When to pick the melons

I found the info I had read.

I guess you'd have to put the mulch out before you planted the seeds; I use silver mulch for my squash to deter svbs - although that didn't seem to work well this year - but I've never used plastic mulch for melons and would rather not.

greenhouse_gal - They are heirloom Charentais melon seeds - send me a dmail if you would like some seeds.

And my thought was when you have melons of varying maturity on the same vine, how can you water some adequately and withhold water on others. Guess we'll just have to leave it to nature instead.

they snuck up on me, have to go pick them again today, theya re fabulous!!

That was a couple days ago's photo, here's the mother load from today lol

kathy_ann - that's a lot of melons! They look wonderful. Will you freeze some? I cut mine into large chunks and freeze them in quart sized bags.

I've been freezing them as melon balls. but i'm not quite sure what i'll do with all the frozen ones lol i've given away alot and we ate two of them tonight for a late night snack. i'm floating now lol

They taste really good frozen in Vodka and used like ice cubes, but be careful they hid the taste of the vodka and you may get more then you intend to. Not saying you should go out and get drunk off melons but you can even add a little mint and they make really pretty ice cubes.

I believe Lisa had probably spiked a watermelon before, too!

*grin

Shoe

Yes, I have and oranges with a syringe, if you must know. But that was years ago, and I can't remember it all... But now melon vodka cubes with a mint sprig are actually pretty, and functional. Shoe,your being a Smart A**! Grin

No! Not being smart..just one kindred spirit acknowledging another!

*wink/Grin

Shoe (who better try the new-fangled ice cube recipe)

Sounds like a recipe I need to try!

This Charentais Savor is a tad larger than grapefruit sized, without the black widow. 8 )
There are many small ones but three melons this size hanging from a trellis.
Shouldn't have to bend over to smell when they ripen.

Not the clearest photo but I'm guessing the leaf on the right side by the pole is the one to watch?
The one that turns brown when it is harvest time?

Nice looking melon. Yes, the leaf to the right is the one to watch.

Thanks, that was what I suspected. I have been watching them closely to make sure they don't need extra support. They appear to have a very sturdy stem on each melon.

Podster that did not work for me, they slipped off the vine very easily, in fact yours will fall off since it's hanging. I think since your growing them on trellises like that, maybe they'll have less likely chance of splitting on you, mine split alot and I had to throw out alot of them, but they will turn pale orange and slip from the vine , now the honeydews never did slip off the vine for me, I had to force them off, and I did use the leaf method on them and it wasn't ripe enough. i honestly had to chance weather or not the honeydews were ready. we're about all out of cantelopes now and very few honeydews left out there.

podster - how does the Savor melon taste? I see Johnny's has seeds listed in their cataloge.

I haven't gotten to sample the first one yet. These vines seemed to stall out till it turned hot, hot, hot.

Did I not see that you have grown them?

The savor melons were among the best i've ever eaten!!

podster - the Charentais I grow are just called "Charentais". I also grow one that is a "Vedrantais" both taste good, but the latter doesn't produce as many melons as the former. The Charentais has a netted rind, the Vedrantais has a smooth rind.

kathy_ann - I'm tempted to try Savor next season. We grew "Tasty Bites" this year, but they are a hybrid so I didn't save seeds. They really lived-up to the claims Johnny's Seed said about them. I cut up many of the melons and have them in the freezer.

I'm rereading the ripe indicators on this thread again tonight.

The C. savor has been changing color.
The opposing leaf is drying.
The melon smells wonderful.
Every time I walk by I stop and savor the smell.
If I never get to wrap my lips around it, I will have enjoyed the fragrance.

How much longer do I have to wait??

pod ~ who is practicing whining...

podster, doesn't look quite ready to me.

Thanks... patience is ever so hard to come by when it smells that wonderful. 8 )

Bee-how can you tell? What are looking for I'm impressed you can tell from a photo. I'm like Pod my nose would determine the time to pick.

Hi Lisa... I wondered also. I was watching that leaf indicator become dry and crumbling, the fragrance and the color.

I was curious to see what color a ripe melon was but the PlantFiles showed only one cut melon photo. I just submitted a few photos as the melons have developed for the next curious grower.

All I need is a nod and I'll go to whittling on it ~ Lol

From the photo, I see there is still a hint of green in the rind. I also wait until I see cracking around the stem where it joins the melon. Some melons don't *slip* and this is how I tell when they are ripe enough. With melons that do *slip* I just wait until they fall off the vine or come away from the vine with a gentle tug.

When melons get close to being ripe, I check on them throughout the day - podster's melon could very well be ripe today.

Yes and no. I always step out and check as soon as I get in from work and tonight I found this...

I need to research and figure out why it split.

Needless to say, it became this. You can see the rind was still a bit green.

The taste is sweet though I would have prefered a softer texture. It is still edible.

I had trouble finding a representative photo of these melons when ripened but believe it should have lost the green ribbing before ready to be harvested.

So now my question is, will the seeds be viable at this stage?

I will have to dry them and try germination on a few before I save.

Kristi, put those seeds in a cup or jar, complete with as much "gloop" as you can save. Seal the jar and let them ferment. Just like tomato seeds it'll help separate the good from the bad.

Once fermented then rinse several times, allowing the good seeds to fall to the bottom of the jar/container. Those will be the viable ones and the ones to do a germ test with.

Hope this post makes it in time so you don't throw away the gloop/liquid/juice.


Shoe

You made it in time ~ LOL and I will take your advice and run with it. Thank you as always!

Whew! Made it in time! I'm relieved!

:>)

Pod-don't wash these seeds down the sink when your doing the dishes LOL

Shoe-is "gloop" a technical term?

Heheheh, yeh, 'tis a technical term. I think gloop is an acronym for "Gooey Liquid Out Of Produce"...
er, uhhh, that's the best I can think of right now! :>)

Shoe

Shoe-I can't believe you thought of an acronym. LOL

Just for you! *grin

I makes learning and teaching easier, and funner!

Shoe :>)

LOL ~ Lisa on washing the seeds. Guess what I found this morning? Another Hoya obovata seedpod bursting open. I thought of that when I found it.

GLOOP ~ good acronym for computer gardening lingo but I'll never remember it.
"Sometimers disease" here... sometimes I remember and sometimes I forget.

This message was edited Sep 9, 2011 9:54 PM

Pod- I'm sure you'll find those seeds a good home the cuttings you sent are doing great so far.
Shoe-just shaking my head hehe