muskmelon are round , sweet fruit known for their sweet , enticing feeling and scent . If you ’ve ever bought one at a farmer ’s market , then you hump melons at the grocery store are nothing compared to the Cucumis melo grow in your own garden .
computer memory - buy muskmelons are ordinarily vapid and firmly , while garden - maturate ones are soft , fragrant , and incredibly flavorful .
You probably experience muskmelons as cantaloupes , but technically , that ’s not right . Do n’t occupy , by the end of this article , you ’ll know everything you need to lie with about these tasty melon .
It’s All In The Family
The terms muskmelon and cantaloupe are often used interchangeably even by source catalogue . However , if you ’re picky about term …
Both melons are part of the Cucurbitaceae family . All cantaloupes are sweet melon , but not all muskmelons are cantaloup . Confused ?
Cantaloupes are actually a eccentric of Cucumis melo ( so are honeydew and canary melons ) . What you buy in the store is usually what is cognize as the American cantaloupe , Cucumis melo reticulatus .
The traditional American cantaloup has clear looking skin and deep orange - colored flesh . They are pop slice for breakfast and for afters served with some shabu cream .
A truthful cantaloupe is known as a European cantaloup , Cucumis melo cantalupensis .
Regardless of what they ’re called , they are institute , grown , and glean in the same way .
BestVarieties
There are two character of muskmelons that you could try originate . easterly muskmelons have thick ribs on the cutis . The westerly varieties have smooth - skins .
Some varieties are hybrids between different types of muskmelons .
sweet melon do n’t tolerate cold yet have a long growing season . It ’s important to attend at the maturity dates when choosing a assortment . verify you have a longsighted enough season .
Edens Gem
Eden ’s Gem s a democratic heirloom variety that has green alternatively of orangish shape . It ’s a smaller melon averaging two and a half pounds . Ready to eat in 75 24-hour interval .
Sarah’s Choice
We love melons at my planetary house and this is one of my personal dearie . They have a super creamy sweet tang that melt down in your mouth and smells so good .
Sarah ’s Choicehas secure disease resistance to fusarium wilt disease and powdery mildew . They grow to about three pounds in 76 days . They ’re a loan-blend .
Hannah’s Choice
This is another hybrid and has a rich seraphic taste with a highBrixsugar paygrade of 13 . It ’s tolerant to several Fusarium wilting races , powdery mildew , watermelon , and zucchini mosaic computer virus .
It does well in cool regions of the country and will even grow in geographical zone 4 with words covers during cold weather . Hannah ’s Choice is exceedingly productive , producing three to five - Egyptian pound fruit in 75 Clarence Day .
Prescott Fond Blanc Melon
This heirloom melon is downright horrible with its warty , wooden-headed skin and flattened contour . Do n’t countenance tone lead on you – it ’s delicious and gets to be a tidy seven pounds . A straight cantaloupe vine , Prescott Fond Blanc herald from France and has been grow there since the 1860s .
Resistant to wilt and has upright issue with an average of four fruit per plant life . It has a long growing time of year and needs 90 days till due date .
Delicious 51
Another heirloom variety , Delicious 51 also does well in cool climates . This is another of my best-loved muskmelon for growing because it ’s dependable . It ’s not prone to powdery mildew , which is a problem in my humid climate .
The melons have deep orange flesh and a dulcet flavor . In Kentucky , we often refer to these as “ Indiana Melons . ” I ’m not certain why although Indiana maturate a pot of melon vine !
Marygold
Thiscasaba - type melon has fragrant , white flesh and white-livered wrinkled skin . It matures in 90 day .
Honeyshaw
Honeyshaw is another casaba - character melon with delicious , Salmon River - pink physique . It matures in 85 days .
Pulsar
This orangeness - flesh melon vine is resistant to fusarium and powdery mold , so it ’s a good option if you struggle with those disease . Matures in 80 days .
PlantingMuskmelons
melon vine love the sun and want tender conditions to produce . Do n’t set out seeds till about two weeks after your last hoar .
Plant in rich well - draining soil that has been well composted the year before . They like slightly alkalic soil with a pH of 7.0 . If you have sound soil , consider amending it with sand or using arouse beds .
Start from seeds
pop muskmelon from seeds in 18 - cadre tray or two to three - inch commode . melon can be picky about being transplanted . Some people wish to engraft in peat pots or other compostable planters since its well-situated on the seedling at transplanting sentence .
Do n’t rush planting your muskmelons ! Seed them about four weeks indoor before you plant outside . In my zone 6b , I engraft them about mid - April .
works sow about 1/4 column inch deep in a ignitor seedling mixing . They like it warm to germinate and if you may get the temperature up to 80 - 90 ° F that ’s thoroughgoing . Once they burgeon forth , the temperature can be glower to around 75 ° F .
new plant have tender leaves so handle with guardianship . Keep the seedlings moist and do n’t let the soil dry out out . Watering from the bottom is the preferred method acting .
Transplant
When the weather has warmed and the soil temperature has reached above 65 ° F then you may plant out your seedling . Transplant them two metrical foot aside in course six feet extensive .
Give them a calendar week hardening off period by gradually moving them outside and make them an surplus hr of light a twenty-four hour period , starting with one hour on the first day .
Handle the ancestor with caution as melon do n’t like their ascendent to get wound .
Direct Seed
Muskmelons have large seeds and are easy to imbed by hired hand or with a seeder . Direct seminal fluid once your soil temperature has risen to 70 ° degree Fahrenheit .
For traditional rows , sow seed one one-half of an inch deep and 18 inches apart . Space rows 5 - 6 foot wide-eyed .
One popular way to seed melons is by using the J. J. Hill method . Using a hoe or pitch , draw up the dirt into agglomerate that are about four inches gamey and a foot wide . This creates the unaffixed , well - drain soil muskmelon take account .
Plant three seeds in each of your hills . After a few week , pull the two little seedlings and exit the gravid .
Season Extension
Using rowing covers and landscape gardening fabric can greatly improve your melon crop specially in cooler climate .
contraband landscaping fabric will aid warm the soil and keep in moisture . think back to roll up and store your landscaping fabric at the terminal of the season . Do n’t leave it in your garden to degrade .
Floating row covers will protect your immature seedling from cool nothingness , swooning icing , and pelting . Do n’t have the fabric do on the plants . You need to off row covers when plant life come out producing flowers so that pollinators can do their jobs .
Caringfor Muskmelons
Now that you ’ve get your muskmelons mature , it ’s time to rear them until they ’re quick for harvesting . Here ’s how :
Watering
melon vine need lots of water early in biography when the plants are arise , flowering , and starting to form fruit . However , when the fruit get down to ripen you’re able to hold off on the watering .
Too much water supply when they are ripening do the lettuce to dissipate . This makes the yield bland . When you restrict the water the moolah center making the muskmelons so much sweeter .
Fertilizer
Muskmelons are hungry plant while they ’re grow . In addition to having rich intelligent ground , you should fertilise . I prefer to use fish emulsion as a foliar provender .
Compost teais also a great way to fertilize melons .
Problemsand Solutions to Growing Muskmelons
Sadly , melons have quite a few job . Do n’t let that intimidate you . Not all progeny show up every yr . Keep an eye on your melon and check on them frequently .
Fungi
All melons are susceptible to many fungus ’ and blights like fusarium and powdery mildew . While they screw the blistering steamy weather , those conditions can cause problems .
verify to give your melons mess of blank space so they have beneficial air circulation . Planting melons in landscape gardening fabric will help contract diseases because it prevents the territory from splashing back up on the leaves .
You should also be certain to water at the bag of plant and turn out your crop every two years . If you see this fungus on your flora , trim away any septic leave and spray plants with neem oil .
Viruses and Bacteria
These plant are also attacked by several viruses , like mosaic and cucurbit stunting jaundiced virus . Also , ascertain out for bacterial matter like bacterial wilt .
virus and bacterium are spread by worm like aphid and cucumber beetles , so it ’s of import to keep these aside from crop . insect powder do n’t work because in order for the chemical to work , the bug need to land on and bung on plants , which means the disease can take clench .
Use trap crops , row covers , and contemplative mulch , instead .
Cucumber Beetles
Cucumberbeetles can harm plants as well as introduce bacterial wilt . Amaranth stimulate a unspoiled yap crop to draw the beetles off , or you may use yellow steamy trap .
quarrel cover help protect young plant and you may spray with pyrethrin or neem vegetable oil after you remove the covers . strip up your garden in the fall to reduce cuke beetles the next class .
Aphids
Aphids spread disease and can stunt plants . Our guidewill show you how to blemish and get rid of them .
Cutworms
Cutworms nibble the base of plant , cut them off . Knowinghow to spot and divvy up with thembefore they down off your whole works is vital .
Animal Thieves
Many mintage of wildlife passion melons as much as you do . raccoon , groundhog , anddeercan be particularly persistent . A good sturdy fence is your best choice .
arena mouse can also be a problem for produce muskmelons if you do n’t have a good b cat . located melons on brick to keep off from mice .
Companion Planting
Plant with corn , chamomile , savory , scented fern , and nasturtium . Do n’t set with potatoes .
Harvesting and Using Muskmelon
Most melon varieties will slip off the vine when they are right with a small amount of insistency .
Use your nose . right melons will reek sweet and scrumptious .
Storing
muskmelon have a short shelf life of about two weeks . Store them at 85 % comparative humidity in a nerveless room or icebox , optimally at 40 ° F .
You canfreezemelon for late use . Use only unfermented , firm - fleshed , just ripe melon vine .
Cut melon in half and remove seeds and the skin . you could cut the melon into cubes or roll up them into a bollock .
tamp into freezer container leaving a headspace . you could habituate water or make a sirup using 1 3/4 cups of sugar to four cup of water .
you’re able to also make a tastyjamout of melons . Like any other jam , you mix fruit with lettuce and pectin . you could try thisSalted CantaloupeJam .
Cooking
If you have intercourse togrillyou should test invest on some sweet melon vine . The heat from the grill causes the bread in the melon vine to caramelize . You end up with a unique and delicious treat .
Cut melons into two - in cuneus . take the seeds but leave the end inviolate . come out them on a hot grill with the human body side down . Grill about three minute on each side till you may smell them fake .
It also goes great with grill fish or wimp .
Seed Saving
Muskmelons will get over - pollinate with other melon and Cucumis sativus . If you contrive to relieve seed from melons you involve to separate them by 600 feet . you’re able to clock your plantings so that dissimilar species are flowering and being pollinated at different times .
Melon seeds last 3 - 5 years when properly stored .
muskmelon can be a scrap temperamental but they are well worth growing . A cool fresh cantaloupe is a joyfulness to eat up on a summer morning .
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