Cantaloupe 'Ginger's Pride'

I grew one Ginger's Pride cantaloupe plant in an area with black plastic over it, in 2015. It produced two fruits, one of which was extre...Read Moremely large and ripened to a pumpkin orange. It was very juicy and tasty. The flesh of the orange one was kind of creamy (it reminded me of ice cream). It was very soft. However, upon refrigeration, it firmed up considerably. The second melon didn't ripen orange, and it wasn't as sweet or flavorful. Bugs started eating the bottoms of both fruits when they were ripe, but the fruits were fine, and I just had to wash them off and/or cut off a little of the bottom.

At transplanting time, I gave them basalt rockdust, potassium sulfate and other things. I thought the first melon was taking a while to ripen. So, I gave it some monopotassium phosphate and it started turning orange within a couple days. Parts of the fruit were yellow (as this variety is said to be), though.

My seed came from rareseeds.com (packed for 2015).

I saved the seeds from both fruits. They may be cross-pollinated with Swan Lake honeydew melon, Ha'Ogen melon or Healy's Pride. Ginger's Pride was a lot bigger than Healy's Pride for me, this year (first time growing both). Healy's Pride is a much firmer melon, though (and has excellent taste). I only got one melon from it, however.

The largest melon we carry. Huge, oblong fruit averages 14-22 lbs. each! The skin is green, turning yellowish when ripe. The flesh is ver...Read Morey sweet, melting, and of excellant quality. The vines set heavy yields. This variety was sent to us by a retired minister from Indiana. It has been in his family for many years, originating in Kentucky. THis is a melon to give any grower pride.