Barb,

I saw your post in the vegetable folder where someone suggested to you that what you had was Haogen.

If you're sure about that that's fine.

What kind of information are you looking for about this melon?

Below I've linked to a Google search on Haogen and there are about 73 hits/links.

And your thread in the veggie folder asking for identification is one of them. (smile)

If you can't find the info you want or need with those links, please come back and ask.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Haogen

Hi Carolyn
Thanks for the link I found what i was looking for and yes it was Haogen dessert melon...
Happy Gardening
Barb

I'm confused. I bought Haogen seed this Spring from Seeds of Change labeled as Haogen melon. only to find out later that they were mislabeled and that the real name of the melon was Desert Melon. When I went to the site (seeds of Change) lo and behold the name was Haogen Desert Melon. So my question has to be is it Haogen melon or Desert melon or Haogen Desert Melon? There seems to be a difference between a Desert Melon and a Haogen melon? They look different to me on the web. seems i may have Haogen but missing the spicy bite in the taste.... hmmmm... can someone help me out here?

Haogen, Ogen, Israel came out of Israel some years ago. I first encountered it in the 60's when Willhite sold it as the Ogen and Burpee as the Haogen. It could be considered a fore runner of the hybrid "Galia" type melons also originating in Israel. There is a similar melon sold as the OLD Israeli. Old Israeli has sparse netting where the Ogen is perfectly smooth. As smaller companies get into the act, names proliferate and change to suit the purposes of the seller. Dessert melon, Tropical melon etc have been coined to appeal to home gardeners but are usually used in a generic sense to indicate that a melon belongs to a different class than a run of the mill cantaloupe.

farmerdilla

I just received,as a Freebee from Baker Seeds,a package of seeds for the Israel Ogen Melon. Could this be the same and if so what can you tell me about them. I live in the Pacific Northwest and if these melons would not grow here I'd like to give them to someone who would want to plant them.

It is a smooth rind, green fleshed melon. About three lbs on average. maturity is about average for a cantaloupe About 85 days. If you can grow American muskmelons, you should be able to grow this one. Not quite as sweet as the hybrid Galia types but a very good melon. Only problem area, that I have encountered is slugs. That soft smooth rind attracts them. It is not very old, dating from the late forties early 50's.

I also live in the Pacific NW and am an avid backyard Melon Grower.

I have grown both the Ogen or sometimes Ha' Ogen (Hebrew for "the anchor") and the Old Israeli. Both are wonderful melons. The Ogen (which I first encountered as a Botanical Interests Seed) is a mainstay of my melon patch and I grow them every year. They are luscious and early for their size (about 2.75 to 3.5 pounds on average). They are a reliable choice here, but they need to be started early. I generally put them out in late April or Early May and they ripen Mid-August. While they may not be as sweet as the Galia types, that is debatable because well fertilized they taste as sweet to me, the flavor is superior. There is more to a good melon than just "sweet". Honeydews are very sweet but I would not waste my garden space growing them as there are varieties that are as sweet and much better tasting. In my experience the Ogen grown with good organic fertilization is just as sweet as a honeydew and flavor is much superior.

The Old Israeli is more of a problem growing as they are almost too long for my season but if started under cover in early April they should ripen the end of August to early September. They are worth trying as they are unique - having a "tropical" flavor that won praise from everyone I've shared them with. They are good sized too and can reach 9 pounds.

Others that are reliable in the Pacific Northwest:

Emerald Gem - a reliable small smooth skinned heirloom. Again good fertilization improves the flavor. Started indoors 4 weeks before last frost and set out around Mother's day they ripen mid-August and are a lovely and luscious orange fleshed melon. Very productive too. Almost as early as Minnesota Midget and much better tasting.

The only perfect "10" I have grown is reserved for the French Charentais (Lake Valley Seeds). Must be tasted to be understood. Unfortunately almost too susceptable to Powdery Mildew for the Pacific NW.

Growing Note: I use IRT 76 Plastic Mulch and Raised beds (The Gardener's Supply Grow Beds and large black tree tubs) to provide the extra warmth the melons need here. Also I use the soda bottle Spikes for watering. Although Drip Irrigation would be better, but I've been successful without it.

For Watermelon: Early Yellow Moonbeam from Seeds of Change is the best I've grown for my climate (Portland Oregon area).

Oh, and a further note - based on my reading the Ha' Ogen is actually a Hungarian Melon that was brought to Israel by Hungarian Jews. Although it has come to be identified with Israel because it was given a Hebrew name and is grown by the Kibbutzim for shipment to the European Gourmet Markets.

To answer some feedback on the original question of HaOgen, I got my first melon as a gift from Hutterites. The flesh was a light green, juicy, soft and sweet with a spicy flavor.
I'm growing it again this year for seed, but I do not like the spicy type melons as a personal bias.
It does grow well though and I have still not forgotten the last time I grew it that a woodchuck decided to eat the rind off my only melon after climbing up into a raised bed of 2 feet. So the rind apparently was even tasty to a varmit.

Being from central Europe in origin as others have noted in Hungary it is very well suited to almost the entire United States as Hungary is like the Northern Great Plains of America. It certainly likes the Midwest conditions, but like all melons needs water but I have never had any splitting problems with them or a problem in being waterlogged in flavor as some melons can be if not done perfectly.

If I may, people who like certain flavors of melons should pay attention to them as that is why so many people don't like "melons". Some are musky aka Muskmelons and some like honeydews when ripened perfectly in the garden are literally too sweet.
If one likes the HaOgen type, then it is a wonderful melon. There are allot of wonderful melon types though so enjoy.

God bless

Well I have grown both myself and because we do have a longer drier growing season, I feel that the Old Israeli is the better of the two. I like the taste better and it is a larger melon that can be shared with an entire family. Both are good, but Old Israeli is the better of the two. I still see seeds offered by Wilhite.

These posts are really old, but I hope someone can still help me. I am growing a couple of varieties of melons that are new to me this year- Ha'Ogen (that was discussed above) and Emerald Gem. I am having trouble determining when they are ready to harvest. Any advice? Anyone with ripe ones that could post a picture?

KSprairie, I grew the Ha Ogen this year in optimum conditions. It tasted OK. I'm hoping to have better luck with the Old Israel from WilHite next season. I'm in it for taste and neighbor sharing...

Did yours turn full yellow, with green stripes, when fully ripe?