If it’s the heat that is causing you problems, try mulching the base of the vine (straw or bark mulch work well) to protect the plant from the burning sun and to better retain water. As to your question, if you are asking if it is helpful to take off some of the developing melons, the answer is yes, it can be helpful. Having to provide energy for fewer developing fruit can help to make the remaining melons to be bigger and healthier. If you are asking if it is helpful to cut off vines, the answer is not usually. Melon plants have about one female flower for every seven male flowers, meaning that if you start cutting off vines you may end up with no fruit. Cutting vines also can cause the plant to send out runners (smaller vines) to make up for the cut vines, which causes the plant to spend more energy growing runners than it does creating fruit. Either way, you will have a stronger plant if you let the vines be. We hope this helps!
Hi Lori,
If it’s the heat that is causing you problems, try mulching the base of the vine (straw or bark mulch work well) to protect the plant from the burning sun and to better retain water. As to your question, if you are asking if it is helpful to take off some of the developing melons, the answer is yes, it can be helpful. Having to provide energy for fewer developing fruit can help to make the remaining melons to be bigger and healthier. If you are asking if it is helpful to cut off vines, the answer is not usually. Melon plants have about one female flower for every seven male flowers, meaning that if you start cutting off vines you may end up with no fruit. Cutting vines also can cause the plant to send out runners (smaller vines) to make up for the cut vines, which causes the plant to spend more energy growing runners than it does creating fruit. Either way, you will have a stronger plant if you let the vines be. We hope this helps!