Homegrown honeydews are far superior to grocery store melons. Vine-ripened Honeydew has an unbelievably sweet, almost wine-like flavor. Each melon is 7" x 8" weighing between 7 and 8 pounds, with light green flesh and exterior. The small seed cavity and high sugar content make this variety especially delicious.
The first honeydew in America, a variety called White Antibes, came from France in 1900. Being a warm weather crop, it soon became well established especially in the gardens of the southwestern states. Honeydew are now widely grown for commercial markets, especially in the states of California, Texas, and Arizona. 105-115 days.
~ planting ~
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70°–90°F.
When to Start Inside: Recommended for short-season areas. 2 to 4 weeks before transplanting within 2 weeks after your average last frost date. Sow into biodegradable pots that can be directly planted in the ground; roots are sensitive to disturbance.
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: ¼"
Seed Spacing: 2–3 seeds per mound
Row Spacing: 4'–6' apart
Thinning: Thin to 1 plant per mound
~ harvesting ~
Harvesting at the right time is very important with melons. Commercial growers harvest before melons are ripe, forcing them to ripen off the vine, but, 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? These indicators: 1) The color between the surface netting is brown, not green. 2) A ripe melon will have a pleasant, fruity aroma at the blossom end. 3) A crack will form on the stem right near the point of attachment. This is called the “slip stage”, and in a few days, the melon will detach from the vine with little effort and pressure. If it is somewhat difficult to detach the fruit from the vine, the melon is not ready yet. Do not allow to over-ripen.
