Finally did it! I grew melons in the great north!

[so lucky]

Is there a good way to know when cantaloupe is ripe? Do you go by skin color and smell?

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

Wow, that's super Super'! My melon crop was so demoralizing last year that it wasn't on my priority list this year.
Didn't you have a mini green/hoop house thing you started your melons in?

Yes, they started out in a cold frame for a bit before transplant. They weren't in there that long because I know they don't like to be too big and be transplanted.

To tell if a canteloupe is ripe, it'll basically fall off the vine easily. If it doesn't, leave it. Most of mine actually fell off the vine without any assistance from me. Others I just had to touch the plant gently and the vine pulled off. They were all perfectly ripe.

 

[897tgigvib]

You have the cutest little cold frame!!!

For Watermelons up north, have you ever tried Sweet Siberian? The tolerate cool north conditions even better than Sugar Baby, and they always make sweet yellow flesh.

I might just grow some melons next year, but I have to keep them hidden from the gophers. So far this year the gophers have not been to my garden. I have the Tomato plants hidden from them! Gophers are visual. They may not have 20 20 vision, but they do use their vision to find their food...especially the gourmet gophers around here.

I really want to do some melon crosses next year. Sweet Siberian with one of the Moon and Stars selections. Grow the F1's, save F1 seed, grow the F2's and select for a Moon and Star looking melon that grows like Sweet Siberian. There already is a variety of Moon and Stars that is earlier, I think it's called north star. I want to create one that has Sweet Siberian's root system.

I also want to cross some of my old faithful early Cantaloupes such as Noir des Carmes and my crossed up early mix, with a couple of the really good eating Crenshaws including that huge light green variety and that large white variety. I don't know the names of them, but they taste sooooo good! Want to make a good mix of old faithful relatively early varieties that have a good variation of flavors and sweetnesses.

Some of you may know about Noir des Carmes flavor. Really great flavor, perfect texture, perfect juiciness, but not all that sweet. You may know how their plants dependably set fruits even if grown wrong. They'll be anywhere from tennis ball sized to 8" across. Usually softball sized, and super pretty, turning aromatic golden...(slurp). Imagine those with Crenshaw's sweetness, dependably setting fruit.

 

[desertlady]

Is there a good way to know when cantaloupe is ripe? Do you go by skin color and smell?

I like to know that too ! I was told that when the stems starting to turn brown or break off, but sometimes I eat it by the color that looks ready to eat !! :/

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

Is there a good way to know when cantaloupe is ripe? Do you go by skin color and smell?

I like to know that too ! I was told that when the stems starting to turn brown or break off, but sometimes I eat it by the color that looks ready to eat !! :/

To tell if a canteloupe is ripe, it'll basically fall off the vine easily. If it doesn't, leave it. Most of mine actually fell off the vine without any assistance from me. Others I just had to touch the plant gently and the vine pulled off. They were all perfectly ripe.

 

[catjac1975]

YuM!!!!

 

[jackb]

They look so fantastic! So much so that I immediately bought seeds for that variety on Ebay so Ava can grow them in her raised bed garden next year. Ava loves Cantaloupe, so she will be delighted to give them a try. I assume that if they will grow in Maine our area will not be a problem, however, I will start them in the greenhouse just to be safe. Thanks for posting your success.
Jack

 

[catjac1975]

When the melon slips off the vine with barely a tough it is ripe.

Is there a good way to know when cantaloupe is ripe? Do you go by skin color and smell?

 

[SuperChemicalGirl]

They look so fantastic! So much so that I immediately bought seeds for that variety on Ebay so Ava can grow them in her raised bed garden next year. Ava loves Cantaloupe, so she will be delighted to give them a try. I assume that if they will grow in Maine our area will not be a problem, however, I will start them in the greenhouse just to be safe. Thanks for posting your success.
Jack

Awesome! You'll have to let me know how they do. They're pretty small, but should be a perfect size for Ava.

 

[AdamBorzy]

When the melon slips off the vine with barely a tough it is ripe.

Is there a good way to know when cantaloupe is ripe? Do you go by skin color and smell?

Sometimes it's really hard fruit to tell the ripeness of melons due to its hard-shelled coverings...
but still you have to check its color, smell and other visual cues.