MELON

Cucumis melo

For growing instructions, see Cultivation below.    (Plant heights are given at maturity.)  See also: Watermelon.

Crenshaw (90-110 days) 6-10 pound pear-shaped fruits with smooth yellow skin and pink flesh.

#271  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 30 seeds
#B4z-271   Bulk seed   4oz  $15.75
#B1-271   Bulk seed  1 lb  $31.50

HONEYDEW

  Extra Early Nutmeg (65-70 days)  Early melon with green flesh and a netted skin.  Hardy and sweet with a vaguely spicy taste. Traced to 1835.

#560  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 30 seeds

Agrich Green Honeydew (105 days)  8 X 7 fruits with smooth ivory flesh. Very sweet. 6lb fruit. Disease resistant. Excellent fresh market type.

#3485  Packet, $6.50 each,  Approximately 30 seeds
#B1z-3485  Bulk seed 1oz, Approximately 1200 seeds $8.50 each,
#B4z-3485  Bulk seed, 4oz Packet, $18.50 each,
#B1-3485  Bulk seed, 1lb, $31.50,

Stutz Supreme (95-105 days) A rare honeydew variety from Joe Stutz of California. 5-10 lb melons have smooth beige skin and orange flesh. Keeps producing until frost.

#272  Packet, $4.50 each,  Approximately 20 seeds

MUSKMELON (CANTALOUPE, MUSHMELON)

Amish (80-90 days) This Amish heirloom has 4-7 pound fruits with deep markings on the skin and thick deep orange flesh. Dependable growth in almost any condition.

#273  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 10 seeds

Blenheim Orange (80-90 days) Heirloom traced to the 1880s having thick orange flesh and netted skin.  Excellent for short season areas.

#685  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 20 seeds

Eel River (90-100 days) This rare Japanese heirloom variety was brought to the US after WWII. Golden skin with deep orange flesh. Sweet & juicy and can reach 10 pounds in weight.

#275  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 15 seeds

Hales Best Jumbo (80-90) This old heirloom sets the standard for muskmelon. 3-4 pound oval fruits with deep markings on the skin and thick salmon-colored flesh. Resists drought and powdery mildew.

#276  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 30 seeds
#B1z-276   Bulk seed  1oz   $8.50
#B4z-276   Bulk seed  4oz  $14.50
#B1-276   Bulk seed  1 lb  $26.50
#P-276   One Plant in 2 1/2" pot     $4.50
#P6-276   Six Plants- moist root shipping pack     $11.50

Iroquois (85 days) 7 x 6 inch sweet orange flesh. Disease resistant and productive.

#12345  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 30 seeds
#B1z-12345   Bulk seed  1oz   $8.50
#B4z-12345   Bulk seed  4oz  $14.50
#B1-12345   Bulk seed  1 lb  $26.50

Jenny Lind (70-75 days) Heirloom variety introduced in 1846 (named after the famed entertainer) with 1-3 pound fruits.  Light green flesh smells and tastes wonderfully sweet.

#277  Packet, $7.50 each,  Approximately 20 seeds
#Bm-277  Bulk seeds, 1000 seeds, $37.50 each,

Planters Jumbo (85 days)   4lb slightly oval melons with tan skin and a deep netting.  Flesh is sweet and juicy with a small seed cavity.  Dependable producer and a favorite among growers.  Mildew resistant.

#4887  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 30 seeds
#B1z-4887   Bulk seed  1oz  $8.50
#B4z-4887   Bulk seed  4oz  $14.50
#B1-4887   Bulk seed  1 lb  $26.50

Schoon's Hard Shell (88-95 days)  Heirloom from New York state.  5-8 pound melons have a hard shell that makes the type great for shipping.  Flesh is orange, sweet and fragrant.

#564  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 30 seeds
#B1-564   Bulk seed  1 lb  $11.99

  Superstar  (86 days)  Hybrid.  Large 8-9lb melons are round to slightly oval with a thick flesh and netting.  Keeps several days after picking which makes it a good choice for farmer's markets or roadside sales.

#3464  Packet, $8.50 each,  Approximately 15 seeds
#B500-3464   Bulk seed   500 seeds  $58.50
#Bm-3464   Bulk seed  1000 seeds  $92.50

Yellow Krim (80-85 days)  Heirloom from the Ukraine.  Skin is yellow-orange, flesh is pale yellow and extremely sweet.  Good variety for short seasons or cool climates.

#563  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 10 seeds

SPECIALTY  MELONS

Banana  (96 days)  4in. diameter elongated melons that resemble huge bananas.  Flesh is light orange, sweet and juicy with a slight spicy flavor.

#1256  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 20 seeds

  Bitter Melon - High Moon (90 days)  Also known as bitter cucumber, karella or balsam pear, these pale green warty melons are shaped like large cucumbers and can be eaten steamed, stir-fried, or pickled and are often used in chutneys and curries.

#637  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 20 seeds
#B1z-637  Bulk seed, 1oz, $35.50 each,
#B4z-637  Bulk seed 4oz, $87.50,
#B1-637  Bulk seed 1lb, $240.0

  Charentais (80-90 days)  A French variety with thick orange flesh and netted skin.  Known for its sweetness.

#561  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 20 seeds

Queen Anne Pocket Melon (Plum Granny, Dudaim Melon)- (80-90 days) A rare variety of melon, very popular in Victorian times and used as a pocket pomander. Fruits are 2-1/2in. in diameter with velvety orange skin veined in a darker orange. The smell is pungent and heavenly, but the taste is negligible. Can be trellised.

#278  Packet, $3.50 each,  Approximately 20 seeds

CULTIVATION

A native of southern Asia, melons (excepting Watermelons, See Here), are members of the Gourd family, Cucurbitaceae and are classified into two groups -  netted skin types (Muskmelon) and smooth skinned types (Honeydew and Casaba), which are long seasoned varieties and do best in warmer climates.  Cultivated melons grow on long slender vining stems and  heart shaped leaves.  They bear male and female flowers that are polinated by insects and wind. 

Melons are propagated by seed and can be direct sowed or sown for transplants.  When planting for transplants, sow seed in pots or plug trays about 4 weeks before transplanting outdoors.  Keep moist (Don't let the soil dry out.)  at about 80F until germination (see graph below).  One week before transplanting, reduce the temperature to 75F and reduce water .  When the weather is settled and frosts have passed, transplant into prepared garden soil, being careful not to disturb the roots more than necessary.  Space seedlings 2-3 feet apart in rows 6 feeet apart.  Cutivate young transplants carefully - don't disturb the roots and keep the soil watered.  Mulch around the plants to maintain moisture and keep weeks down.  Melons can be trellised.  For direct sowing, prepare garden soil .  Sow seed in hills, 3-4 seeds every 3 feet in rows 6 feet apart.  Keep well watered until germination, then reduce water as seedlings grow.  Thin plants to 1 per hill.  Watch for insects that can carry diseases. 

HARVEST
Pick Muskmelons when cracks appear at the point at which the fruit is attached to the stem.  The fruit should separated easily adn have a rich buff coloring.  Honeydew, charentais and crenshaw melons must be cut from the vine before the stems show cracks.  Store muskmelons at 85% humidity at 38-41F;  Other melons at 45-50F

SEED SPECS
Seed count:  Average 1,200 seeds per ounce
Seeding rate:  30 seeds per 10ft row,  100 seeds/50ft,   1000seeds per 500ft.,  15,000 seeds per acre (3 seeds per 18",  rows 6ft apart)

There is great diversity in the melon varieties that we offer; which makes the general information provided only valuable as adjustable guidelines. This may also affect your seed planting and propagation strategies and the germination rates under your planting conditions may vary from the seed lot test results. The following soil temperature data is for average muskmelon. Temperatures are average daytime from planting to emergence. Percentage is average germination rate. Days is number of days to emergence.

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