Vines bear male and female flowers. Male flowers open first, joined by female blossoms about a week later. Female flowers have a small swelling at the base of the flower. When vines start to bear male and female flowers, remove row covers so bees can visit the flowers. ... The key to a sweet melon is lots of sugar. Some gardeners like to switch fertilizer during the course of the growing season. During the time between transplanting and when the first flowers open, use a fertilizer with more nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium. Once flowering begins, use a fertilizer with less nitrogen and more phosphorus and potassium, such as African Violet Food or liquid seaweed. The vine needs all its leaves to produce the sugars that sweeten fruit. Anything that reduces the total number of leaves available for sugar production reduces melon sweetness.

The more fruits that ripen at the same time, the less sweet they'll be, since the vine will have to divide the leaves' sugar production between fruits. In warmer climes with a long growing season, experienced growers often prune off all but one newly forming melon every 2 weeks. Ripening 1 melon at a time yields maximum sweetness. As you gain experience, you'll develop your own technique.

Now, this may sound very bizarre but to induce pollination of your blossoms, get a couple of cans of cat food, empty the cans (not the oil from them) and place them among your vines. Watch the bees swarm...hopefully to pollinate the blossoms, therefore instant fruit/canteloupes. Good luck and thank you for your inquiry.

Thank you for your inquiry.