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douglas14_gw

My Melon Update

douglas14
20 years ago

I'm growing 11 melon varieties this year. I'm growing mostly two hills of each with 3 plants per hill. A few hills may only have two plants. I checked the vines today and am reporting the following obervations. Note that I could have missed a few fruit and I'm not counting what could be very recent fruit set (those smaller than marble-sized possible fruits with dried blossom ends). Largest sized fruit observed for each variety is in parenthesis(I didn't actually measure but guestimated).

Zatta: at least 2 fruits (1"X 1 1/2"). I have only one hill of these

Prescott Fond Blanc: at least one fruit (1")

Petit Gris De Rennes: no fruit observed

Tigger: no fruit observed

Golden Gopher: at least 4 fruits (3")

Charentais: at least 2 fruits (1")

Collective Farm Woman: at least 4 fruits (2 1/2"X 3")

Edens Gem: at least 8 fruits (2"x 3")

Schoon's Hardshell: at least 10 fruits (3")

Noir Des Carmes: at least 6 fruits (3")

Ali Baba(watermelon): no fruits observed

These are all new to me except Golden Gopher which I grew last year, and found it very good in flavor.

I have about 10 plants of various varieties(some of those mentioned above) on another garden. Unfortunately I lost the list of names for them, so I can't say much about them. Although I can tell a few by fruit characteristics.

Douglas

Comments (79)

  • winnjoe
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I took Douglas's advice and left everything alone (Petits Gris de Rennes). Yesterday I noticed that the first fruit to have set had "slipped" (it cracked all around the stem, and the stem just came off). The fruit had a slight yellow-orangish tint to it but not nearly as bright as the fruit in Ms Goldman's book. It also had more pronounced ribbing. I decided to go for it. It was certainly excellent. The flesh looked dry but was very juicy and extremely fine-textured. Yes, it melted in my mouth and I cried for more (is that the phrase? I don't have the book with me). I have no experience to compare the flavour but it was easily better than anything I've ever bought in a store. The "joint" where the stem came off was still fairly "alive", if you know what I mean, so the powdery mildew doesn't seem to have killed the plant. A friend said "that doesn't taste like any canteloupe I've ever tasted before". Thanks Amy and thanks Bruno Defay who sent me the seeds! Joe ps if you want seeds....

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sounds great Joe!
    I've had a lot of melons ripen in the last few days(especially the Eden's Gem). We've been having hot(90 degree) weather the past couple of days.
    I tasted my first Schoon's Hardshell today. It has a nice sweet flavor, with a good amount of juice. I detected a slight banana-like flavor to it.
    I've got a couple of Collective Farm Woman melons that may be ripe, but I'm leaving them on longer just in case. They should hold their quality for some time.
    One of my Zatta melons is close to ripe.
    A few of my Tigger melons look ripe, but I'm waiting for the strong aroma I've heard about.
    My Pettit Gris De Rennes and Prescott Fond Blancs are holding pretty much the same look to them, but one thing I've learned is that a melon can go from no signs of ripeness to ripeness in a very short time(a day or two).
    Douglas

  • winnjoe
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Douglas, you're a genius. I took your words to heart and went out and less than 24 hrs later there was a PGdR turned mustard-yellow (as per Ms Goldman's book) and it was solidly ripe. Smaller than the first one, just as ribbed, even tastier. We're apparently getting rain so I don't know what the future holds. Joe
    ps this makes it difficult to decide what to do next year. Should I bother trying anything other than PGdR given very limited space? Any suggestions for a "must taste", anyone?

  • maniac9999
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Joe,

    Sounds like you got a winner! You have more patience than I do. Powdery mildew was hitting my PGdR pretty bad, and they were in pots, so I said, "Screw it!" and stopped watering them (I had to water every other day, since we haven't had any significant rain in a while.)

    The only other French Melon experience I have is with Charanteis or Vedranteis, and they were both good last year. I'm thinking about Eden's Gem next year, might try PGdR again, but this time in a raised, irrigated bed with barbed wire, pellet guns and spot lights for the varmints. :)

    Doug - I finally harvested a huge Prescott Fond Blanc and put it in the fridge yesterday - it's a perfect cream color and it's the only one the voles didn't get. I couldn't have waited any longer or else they would have gotten this one too. It smelled pretty good, I hope it's good. I'm going to cut it up tonight or tomorrow and I'll report back. My wife wants to take pictures so we can send one to Bruno DeFay, who also sold me my seeds - small world, isn't it? I bought Ananas d'Amerique a Chair Verte from him, but the powdery mildew took those also. Maybe I'll get lucky like Joe.

    I'll post photos as soon as I get them developed.

    Hey, is anyone here going to list melon seeds in the Seed Savers Exchange catalog for 2004?

  • brooster
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I only ended up with one small Old Time Tennessee melon that matured before the boring critters got it and it didn't taste all that good, but I still want to grow them again. I'm still waiting on the Moon and Stars (Long Milky Way) to get ripe, maybe they'll be good.

    Brooster

  • winnjoe
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    maybe powdery mildew is like botrytis for Petit Gris de Rennes? Makes the plant send everything to the fruit rather than the leaves?

  • ChouCream
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Douglas,

    I know it's a bit off topic but there is no email contact on your members page so I have to ask here. Do you trade seeds? I would really like to try growing some of the varieties of melon that you are growing. Please do let me know.

  • PPennypacker
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What about (for the limited space gardener's) growing A melon in a 5 gal. construction pail? Could you help on this?
    Best,
    PP

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry to all for not posting here for a while.

    Brooster,
    Thanks for letting us know how the Old Time Tennessee melon
    did. I hope your watermelons were a success.
    Jim,
    I hope you enjoyed your Prescott Fond Blanc. I've only eaten one. I thought it had a firm flesh with a nice sweet flavor. I have two ripe ones in the garden I'll be tasting soon. I am an unlisted member of SSE and didn't save any seed this year, so I won't be offering any.
    Joe,
    I was thinking that maybe when the melon plant is stressed it may ripen the fruit quicker. I have gotten about 5 ripe Petit Gris De Rennes melons after the plants were nipped by frost. Or maybe the were ready to ripen anyway. They are a very good tasting melon(smooth and sweet). I had to protect them about three nights, due to hard frosts. I may get a few more ripe ones yet. We've had very warm weather lately.

    ChouCream- I'll send you an email soon regarding your question.

    PPennypacker- I don't have experience with container growing. Your may want to see if there is a container gardening forum in GardenWeb, or maybe ask in the Vegetable Forum(there are likely container growers there).

    I hope to post an end of season melon report here soon.

    Regards, Douglas

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I finally decided to post an end of season report on my thoughts on the the various melons I grew this year. I'm happy to report that I obtained ripe fruit from all the varieties. I had an overload of melons when they were in the full swing of ripening, and many went to waste, unfortunately. I've found that melons don't keep long on the vine. The following are my thoughts on the varieties I grew:

    Eden's Gem- the first to ripen for me. They were smaller than expected, at about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. They had a green flesh that was very juicy and sweet. They produced very well for me. I'd guess 20 ripe fruits out of two hills.

    Noir Des Carmes- also a high producer. One of the earlier ripeners. The orange flesh had a very pleasant, somewhat unique, sweet flavor.

    Golden Gopher- Muskmelon type. I didn't weigh them, but I'd guess they averaged around 3 1/2 pounds or so. It had a nice texture and a wonderful sweet muskmelon flavor.

    Schoon's Hardshell- considerably larger than Golden Gopher, but ripened later. I thought the flavor was on the mild side, and mentioned before that I detected a hint of banana in the flavor. I wasn't overly impressed by it. I may give it another chance next year. I tried a couple, and several went to waste in the garden.

    Collective Farm Woman- had a sweet white flesh. Not one of my favorites, but maybe the taste would grow on me. I only tried a couple of them, several went to waste(the yellow jackets, or whatever they were, enjoyed them).

    Charentias- outstanding, sweet, winey flavor and good production. One of my favorites.

    Petit Gris De Gris De Rennes- These were the last to ripen for me. I protected them during a few nights of frost, and eventually got about 5 ripe fruits(most ripened when the vines were dead, probably from frost damage). They had a great smooth texture and a wonderful sweet flavor. I don't know if I liked them better than the Charentais or not. It's a close call. I'd like to try them side-by-side. They looked like they could be related to the Charentais. Petit Gris De Rennes was noticeably larger in avg. size compared to the Charentais I grew.

    Prescott Fond Blanc- Only one ripened before frost. I recall the firm orange flesh having a good sweet flavor. It's good tasting, but not excellent in my opinion.

    Zatta- I would put it in the category of Prescott Fond Blanc, in that they look more like a ribbed squash of some sort. Zatta wasn't flattened like Prescott Fond Blanc was.
    I would categorize the Zatta's sweet, orange flrech in the good category as well. It seemed to have a softer flesh though(maybe I picked it at a riper stage???).

    Tigger- a pretty little melon, that has a flesh that I'd describe as the color of a pear's flesh. It's firm and moderately sweet. Not exciting in flavor to me, but different.

    Ali Baba- The only watermelon for me this year. I like watermelon, but certainly not as well as a good muskmelon or cantelope. It's difficult for me to rate it's flavor, as I didn't have any others to compare it to. I thought it was merely good, but my brother tasted one that he commented was the best he ever tasted(he's used to store bought ones).

    The following 5 I'd pick as my taste favorites for the year: Charentais, Petit Gris De Rennes, Golden Gopher, Eden's Gem, and Noir Des Carmes.

    Currently my plans are to grow the Charentais and Petit Gris De Rennes again next year. I may grow a few others again, that I grew this year.
    Others I'm thinking of trying are Honey Rock, Haogen, Early Frame Prescott, and Crane(anyone have thoughts on these). I've got plenty of time to decide. To prevent all the waste I had this year, I'll probably grow only one hill, instead of two, for each variety. Three plants per hill worked fine for me.
    Thanks to all for your interest and comments. Any questions or sharing of your own experiences are welcomed.

    Regards, Douglas

  • wayne_perrier
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've noticed many people lamenting the effect that powdery mildew had on their melon plants. I had it strike both pumpkin plants and melon plants this year, but spraying a mist of 1:9 diluted milk really kept the problem under control. It is important to get a spray bottle that can produce a fine mist, and to thoroughly soak each affected leaf. I did this each week for 3 weeks and the problem virtually went away. We used 2% or homogenized (3.5%) milk. I've heard that the richer the milk the better the effect (ie, don't use skim milk).

    Again, this worked very very well for us. I guess that it's too late for this year, but try it next year as soon as you notice symptoms.

  • WestEnder
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I wonder whether Eden's Gem is the same as, or related to, Emerald Gem? I grew Emerald Gems in a large tin washbucket this summer and was thrilled with them. I had three plants, all of which climbed and scrambled all over my chain link fence, which is exactly what I wanted them to do. They produced heavily, although the melons themselves never got large - I don't think they are supposed to. When they were ripe, they gave off a wonderful fragrance for about a day - it could be smelled from half a block away, then fell from the vine and quickly turned yellow. The larger melons could serve two people, the smaller ones were fine for one person to eat in one sitting. Just enough to fill a small bowl. I will definitely grow these again next year, even though at the end of the summer they were devoured by melon beetles and got powdery mildew. I just hope I can remember where I got the seeds!

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    WestEnder,
    Although I haven't grown it, Emerald Gem is supposed to be orange fleshed(the emerald describes the skin color before ripening, according to Amy Goldman's book "Melons for the Passionate Grower"). Eden's Gem is green fleshed, so they aren't the same.
    Douglas

  • Ahmet42
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Last year, I grew melons somewhat successfully for the first time, to the astonishment of my friends here north of Chicago. I grew Charentais and Burpee Crenshaw.

    After fatal bouts in previous years with powdery mildew, bacterial wilt & anthracnose, I employed protective stratagems: floating row cover material against the cucumber beetle (vector for bacterial wilt); and Soap Shield, an "organic", copper-based spray for the mildew & anthracnose. These products are both available from GardensAlive!.com. They worked for me--at least as long as I used them. I few sprayings of the Soap Shield abruptly and permanently ended an incipient anthracnose outbreak, and prevented the mildew which, come August, is endemic around here on cucurbits.

    In early August, with melon vines taking over twice the area I had anticipated, I thought they'd be robust enough to withstand the cuke beetles. In 10 days, I started to see wilt in the crenshaw vine, so I quickly recovered the bed with the row cover. I ended up being able to save the Charentais vine, which produced 15 3-inch melons. While that doesn't sound like a colossal size, I think it's normal for that type of melon. And the harvest has encouraged me that I've gotten a handle on what it takes to grow melons here.

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ahmet42,
    So far I haven't had significant trouble with insects or disease with my melons. I'm thankful for that. The only thing I noticed was brown spots on the leaves, but it didn't amount to much damage at all.
    My Charentais melons were slightly flattened and I'm guessing they averaged about 4 1/2 in.X 3 1/2 in.
    I have read that there is some variation in shape(some are more round) and size of Charentais types. I've read some descrptions saying they are grapefruit-sized. You may have had a smaller type. I hope you enjoyed their taste as much as I did.

    Douglas

  • jamie_e
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey Douglas,

    Where in Minnesota are you located? I am in Northern Wisconsin by Lake Superior and I hope to try melons for the first time. I'm just wondering since you had success how I might do.

    Jamie

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jamie,
    I live in central MN, about the same latitude as Rhinelander, WI.
    If you live close to Lake Superior, you may have cooler summers than us, due to lake effect.
    Our last frost averages around May 15, and our first frost around Sept. 20.
    I feel a lighter, well draining soil is beneficial to growing melons.
    Do you have any varieties in mind that you are thinking of growing?

    Douglas

  • jamie_e
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Douglas,

    I was looking at either Crane, Prescott Fond Blanc, or Noir Des Carmes. Haven't yet decided though.

    While we do have a cooler climate sometimes, we usually don't get frost until the end of October, so I am hoping that will even things out.

    Jamie

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jaime,
    I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Noir Des Carmes to you. It was one of my earliest ripeners last year, and also one of the most productive. I thought it has a very good taste.
    The Charentais is another you may want to consider, although ot ripened later than NDC, it had an excellent flavor.
    I'm thinking af growing Crane this year as well.

    Regards, Douglas

  • bobledsoe
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Douglas14, I saw you grew some ALI Baba watermelons last year, and I was wondering that if you happened to have any leftover seeds, that I could get some. I am willing to buy them, or trade for them, etc. Just email me, or post on here a response, thanks alot

  • bobledsoe
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Douglas14, did you get my email?

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yes. Sorry, I don't always check it every day.

    Douglas

  • jamie_e
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Douglas,

    The Charentais melon you grew this year...were they the orginal Charentais or were they a hybrid type?

    I've thought of a few melons to choose from to plant this year (probably only plant 2 kinds), and now I'm thinking of this. Reason I ask which you planted is because I figure if you had success in MN, I might have similar success.

    Jamie

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jamie,
    The Charentais seed I planted came from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, listed as Charentais. So as far as I know, it's a classic OP Charentais. I don't know if there is some variation in OP Charentais melons, depending on the source(ie. different strains). It ripened about in the middle of the varieties I grew last year.

    Douglas

  • winnjoe
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I intended to list my Petits gris de Rennes seeds with the Yearbook but sent it off with incorrect postage and then lost the darn form. Since I'm in Canada I can't list on the exchange list here, but if any of you are Canadian or have relatives in Canada, please check the Canadian exchange list where you'll see me offering seeds. If it can grow in Winnipeg it could probably grow all the way south to the Minnesota border. Joe
    ps I am interested in Noirs des Carmes. When did you get your first ripe fruit?

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    winnjoe,
    I believe the Noir Des Carmes started ripening for me near the end of August. They were very productive and were the second variety, behind Eden's Gem, to come into heavy production. A very nice melon in my opinion.
    You asked in a post above for suggestions for a "must taste" melon. My suggestion is Charentais. I would rank it on the level of Petit Gris De Rennes, for flavor. I've described its flavor as winey or maybe brandy-like.
    I ordered 10 melon varieties, recently, for next year. I guess I'm sort of hooked on them.

    Douglas

  • jamie_e
    20 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Douglas,

    I wrote this in my SSE Yearbook posting, but incase you don't read it. I noticed that someone is offering cantalun melon this year and has it listed as HAS. I remember on one posting you were looking for this particular one (I think :-)

    Jamie

  • bill_southerncal
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The past week, I harvested 6 melons:
    - 1 Butterscoth planted May 18, though about 5 more will ripen this week. Taste was excellent.
    - 3 hybrid Ambrosia: Planted about a 2-3 weeks before. They are half the size of the ones I grew last year during the August heat. They were smallish, but the flavor was outstanding.
    - 2 Passport melons, these were the first to ripen. Very good taste.

    There are many more melons that should ripen in the next few weeks, namely Haogen, Galia, and hopefully charentais.

    Here where I am, it was a warm March and April, where most of the days averaged about 72-76 degree highs, a few times hit 80. In June, we have constant morning cloud cover, averaging 68-70 degree high, so the melons stopped growing much larger.

    A few fell victim to Early Blight or some some other virus. And I am out of garden space. Fortunately for me, I was able to rent space at the community gardens to plant
    a few more melons, namely Montreal melons. Soon, I will pull up the spend melon plants and grow the second wave. The second wave, planted in July and ripening in early October, are the usually sweeter cause they grow in the hottest months from July through October.

    One thing that frustrates me is that the local nurseries opt to sell varieties that don't work in our microclimates (OP honeydew maturing at 120 days, etc). Or, the varieties that are available as seedlings and seeds often are the same one sold in the grocery stores. Hales Best, and similar "western" type melons, are great bought from the store. They are grown commercially. They demand low humidity and temps that AVERAGE 80 deg grees F. They are grown in optimal conditions in the Central Valley. So why should I or anyone try growing something that will usually be better purchase from the store?

    Thank God we have farmers markets, and now people are starting to try different, delicious melons. We have about 4 distinct microclimates with 50 miles of downtown LA. So they should try to push varities with shorter days till maturity or can tolerate cooler conditions, and tastes great if grown in our climates.

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nice update Bill!
    Two melon harvests a year must be nice.
    My melon plants are grwoing slow this year. It has been a cool late spring and summer so far. By Aug. 1 I should know where I stand. Last year I had some fruit set by then.
    Good luck with the rest of your season.

    Douglas

  • bill_southerncal
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Doug,

    Yes, we are fortunate to have no winter usually, though our four seasons are reportedly Santa Ana winds (50MPH plus winds), earthquakes, flash fires, and flash floods. It's usually the winds that do the worst damage, entire trees can be uprooted, and we have to water some seedlings two times a day if it's a really hot Santa Ana.

    In a good year, we can have two seasons of summer prouduce, though a little bit of luck is needed. This year, March and April were 5-10 degrees above normal most days. I planted my first melons April 1 and harvested my first melon (butterscotch)in late June, and tomatoes were ready in late May. In cool summers, like last year, some melons taste like cucumber with no sugar.

    As the other melons mature, I plant the seeds for the second round. We have to plant earlier varieties, with Ambrosias being the latest, though I am trying Montreal Melon this year. Galia, Haogen, Butterscotch and Charentais will probably round out the remaining varieties.

    Our fall season start out hot, but night humidity and less days of sun around mid-November usually ends the melon season. Early tomatoes (Stupice, Siberia, Early Girl, and cherries) if healthy will bear through the New Year.

  • winnjoe
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My melon plants (Petit gris de Rennes, Eden Gem, and Charentais) are growing well but have not flowered yet. It really was a cold, wet, and late spring. My Cream of Saskatchewan watermelon plants are flowering male flowers but no female flowers yet. I guess it might depend on the fall, or I might get no fruit at all this year. Joe, Winnipeg

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Joe,
    My melon plants seem to be behind this year as well. Most have male flowers, but I haven't noticed any female flowers. I hope the rest of the season is favorable for your melons. Eden's Gem is quite early, so don't give up hope.

    Douglas

  • jamie_e
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Douglas,

    You are pretty much in the same zone as me (I'm in zone 4). Have you been getting much this year? I planted yellow doll and blacktail mountain this year and my plants are just now starting to grow...no flowers at all yet. I'm not sure if I should give up on them.

    Jamie

  • carriein
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The only melon I grow is the Minnesota Midget.
    I was hoping to have some for the fair this year but I think I planted a few weeks too late. I only have flowers so far.
    Douglas do you eat all of those melons? Thats alot of melons. I find I almost end up with too many with only 8-10 plants. The MM has an incredible flavour though and is a nice small size.

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Jamie,
    I've had male flowers on most of my melons for some time now. I been getting some open females lately. I do have a few melons set. I'm definitely behind from last year with my canteloupes and muskmelons. My watermelons are on pace with last year(when they seemed slow). I wouldn't give up on them yet. Yellow Doll and Blacktail Mountain are both quite early varieties. I'm hoping for a warm Aug. and Sept.(with no frost till Oct.) to make up for the cool summer. I love the taste and texture of Yellow Doll by the way. I'm growing Yellow Baby watermelon this year, which may be a little bigger than Yellow Doll.

    Carrie,
    Last year I couldn't keep up with all the ripe fruit and many went to waste. We did eat a lot as well. If it gets to be too much again this year, I hope to give the excess away.

    Douglas

  • jamie_e
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am seeing what appears to be the beginning of some flowers on my watermelons now. If we end up getting a half way decent August and September, maybe I'll actually get one. I'm hoping for no frost until mid October but I won't hold my breath.

    Jamie

  • bill_southerncal
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Doug,

    I was in NYC Auguest 6 and went to Union Square Farmer's Market, and one grower had Yellow Doll melon, and large muskmelons (looked like Burpee Hybrid). I was on my way to walking to Times Square, so I didn't want to buy whole melons. I was surprised, though, based on what I read on this board that anyone could have melons so early. Unfortunately, I couldn't find out where they grew them, but someone said they're near the city. I hope by now you're getting some fruit. My second batch of Haogens and Charentais are doing well, so far.

  • jamie_e
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My melons are goners. Yesterday I checked them and they had completely wilted. It was just too much rain and cold for them. I have given up on this year for sure.

    Jamie

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bill,
    I have fruit set, with a few at softball size(most are much smaller). The amount of melons that set, appears way down from last year. I planted around 15 varieties, and if I can taste a ripe fruit from half of them, I'll be pleased. Our tomatoes are about two weeks or more behind, compared to last year. Good luck with your melons. I'd like to hear what you think of the ripe fruit.

    Jamie,
    Sorry to hear of your crop failure. I hope next year brings us a bumper melon crop.

    Douglas

  • winnjoe
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Of Eden Gem, Charentais, and Petit Gris de Rennes, only PGdR has set fruit - a fair number, about the size of my thumb. I don't know if they'll ripen. The plants are doing well except some leaves have rusty areas. Is this a fungus?
    Joe, Winnipeg

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Joe I've got rusty areas on my leaves. I would guess it's a fungal disease, but am not sure. I found a Petit Gris de Rennes in my garden at close to full sized. Maybe it will be one of my ealiest to ripen this year, as opposed to last year, when it was the last one. On the downside, it looks like the only fruit set on that variety. Although I might not have seen some, as my melon hills were planted too close together this year, and the vines of one variety are crossing over the vines of the next one.

    Douglas

  • carolyn137
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Doug,

    Eat your heart out for Amy Goldman had someone drive 2 1/2 hours one way yesterday to deliver to me a huge basket of her heirloom melons.

    So I'm going on a melon diet, although I will confess that in the half of Ha-Ogen that I ate last night I put a dollop of Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk. LOL

    Carolyn, who has finally given up on being able to grow melons at her new home area.

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm very happy for you Carolyn!
    Friends like that are gems.
    If you have any favorites from the basket, feel free to list them. I've got Ha-Ogens, but it will likely be sometime in Sept. when I get to taste them.

    Douglas

  • fert1
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This seems to be a popular thread, so I thought I would put in my 2 cents worth. I finally have been able to harvest and try the great Petit Gris de Rennes that I've heard so much about. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. We've had so much cool, rainy weather this year that they just aren't sweet. Other than the lack of sweetness, they did have a unique flavor that I think could be quite good in different weather conditions. I could say much the same about my Charentais and my Blacktail Mtn. Watermelons. Just not sweet.

    So far the Butterscotch Melons have been the sweetest. They have been my best melons this year and the most productive by far. I think the smaller fruited varieites are less affected by excess rainfall. It seems to be true with my tomatoes.

    Today I pulled my first Piel de Sapo (frogskin) melon. It was slipping from the vine, which I didn't think they were supposed to do, but the vine seemed to be dying. They can be extremely sweet, but I'm afraid with this year's weather these will also prove disappointing. I'm almost afraid to cut into it. I have one more that is still maturing and an Amarillo Oro, that is very small but seems to be turning yellow.

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    fert1,
    Did your Petit Gris de Rennes have quite a bit of yellow on the skin when you picked them? I'm just wondering if they were fully ripe. If so, the growing conditions likely influenced the taste. I've got 2 Petit Gris de Rennes melons at full size now, and I'm hoping they taste near as good as last year. I recall last year, that they took a long time to ripen, after they hit full size.
    Do the Butterscotch melons taste like butterscotch? If I'm correct, they are supposed to ripen quite early. I may give them a try next year. May I ask your seed source for them?

    Douglas

  • fert1
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My Petit Gris De Rennes did have a lot of yellow on them, and a sweet fragrance. So yes, they really are ripe, just not sweet. The Butterscotch melons are an early melon, but they also keep bearing until frost from the looks of it. They have been very sweet and tasty compared to everything else this year, but they taste nothing like butterscotch candy. That's just hype. They taste like a cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew melon, which may be exatly what they are. I got my seeds from Johnny Seeds. The exact variety is Sweetie #6.

  • douglas14
    Original Author
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks fert1.
    Of all my melons, Petit Gris de Rennes, Haogen, Cantalun, and Hearts of Gold look to be closest to full size. I've got a lot of fruit set on Kansas and Prid of Wisconsin. I hope they will mature. My Charentais from two sources look to be way behind, with very little fruit set, and small size. I have one nice sized Crane melon, that hopefully will mature.
    Of the watermelons, Yellow Baby hyb. is doing the best.

    Douglas

  • winnjoe
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    the bad news is I've got 4 fruit set on 3 hills - 3 Petits gris de Rennes, and 1 Charentais. No Eden Gem. They are about the size of a softball. The Charentais is oblong and cutely striped. All the little fruit I mentioned earlier have rotted off. The good news is the plants are thriving - no mildew! The plants seem to love cool damp weather - they just won't produce fruit. These 3 hills had black plastic.

    I have another 12 hills of Petit gris de Rennes, 3 plants per hill, outside of town at another isolated spot (thanks to a friend), and I was hoping to have lots of seed to share. I did not put black plastic down. They have set zero fruit.

    Joe, Winnipeg

  • fert1
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yep, even my Piel de Sapo was disappointing. Just too much cool rainy weather!

  • bill_southerncal
    19 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just to update my late summer/fall melon crop: I've had a bout with Cucumber Mosaic Virus, and the Haogens and Charentais really suffered. But I have recently picked an Ambrosia Melon and Butterscotch. Both were fantastic.
    SOme of the plants do have small melons on them, so hopefully they can still do okay. Will post later, even if they don't make it. Usually, we can have two crops but oh well.

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