 |
Cathy Wilkinson Barash
Courtesy of The National Garden Bureau
Images Courtesy The National Garden Bureau
INTRODUCTION
According to Webster's
Dictionary, melons are "the large round
fruit of various plants of the gourd family, with sweet pulpy flesh and
many seeds (honeydew, cantaloupe, muskmelon)." They are vining,
warm-season fruits, growing best in regions with long summers. Although
both male and female flowers grow on the same plant, bees are necessary
for pollination and fruiting. Most melons ripen in late summer or
early- to mid-fall. They range in size from slightly larger than a
softball to hefty 15-pound varieties, and in color—both outside and
inside, with pale grayish-white to very dark green skin and the palest
yellow to the brightest orange and green flesh. Their seeds fill the
hollow center of the fruit.
Melons
are a summertime delight—sweet and juicy fruits—whether
freshly picked or cooled in the refrigerator. They’re versatile—more
than a dessert or snack—as an ingredient in salads, salsas, side
dishes, entrees, and drinks. Even the ripe seeds, dried and toasted,
make a healthy snack.
HISTORY
Humankind has been
enjoying melons for more than 4,000 years.
Surprisingly, melons have never been found growing in the wild—other
than escapees from someone's garden. Melons are believed to have
originated in the hot valleys of southwest Asia—specifically Iran
(Persia) and India. Early American settlers grew cultivars of honeydew
and casaba melons back in the 1600s. Yet, only in recent times, many
more varieties are available, often out of season in grocery stores. Of
course, growing melons from seed gives you the best choice of types and
cultivated varieties.
The
first documented use of the word "melon" was about 1395. John
Ayto's Dictionary of Word Origins suggests that the word is derived
from Melos (the Greek Cyclades Islands, best known for the Venus de
Milo). Melons wend their way into literature. In their text, the
Mahometans (very early name for the followers of Mohammed) wrote that
eating a melon produces a thousand good works.
NOMENCLATURE
Let’s start with the basics. All
melons are in the same
family—Cucurbitaceae, the cucurbit or gourd family. This large family
has more than 100 branches, including cucumbers, gourds, pumpkins, all
manner of squash, and even loofahs. "Melons" fall into two genera: Cucumis and Citrullus. Cucumis comprises all melons except for
watermelon, which is Citrullus —a totally different genus. As a group,
all Cucumis melo melons can be called muskmelons or melons.
Taxonomically, Cucumis melo is
further divided into different groups. Cantaloupensis
is the true cantaloupe, which is medium sized, warty or scaly, common
in Europe, but not grown commercially in America.
The Reticulatus group of melons—the most commonly grown—is easily
identified by its netted skin and is called netted or summer melon.
This group includes Galia and Charentais melons as well as what we call
cantaloupe. In America, the terms "muskmelon" and "cantaloupe" are used
interchangeably, yet "cantaloupe" is more common. When ripe, these
melons are aromatic and the vine "slips" off from the fruit.
The melons of the Inodorous group, known as smooth or winter
melons, distinguish themselves with their smooth skin (rind). In
maturity, they lack an aromatic or musky odor and do not slip from the
vine. Members of this group include the casaba, crenshaw, Christmas,
canary, and honeydew melons.
 |
 |
 |
| Canary Melon AAS Winner 'Amy' |
Melon Seedling |
Assorted Melons |
MELON
TYPES
There are numerous types of melons
available in various regions
around the world. The most popular melons in North America are the
cantaloupe, muskmelon and honeydew types. As gardeners travel, they eat
new fruits and vegetables and wish to grow the tasty fruits eaten
overseas. These unusual types of melons are available primarily from
seed. Look for these distinct types in mail-order catalogs or seed
packets sold in retail stores.
ANANAS
MELONS (a.k.a. Middle Eastern melons) are oval shaped with
medium-fine netting over pale green to orange rind. Very sweet,
aromatic white flesh. One variety has orange-pink flesh. Average weight
is three to four pounds.
CANARY MELONS (a.k.a. Spanish, Juan Canary, Jaune des Canaries, and San Juan canary melons), have bright yellow rinds and an oblong shape. Inside, the pale, cream-colored flesh is juicy, and the flavor is very mild.
CANTALOUPES - (see true cantaloupe and muskmelon)
CASABA MELONS - The oval shape with a pointy end, coupled with wrinkled yellow skin sets casabas off from other melons. As does its heft— weighing in at four to seven pounds. The pale, almost white flesh is extremely sweet.
CHARENTAIS MELONS (a.k.a. French Charentais) are French melons identifiable by their smooth, gray, or gray-blue rinds with sutures and orange flesh. Small, cut in half they serve two for breakfast.
CHRISTMAS MELONS (a.k.a. Piel de Sapo and Rochet) have a football shape, weighing upwards of 5 to 8 pounds. Cut through the yellow to green mottled rinds to reveal the palest orange or light green flesh depending upon the variety. Sweet flesh.
CRENSHAW MELONS (also seen as cranshaw) are a Casaba cross with a slightly more oblong shape, weighing at least 5 pounds. The slightly wrinkled green rind ripens to yellow. Inside, the flesh is pale peachy orange. It has a strong, spicy aroma.
GALIA MELONS are Israeli melons that have netted rinds similar to cantaloupes but paler in color. The sweet pale green to almost white flesh has the consistency of a honeydew with what has been described as a spicy-sweet or banana-like aroma. When ripe, they slip from the vine.
HONEYDEWS (a.k.a. honeydew melon, honey dew melon), second only to "cantaloupes" in popularity, have smooth, white to greenish-white rinds (some may be yellow) and open to reveal refreshingly sweet flesh that may be green, white, or orange. Its texture is similar to a cantaloupe, but the flavor more subtle and sweet.
MUSKMELONS are the familiar American cantaloupes with orange flesh and netted skin.
ORIENTAL MELONS are small (weighing a little more than a pound), elongated yellow melons with white sutures, and sweet, pale
peach to white flesh. Because the seeds are so small and the rind is so thin, the entire melon can be eaten.
PERSIAN MELONS, bigger than cantaloupes, have a dark green rind with light brown netting. As it ripens, the rind turns to light green. Bright pink-orange flesh has a delicate flavor. Unlike most melons in the Reticulatus group, Persian melons do not slip from the vine when mature.
TRUE CANTALOUPE, named for the town of Cantalupo near Rome, Italy has rough-warty (not netted) skin. This is the European cantaloupe, rarely grown in America.
WINTER MELON- is the catchall name for the long-season, long-keeping (a month or more at room temperature) melons, including crenshaw, casaba, canary, and Christmas melons.
 |
GROWING MELONS FROM SEED
Melons are warm-season
fruits, which thrive in temperatures of 70°
to 80° F. They prefer slightly acid soil with a pH between 6.0 and
6.5.
Melons are thirsty and hungry plants, so be prepared to provide ample
soil moisture and plant nutrients for them.
Like other cucurbits, melons can easily crossbreed, so allow
plenty of space between different types or cultivars. To be completely
safe from any accidental cross-pollination, keep them away from other
family members including cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins.
In
mild-winter areas, sow seeds directly in the garden at the same
time as you plant tomatoes—after all danger of frost is past and the
ground is warm and has dried from its winter wetness. Make a small hill
of rich, amended, well-drained soil and plant three to five seeds two
inches apart and about one inch deep. Water well and watch them grow.
Once the vines have two sets of true leaves, thin out the smaller or
weaker vines, leaving the two strongest to grow on.
Some gardeners, especially those in cold-winter climates plant
melons through black plastic mulch. The dark plastic absorbs heat,
warms the soil early, conserves moisture, controls weeds, keeps some
pests and diseases away, and makes harvesting a whole lot easier and
cleaner.
Lay the plastic over the future melon
garden in late winter to
start warming the soil. Weigh down the edges or else the plastic will
take flight. Check the temperature, and when the soil is above 60°
F,
you can start planting. Make five-inch, x-line cuts at least four feet
apart on six-foot centers—if you grow in rows. If you commingle edibles
and ornamentals, allow at least three feet in all directions around the
cut-plastic x. Pull the plastic back and create a hill of soil (amended
with lots of organic matter). Plant seeds, as above, or transplant
melons that you started indoors.
Sowing Seed Indoors
Melons are occasionally available commercially as seedlings or transplants at nurseries or garden centers. Look for healthy melon transplants and get them into the ground ASAP, following the directions for transplanting, above.
Melons need a minimum of 1-inch of water a week—2 inches is better. Water melons in the morning, ideally at soil level using drip irrigation, so the leaves can dry before evening, preventing fungal diseases. In case of drought or water restrictions, watering is critical when the fruit starts setting and when the fruit is maturing.
Fertilize every two to three weeks, using an all-purpose fertilizer, such as 5-5-5. Add several inches of compost to all root areas monthly.
Some gardeners use an organic or inorganic mulch. The soil should be lightly moist—up to a foot deep. Transplant, then mulch around the plants.
If your plants are flowering but not setting fruit, don’t fret. The earliest flowers are male (pollen-bearing), so cannot set fruit. Only the female (pistillate) flowers can develop into melons. Female flowers are distinguished by the tiny bulb at the base of the flower. If the flower isn’t pollinated, the flower and fruit will eventually fall off the vine.
The best and sweetest melons ripen when the weather is hot and dry. In areas with humid summers, you can give melons a boost by planting them in soil that is very well drained and with ample space for good air circulation around the entire vine.
Occasionally a homegrown melon may not taste as sweet as expected. This may be due to an abundance of rain the three weeks prior to harvest. Melons need sufficient moisture while growing and fruiting, but prior to harvest, the best, sweetest flavor will occur if the plant is grown on the "dry" side. Cut back on watering the plant when you approach harvest, about 3 weeks prior to the main crop harvest.
HARVEST
Melons need heat to ripen properly. Yet on very hot days melons can overripen on the vine, giving them a waterlogged appearance. Most summer melons are fragrant when ripe. Sniff the skin; if you smell the flavor of the melon (the senses of smell and taste are interrelated), it is ripe for the picking. Another indicator for ripeness is when the stem separates (slips) easily where the vine attaches to the fruit. Cantaloupes are mature when the rind changes from green to tan-yellow between the veins.
Honeydew, crenshaw, and other winter melons are ready to harvest when they turn completely white or yellow, and the blossom end is slightly soft to touch. Since they do not slip, cut the melons from the vine. They will continue to ripen for several days at room temperature once they are picked.
Poor flavor may be the consequence of the weather: cloudy during ripening, too hot, too much or too little water, or a combination of factors.
The sweetest and most flavorful melons are those picked ripe from the vine and eaten right away. They may not be icy cold, but the fresh flavor and perfume more than make up for the temperature difference. Go ahead, open a melon and eat it right in the garden—without utensils—and let the sweet nectar run down your chin. That’s the true taste of summer! Rinse melons purchased from grocery stores.
POSSIBLE PESTS & DISEASES
Like most other plants—ornamental and edible—melons are susceptible to a number of pests and diseases, some of which may be more prevalent in one area of the country than another.
In the garden, survival of the fittest prevails. If you put a healthy, vigorous melon transplant (or seed of a good variety of melon for your region), into rich, well-drained, soil that has been amended with plenty of organic matter, in full sun, with good air circulation, top dress it or fertilize, and provide it with ample water and enough room for the vine to run, the result will be a strong, healthy, well-grown vine, bearing lots of fruit. Take away any of its necessities, and the resulting plant will be weaker and/or stressed. A healthy plant is not going to attract pests and diseases; a weak one will.
YOU are the other key to success. Walk around the garden several times a week, paying attention to the vines, leaves, flowers, and fruit. Be on the lookout for any sign of pests or diseases. If you find something suspicious, identify the cause, and if necessary, fix the problem in the least toxic manner possible. The degree to which the plant is distressed—if at all—must be taken into consideration. Remember that what you think is a problem may be only cosmetic.
Prevention is the key to disease management. Use seeds from a reputable source. Give transplants a once-over before moving them into the garden. Be fastidious in fall cleanup; get rid of all parts of the plant, leaving bare soil that you can mulch, or plant for winter. At the first sign of disease, remove the infected part; remove and discard the mulch around the plant and replace it with fresh, clean mulch. Don’t plant any cucurbits in the same place within the last three years (crop rotation). With melons, an ounce of prevention may be worth hundreds of pounds of cure in healthy, delicious fruit.
Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for advice on disease and pest management where you live, as it varies in different regions.
Some of the most common adversaries you may face:
• Fungus diseases, including Alternaria leaf spot, powdery mildew, anthracnose, and downy mildew.
• Insects like cucumber beetles and aphids
• Mosaic virus
CONTAINER CULTURE
If you have a small, sunny space, you can grow melons—in containers. The secrets are size and soil. Select a large container; a dwarf melon variety, and rich soil. Fill a half whiskey barrel—with drainage holes—with compost mixed with two handfuls of peat moss, pop in a dwarf melon that grows only 3- to 4-feet long, producing a 4-inch fruit, and water. Grow up a trellis if you wish, supporting the fruit with nets made of old pantyhose or onion bags. Follow the care instructions, above.
NUTRITION
Melons contain up to
94% water. Yet in that remaining six percent, they can pack in a lot of
nutrients: 100 gram serving:
CANTALOUPE
(American) – 100% of Vitamin A, and 24% of Vitamin C
CASABA –
40% of Vitamin C, and 4% of iron
CHARENTAIS
– 75% of Vitamin C, no calcium
CHRISTMAS MELON
– 50% of Vitamin C
GALIA –
100% of Vitamin A, and 80% of Vitamin C
HONEYDEW –
53% of Vitamin C
ORIENTAL MELON
– 62% of Vitamin C
No matter which of the melons you grow, add them to your culinary
repertoire and you’ll be sure to impress family and guests. All melons
are flavorful enough on their own, yet you can enhance them with a
sprinkle of ginger or salt. A squirt of lemon or lime juice will bring
out the melon’s sweetness.
Serve individual portions of chilled soup (such as cucumber,
melon, or Vichyssoise) in hollowed out melon halves. Replace bowls with
melon halves for serving for dips, salads of all kinds, and
punch—depending on the size of the melon. Get creative and cut the
melons in scalloped or jagged edges.
Garnish food with slices of melon or melon balls. They enhance the
look and flavor of almost any dish—from ice cream to cakes; salads to
soups, and whatever culinary delights you create. They add verve to
punches or drinks. In fact, Midori is a liqueur made from melons.