Cantaloupe, also known as rock melon, is a type of muskmelon with textured net-like skin, thin green rind, and bright orange flesh. They are sweet and fragrant with a distinctive crunchiness. Cantaloupes are excellent both raw and cooked in salads, smoothies, and chilled soups.Golden Crush cantaloupes are perfectly round with beautiful bright orange flesh. They are sweet, bring over 15%, and have a juicy, old-fashioned musk melon flavor and aroma.
Count: ~25 Germination: 21 Days Days to Maturity: 75-85 days Height At Maturity: Vine Sun/Shade: Full Sun Spacing After Thinning: 4-5 feet Germination Rate: 98% Zones: 3-10Melons provide a sweet and colorful addition to summer meals, and they can be grown in the home garden. In addition to the typical cantaloupe and honeydew melons, gardeners can grow other varieties such as banana melons.Before Planting: A light, well-drained soil with a pH of 7.0 and a southern exposure is ideal. Good soil moisture is important in the early stages of growth and during pollination when fruits are set.Planting: For direct seeding, sow 1-2 weeks after the last frost when soil is warm, above 70°F, 3 seeds every 18″, 1/2″ deep, thinning to 1 plant/spot. Space rows 6′ apart. For transplanting, sow indoors in 3 weeks before the last frost and transplant outside. Plant 2-3 seeds per pot, about 1/4″ deep. Keep temperature 80-90°F until germination. Handle young plants carefully and never let the soil dry out. Grow seedlings at 75°F. Reduce water and temperature for a week to harden seedlings. When the weather is frost-free, warm, and settled, transplant 2-3′ apart in rows 6′ apart or thin to 1 plant/pot or cell with scissors and transplant 18″ apart. Even hardened melon seedlings are tender. Do not disturb roots when transplanting, and water thoroughly.Watering: Melons need a steady supply of water, and soil needs to be damped but not flooded, approximately 1 inch a week.Fertilizer: Prior to planting, mix aged manure and compost into the soil. Melons are heavy feeders, so fertilize at planting and throughout the growing season with a 5-5-5 or 10-10-10 granular fertilizer. Do not let the granules come in contact with the plant.Days to Maturity: A ripe melon should be very easy to remove from the vine. For a cantaloupe, the netting pattern on the melon becomes more visible and a crack appears at the base of the stem when it was ripe. For a honeydew, the color becomes creamy. Most melon varieties are ready for harvest when the gray-green color begins to change to pale yellow and when a light tug separates the fruit from the vine. Some melon types, like honeydew, Charentais, canary, Spanish, and Crenshaw are overripe by the time the stem can be tugged from the fruit. (See each variety for days to maturity)Harvesting: Melons must be cut from the vine. All melons should be stored at 90% relative humidity. Store ripe melons at 40-45°F for 7-14 days. Harvesting at the right time is very important with melons. Fruits should be picked when fully ripe. Commercial growers harvest before melons are ripe, forcing them to ripen off the vine. However, the last few days of ripening on the vine put a lot of sugars into the melon; bottom line is that melons taste significantly better when vine-ripened. How do you know when melons are ripe? Canary melons should be firm, smooth to the touch, and have a bright yellow color with no hint of green. The stem area should be slightly soft, and the fruit will have a delicate scent. Fruits may ripen off the vine a little, but never develop peak flavor if harvested too early.Tips: Cut off watering 1 week before harvest. This will give a more flavorful, concentrated melon. Overwatering before harvest can cause a bland taste.
Count: ~25 Germination: 21 Days Days to Maturity: 75-85 days Height At Maturity: Vine Sun/Shade: Full Sun Spacing After Thinning: 4-5 feet Germination Rate: 98% Zones: 3-10Melons provide a sweet and colorful addition to summer meals, and they can be grown in the home garden. In addition to the typical cantaloupe and honeydew melons, gardeners can grow other varieties such as banana melons.Before Planting: A light, well-drained soil with a pH of 7.0 and a southern exposure is ideal. Good soil moisture is important in the early stages of growth and during pollination when fruits are set.Planting: For direct seeding, sow 1-2 weeks after the last frost when soil is warm, above 70°F, 3 seeds every 18″, 1/2″ deep, thinning to 1 plant/spot. Space rows 6′ apart. For transplanting, sow indoors in 3 weeks before the last frost and transplant outside. Plant 2-3 seeds per pot, about 1/4″ deep. Keep temperature 80-90°F until germination. Handle young plants carefully and never let the soil dry out. Grow seedlings at 75°F. Reduce water and temperature for a week to harden seedlings. When the weather is frost-free, warm, and settled, transplant 2-3′ apart in rows 6′ apart or thin to 1 plant/pot or cell with scissors and transplant 18″ apart. Even hardened melon seedlings are tender. Do not disturb roots when transplanting, and water thoroughly.Watering: Melons need a steady supply of water, and soil needs to be damped but not flooded, approximately 1 inch a week.Fertilizer: Prior to planting, mix aged manure and compost into the soil. Melons are heavy feeders, so fertilize at planting and throughout the growing season with a 5-5-5 or 10-10-10 granular fertilizer. Do not let the granules come in contact with the plant.Days to Maturity: A ripe melon should be very easy to remove from the vine. For a cantaloupe, the netting pattern on the melon becomes more visible and a crack appears at the base of the stem when it was ripe. For a honeydew, the color becomes creamy. Most melon varieties are ready for harvest when the gray-green color begins to change to pale yellow and when a light tug separates the fruit from the vine. Some melon types, like honeydew, Charentais, canary, Spanish, and Crenshaw are overripe by the time the stem can be tugged from the fruit. (See each variety for days to maturity)Harvesting: Melons must be cut from the vine. All melons should be stored at 90% relative humidity. Store ripe melons at 40-45°F for 7-14 days. Harvesting at the right time is very important with melons. Fruits should be picked when fully ripe. Commercial growers harvest before melons are ripe, forcing them to ripen off the vine. However, the last few days of ripening on the vine put a lot of sugars into the melon; bottom line is that melons taste significantly better when vine-ripened. How do you know when melons are ripe? Canary melons should be firm, smooth to the touch, and have a bright yellow color with no hint of green. The stem area should be slightly soft, and the fruit will have a delicate scent. Fruits may ripen off the vine a little, but never develop peak flavor if harvested too early.Tips: Cut off watering 1 week before harvest. This will give a more flavorful, concentrated melon. Overwatering before harvest can cause a bland taste.