Melons for a cool growing season

[digitS']

I have had trouble growing melons in the past. Softball sized Minnesota Midgets seemed to be the only (feeble) success.

I've tried many varieties of mostly cantaloupe and our cool springs, cool nights, and short seasons haven't cooperated.

About 6 or 7 years ago, I discovered Honey Girl charentais melons (Burpee). I love those melons. They require careful harvesting, however. Too early and they aren't sweet. Too late and they split and begin to rot. But last year with its very cool spring, killed them. Yep, literally killed the little plants in June.

There were other varieties out there and the one to survive was Passport. This year, I went with Passport alone and the little vines are covered with green melons. Barring disaster, I will have ripe melons soon!!

Territorial Seed Co. describes Passport: "Passport's flavor is best described as tropical island fare. The exotic lime-green flesh is thick, juicy, and sweet. The 6-7 inch 3 1/2-4 pound fruit are round, without ribs, and well netted. This marvelous Galia variety, originally from Israel, will delight melon enthusiasts."

Well, that's probably overstating attributes a bit but let me just say that I'm a Passport enthusiast and I-can-grow-it, seemingly, without fail over about 4 seasons. I haven't had it as long as Honey Girl but it survived 'o8 whereas Honey Girl did not. I'm happy and will grow both again.

What seems to be working for you in the melon patch?

Steve

 

[Rence]

This year everything's still growing. I have a few silver dollar sized Crimson Sweet and Sugar Baby watermelons. The cantaloupe plants are STILL like 5 inches tall. I'm only keeping them going just to see what will happen. The canaloupe plant is doing really well, but I have blooms only and no fruit yet that I can tell. You can step on bees in my yard, but it doesn't seem like they're visiting my garden all that much :/

Last garden, I planted Burpee's Sliver Line Melons and they did the best of my melons. They're an oblong, single serving sized cream colored melon with white/cream flesh. In Chicago we called them Asian Melon? They have a clean, milk taste to them. No one I know here in TN has ever heard of them. I got quite a few of them. Why not try them next season and see if you like them?

 

[Greenthumb18]

Hi digits ,
i gotta say that melon variety Passport sounds wonderful, "tropical island fare"......

I hope you get some Passport melons soon and tell us all about it, i'd love to try it for next summer. Maybe even send seeds if you could spare.

My melon patch is still quite small their about 9" long so they need more growth before anything should happen. I do have a few plants that have started to bloom which is a good sign.
The varieties i chose was Minnesota Midget since it matures quick i thought it would be perfect for my climate. I also have Ambrosia and Sweet N' Early (which produces up to 6 to 8 melons per plant!! and it also matures quick).
I also have a couple Honeydews one is called "Honey Pearl".
I have them all on black plastic mulch which so far is doing great, they improved on getting more growth ever since i added it.
So we shall see how this goes i hope i start seeing melons soon....

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi DigitS'

I think I'll have to try to find "Passport"here for next year. I must do a bit of research over here. I wonder if it has the same name? Otherwise I will have to order it from Territorial Seed (if they ship to the UK)? I shall have a little poke around now. Bye for now -- Thanks for the info

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[davaroo]

I have had trouble growing melons in the past. Softball sized Minnesota Midgets seemed to be the only (feeble) success.

I've tried many varieties of mostly cantaloupe and our cool springs, cool nights, and short seasons haven't cooperated.

About 6 or 7 years ago, I discovered Honey Girl charentais melons (Burpee). I love those melons. They require careful harvesting, however. Too early and they aren't sweet. Too late and they split and begin to rot. But last year with its very cool spring, killed them. Yep, literally killed the little plants in June.

There were other varieties out there and the one to survive was Passport. This year, I went with Passport alone and the little vines are covered with green melons. Barring disaster, I will have ripe melons soon!!

Territorial Seed Co. describes Passport: "Passport's flavor is best described as tropical island fare. The exotic lime-green flesh is thick, juicy, and sweet. The 6-7 inch 3 1/2-4 pound fruit are round, without ribs, and well netted. This marvelous Galia variety, originally from Israel, will delight melon enthusiasts."

Well, that's probably overstating attributes a bit but let me just say that I'm a Passport enthusiast and I-can-grow-it, seemingly, without fail over about 4 seasons. I haven't had it as long as Honey Girl but it survived 'o8 whereas Honey Girl did not. I'm happy and will grow both again.

What seems to be working for you in the melon patch?

Steve

I'm in SC, Steve - melons do well here. I haven't any that have failed to produce. THe biggest problem here is wilt and fungal problems.
But I think I'll have a go at your Passports and I'd love to try some chanterais - ugly, but so beautiful inside.

I still say you need a greenhouse...

 

[vfem]

All I have out there right now for Cantaloupe is Hale's Best... and its growing like a weed covered in melons... and this is the second round of planting as it was NOT happy with a few cooler May nights.

I also have some Crimson Sweet Watermelons and they matured FAST from transplanted inside seedlings. Not to mention they hardened off nicely without one lose! Given you really only get 1 melon per vine... they were well done and picked here in about 65-70 days. I even have a few vines in an area that did not get sun after 2pm and STILL they did awesome. So I would suggest giving these watermelons a try... super juicey, exceptional sweetness... just small melon for watermelon.

 

[Greenthumb18]

All I have out there right now for Cantaloupe is Hale's Best... and its growing like a weed covered in melons... and this is the second round of planting as it was NOT happy with a few cooler May nights.

I also have some Crimson Sweet Watermelons and they matured FAST from transplanted inside seedlings. Not to mention they hardened off nicely without one lose! Given you really only get 1 melon per vine... they were well done and picked here in about 65-70 days. I even have a few vines in an area that did not get sun after 2pm and STILL they did awesome. So I would suggest giving these watermelons a try... super juicey, exceptional sweetness... just small melon for watermelon.

Yes i have to agree with vfem, Crimson Sweet watermelons are great!! I remember planting them one year and they did pretty good, grew fast too. I would also recommend this variety.

 

[digitS']

Thank you for the replies, everyone!

Rence, I grew 2 Asian melons from Evergreen Seed a couple years ago - Honda and Golden Sweet. I learned something about them, like that charentais, you gotta know when to pick 'em. Actually, the charentais isn't too tough - when you can smell it walking by, it's time to harvest.

It may be time to explore this Asian group a little more thoroughly. Having more than 1 melon variety (Honey Girl) to order from Burpee makes sense, too.

I've grown and failed with Ambrosia before, Greenthumb. No way do I have enough time for that one. If that honeydew, do well . . . please let us know.

Hattie, Passport is a Galia melon. There are other varieties and Thompson & Morgan sells a Galia. It is just that this melon is quick and can tough out cool weather. That may make sense in your UK garden. Seeds by Size carries the seed. Maybe they are an appropriate choice for you. Veseys in Canada carries it also but I don't think they ship to the UK. It wasn't very long ago that they didn't ship to the US.

It seems that with a name like "Passport" these melons should be available internationally .

Dave, I've got a greenhouse but it is made for flats of things on benches. I also set up a 9' by 20' plastic tunnel every year. I suppose I should grow a few melons in there. This year, the emphasis was Asian greens, first and last. Kind of put a cramp in any warm-season choices.

Maybe I should look into growing Crimson Sweet, Vfem. You've certainly got an endorsement from a gardener far to your north on that one.

I've grown Sugar Baby and intended to do so this year. Turns out that I gave the last of the Sugar Baby plants to the neighbor . . . I hope he doesn't see me sneaking into his watermelon patch by the light of the harvest moon .

Steve

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi digitS'

Thanks for the info on "Passport"; I had ,in fact, already traced it to Seeds by Size. I getting good at asking Google questions! I am amazed at just how easy it is as long as you ask the right question -- I sometimes spend a long time re-phrasing them to get to what I want. I was always good at research --yet another challenge to conquer....!!

Many thanks again.


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[wifezilla]

Hattie, you do have some mad google-fu skills girl

I have had NO LUCK with melons AT ALL. Some never grew. Others were eaten by squirrels and earwigs. I got nothing.

I may give passport a try. The cool nights where I am are not helpful for melon growing. I also saved some seeds from a rather tasty rocky ford melon I bought at the farmers market. Those grow like crazy on the western slope. I might be able to get some to grow here.