Which of these muskmelons for mid-Atlantic region?

OneDahlia · February 22, 2012

I'm looking at these at Baker Creek -- any comments on these, especially for mid-Atlantic region? I should pick maybe three from this list. Looking for taste, production and earliness.

Charentais
Minnesota Midget
Noir de Carmes
Ananas
Eden's Gem
Emerald Gem
Golden Jenny

Have a smaller list of watermelons.

Blacktail Mountain
Osh Kirgizia
Cream of Saskatchewan

janezee · February 22, 2012

Dahlia, if I lived where you do, I'd definitely go for the Charentais. I've read so much about it, but I have no hope of getting it to taste that good here.
This guy spends his time trying for the ultimate melon experience. You'll have to skim or be a speed reader to get through it all in less than an hour.

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/melons

nicky · February 22, 2012

Wow that melon site is amazing! Now I need to find a 40 foot wall to grow a melon. Thanks janezee - I think

janezee · February 22, 2012

Is he not a fanatic? I read the whole site one day. Could not believe the detail!

OneDahlia · February 24, 2012

Thanks, I'll try the Charentais. That's an amazing site. A bit daunting, but amazing.

gardenfrog · April 10, 2012

That melon site is a "keeper"! Thanks for sharing!!!

b54red · April 17, 2012

A great site. I bookmarked it for future reference. I discovered Ambrosia years ago and have never found anything else close in flavor so a few years ago I quit trying other varieties. Some years they do good and others the fusarium or worms get them before they can ripen.

RebelRidin · April 17, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneDahlia

I'm looking at these at Baker Creek -- any comments on these, especially for mid-Atlantic region? I should pick maybe three from this list. Looking for taste, production and earliness.

Charentais
Minnesota Midget
Noir de Carmes
Ananas
Eden's Gem
Emerald Gem
Golden Jenny

Have a smaller list of watermelons.

Blacktail Mountain
Osh Kirgizia
Cream of Saskatchewan

I am planning to give Minnesota Midget a try on my trellises. I bought the seed anyway...

Ruth_10 · April 24, 2012

Ambrosia is the best. Emerald Gem is pretty darn good, too. Eden's Gem has good flavor, but it is pretty small (softball or smaller, green flesh). Charentais has excellent flavor, but I quit growing it because it splits so easily at the blossom end when it gets ripe. Nothing worse than to wait and wait for a ripe melon, then have it split just when you're ready to harvest it.

roper2008 · April 24, 2012

I'm new to growing melons too. I will be trying Old Timer Banana Cantelope,
Charentais, and Sugar Baby. Next year I'll try the Ambrosia. Maybe we can
compare notes since we are both mid-atlantic. I have heard about the
Charentais splitting easily. I'll try to get to it before the ants do.

OneDahlia · April 24, 2012

I ended up getting most of those melons in my original post, plus Ambrosia and a couple more watermelons too.

Hey, I'm pregnant and was really craving some good melon. I'll probably try one hill of each type -- not saving seeds this year.

Roper, I'd love to compare notes.

Tormato · April 25, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth_10

Ambrosia is the best. Emerald Gem is pretty darn good, too. Eden's Gem has good flavor, but it is pretty small (softball or smaller, green flesh). Charentais has excellent flavor, but I quit growing it because it splits so easily at the blossom end when it gets ripe. Nothing worse than to wait and wait for a ripe melon, then have it split just when you're ready to harvest it.

Ruth,

There's always something worse.

Worse than to wait and wait for A ripe melon, is to wait for 3 to ripen on a plant, and have them all split, at the same time, just when you're ready to harvest. And, the three melons are Ginger's Pride, each 15 lbs, for a total of 45 lbs of melon gone like that.

Gary

roper2008 · April 30, 2012

I was at the Williamsburg Pottery yesterday and in the garden area I
saw ambrosia melon. Of course I picked one up with 2 seedlings in it.
Hopefully I can get it to full grown size.

jennifer28 · April 30, 2012

well i'm growing these little cantaloupes called "vine peaches." The more I read about them the more I'm thinking they will be little, tasteless, and gross. But they are growing like gangbusters and it's almost time to put them outside. I'm kinda hoping the kids will like them because they are tiny.

Tracydr · April 30, 2012

I've not had much luck growing melons. I keep thinking I'll try again but they take so much space and in AZ, I can find wonderful melons for great prices, plus variety, at the ethnic markets and farmers markets.
When we move I need to learn to grow them.
I did learn last summer that I love the cassaba and Crenshaw melons the best. I also enjoyed some unusual flavors such as citron ( my husband didn't like). I Rember one melon that we tried with a bland, almost cucumber flavor which would have been nice in salads. Can't remember the name.
I like melons with a nutmeg essence.
I also like really good watermelons.

February 22, 2012	#1
OneDahlia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: 7a NO. VA. Posts: 202	Which of these muskmelons for mid-Atlantic region? I'm looking at these at Baker Creek -- any comments on these, especially for mid-Atlantic region? I should pick maybe three from this list. Looking for taste, production and earliness. Charentais Minnesota Midget Noir de Carmes Ananas Eden's Gem Emerald Gem Golden Jenny Have a smaller list of watermelons. Blacktail Mountain Osh Kirgizia Cream of Saskatchewan

April 24, 2012	#9
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	Ambrosia is the best. Emerald Gem is pretty darn good, too. Eden's Gem has good flavor, but it is pretty small (softball or smaller, green flesh). Charentais has excellent flavor, but I quit growing it because it splits so easily at the blossom end when it gets ripe. Nothing worse than to wait and wait for a ripe melon, then have it split just when you're ready to harvest it. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

February 22, 2012	#2
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	Dahlia, if I lived where you do, I'd definitely go for the Charentais. I've read so much about it, but I have no hope of getting it to taste that good here. This guy spends his time trying for the ultimate melon experience. You'll have to skim or be a speed reader to get through it all in less than an hour. http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/melons

February 22, 2012	#3
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Wow that melon site is amazing! Now I need to find a 40 foot wall to grow a melon. Thanks janezee - I think

February 24, 2012	#5
OneDahlia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: 7a NO. VA. Posts: 202	Thanks, I'll try the Charentais. That's an amazing site. A bit daunting, but amazing.

April 10, 2012	#6
gardenfrog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Shelbyville, IN Posts: 343	That melon site is a "keeper"! Thanks for sharing!!!

April 17, 2012	#7
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	A great site. I bookmarked it for future reference. I discovered Ambrosia years ago and have never found anything else close in flavor so a few years ago I quit trying other varieties. Some years they do good and others the fusarium or worms get them before they can ripen.

April 24, 2012	#10
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	I'm new to growing melons too. I will be trying Old Timer Banana Cantelope, Charentais, and Sugar Baby. Next year I'll try the Ambrosia. Maybe we can compare notes since we are both mid-atlantic. I have heard about the Charentais splitting easily. I'll try to get to it before the ants do.

April 30, 2012	#13
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	I was at the Williamsburg Pottery yesterday and in the garden area I saw ambrosia melon. Of course I picked one up with 2 seedlings in it. Hopefully I can get it to full grown size.

April 30, 2012	#14
jennifer28 Two-faced Drama Queen Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital Posts: 955	well i'm growing these little cantaloupes called "vine peaches." The more I read about them the more I'm thinking they will be little, tasteless, and gross. But they are growing like gangbusters and it's almost time to put them outside. I'm kinda hoping the kids will like them because they are tiny.

April 30, 2012	#15
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I've not had much luck growing melons. I keep thinking I'll try again but they take so much space and in AZ, I can find wonderful melons for great prices, plus variety, at the ethnic markets and farmers markets. When we move I need to learn to grow them. I did learn last summer that I love the cassaba and Crenshaw melons the best. I also enjoyed some unusual flavors such as citron ( my husband didn't like). I Rember one melon that we tried with a bland, almost cucumber flavor which would have been nice in salads. Can't remember the name. I like melons with a nutmeg essence. I also like really good watermelons.