Cucumis melo## HOW TO GROW MELON Start indoors 3–4 weeks before last frost, plant out 2 weeks after last frost. Do not over water. Direct sow 1-2 weeks after last frost date. Sow in rows or thin to 2-3 plants per hill. Melons are heat lovers, and require warm springs and warm nights. In cooler climates, use plastic mulch to increase the soil and air temperature. Using floating row covers also helps. Heavy feeder, thrive in well-decayed organic matter or compost. Moist well-drained soil is important in early stages of pollination. After fruit set, do not water unless the soil is very dry and leaves begin to wilt. Best flavor produced in dry weather. Fruit is mature when fruit turns color and slips from the vine. Soil pH 6-7.5. Hardiness zones 4. Annual.Days from maturity calculated from the date of seeding. Average 1,260 seeds per ounce. Average 15M seeds per acre. Federal germination standard: 75%. Usual seed life: 5 years. Isolation distance for seed saving: 1/2 mile.Planting Depth 1/4-1/2”Soil Temp. Germ. 70-85˚FDays to Germ. 3-10Plant Spacing 18”Row Spacing 5-6’Days To Maturity 80–85Full Sun, Moist Well Drained ##Renowned for its sweet, flavorful taste and powerful fragrance. Fruits typically weight 1–1/2 to 2 lbs and take on an orange cast when ripe. Keep a close eye on this one to not let it over ripen, you need to go by look and feel since the melons do not slip when ripe. True cantaloupe without netting ripens slowly, a golden-tan color spreading from the blossom and becoming pebbly. Cut from the vine when the blossom end is soft and the color has changed halfway up the fruit, then allow to sit until you can no longer resist its alluring perfume. Very small seed cavity. First noted in the garden of the Bishop of Rennes nearly 400 years ago. The champagne of French heirloom melons. A delicacy, not a production melon. May require black IRT plastic to produce more than one melon per plant. Tags: Color: Orange, Heritage: Heirloom, Season: Summer.
