multiple hills, allow 2 to 3 feet between them. When you water your melons, flood the trench surrounding the hill at least once each week.

Transplant seedlings to the garden when the weather and soil are reliably warm every day. Carefully remove the seedlings from their flat. Dig small holes large enough for the roots of each plant and then plant six to eight seedlings, evenly spaced, around the outside edge of your hill.

Thin weak or stunted seedlings after three to four weeks, leaving only the most robust three or four plants on each hill.

Mulch plants with a 2 to 3-inch layer of organic mulch, such as compost, straw or sawdust, to keep the soil moist and warm. Some growers use black plastic to ensure that the soil stays warm.

Fertilize your Iroquois melons once a month, using a time-release plant food with a balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, for example, 10-10-10.