My one and only...

noinwi · August 9, 2012

...Charentais! I started two plants that were the only ones that germinated out of a couple dozen seed that I harvested back in 2004. I didn't think they would survive. They sat there as tiny things in the planter box(approx 6 gal of medium)for a really long time before they started to grow. They have produced a bazillion flowers, but only this one melon, even though there are lots and lots of pollinators around this season. This is only the second time I've grown Charentais and this one melon is a bit larger than the ones I grew in '04. Back then I had 3 vines in a container and got 5 melons, the size of small grapefruits. I knew they would be small but they had wonderful flavor. I'm really looking forward to this one ripening if even for the seeds. I know there are racoons and skunks nearby and I'm hoping they won't smell it ripening. Anyone else growing these this season?

lakelady · August 9, 2012

You know, I have a charentais plant too. All summer the vine grew and grew with an odd italian cucumber and neither produced a thing. Then I got these round things I thought were the cukes, but realized they are not. I think I have two melons too! Mine don't have any striping yet, they are just green and tennis ball sized. A bit furry on the outside, kinda like a peach. Is that the melon?

Nice to know the seed lasted for you! If that is what I do have, I'll be sure to save my seeds as well.

noinwi · August 10, 2012

Yeah, this one is a bit fuzzy too and the stripes haven't been there very long. Let's hope they ripen nicely for us.
I also have one Honeydew melon about the size of a lime that I started late in a bucket(it took a long time to germinate)but I don't think it will mature in time. I decided to try it since I had a packet of(11yr old) seed I'd never used. Here's to experiments!

meadowyck · August 11, 2012

Cool. Look forward to a taste report, provided you are able to get one before your first frost.

Mudman · August 11, 2012

Mine look just like yours do but I have a bunch of them. Do they yellow up a bit when they are ripe?

Ken4230 · August 11, 2012

I have a single Minn. Midget plant with two tennis ball size melons on it. This is my first time to grow this one. Next year I will probably put three plants in each container and try to grow several.

It's going to be interesting to see what they look and taste like.

noinwi · September 2, 2012

I picked this yesterday, although not intentionally. I tried to gently pick it up to smell the blossom end and it popped right off the stem. It's not as deeply ridged as the ones I've seen photos, but the original seed was purchased the the late 90s. I don't know if there are different strains of Charentais. The fragrance was heavenly and made the whole apartment smell like melon. It was just shy of 2 1/2 lbs.

We had it this afternoon for a treat. Very juicy and flavorful, but could have been a little sweeter...still very good. I should have held it over for at least one more day, but the fragrance was making me salivate, lol. Now I have fresh seed(yipee!). I do have one more still on the vine that's half the size and still quite green(a late surprise). Hoping it will have time to ripen.

August 9, 2012	#1
noinwi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: PNW Posts: 486	My one and only... ...Charentais! I started two plants that were the only ones that germinated out of a couple dozen seed that I harvested back in 2004. I didn't think they would survive. They sat there as tiny things in the planter box(approx 6 gal of medium)for a really long time before they started to grow. They have produced a bazillion flowers, but only this one melon, even though there are lots and lots of pollinators around this season. This is only the second time I've grown Charentais and this one melon is a bit larger than the ones I grew in '04. Back then I had 3 vines in a container and got 5 melons, the size of small grapefruits. I knew they would be small but they had wonderful flavor. I'm really looking forward to this one ripening if even for the seeds. I know there are racoons and skunks nearby and I'm hoping they won't smell it ripening. Anyone else growing these this season?

August 9, 2012	#2
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	You know, I have a charentais plant too. All summer the vine grew and grew with an odd italian cucumber and neither produced a thing. Then I got these round things I thought were the cukes, but realized they are not. I think I have two melons too! Mine don't have any striping yet, they are just green and tennis ball sized. A bit furry on the outside, kinda like a peach. Is that the melon? Nice to know the seed lasted for you! If that is what I do have, I'll be sure to save my seeds as well. __________________ Antoniette

August 11, 2012	#4
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	Cool. Look forward to a taste report, provided you are able to get one before your first frost. __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

August 11, 2012	#5
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	Mine look just like yours do but I have a bunch of them. Do they yellow up a bit when they are ripe? __________________ Mike

August 10, 2012	#3
noinwi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: PNW Posts: 486	Yeah, this one is a bit fuzzy too and the stripes haven't been there very long. Let's hope they ripen nicely for us. I also have one Honeydew melon about the size of a lime that I started late in a bucket(it took a long time to germinate)but I don't think it will mature in time. I decided to try it since I had a packet of(11yr old) seed I'd never used. Here's to experiments!

August 11, 2012	#6
Ken4230 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Western Ky Posts: 282	I have a single Minn. Midget plant with two tennis ball size melons on it. This is my first time to grow this one. Next year I will probably put three plants in each container and try to grow several. It's going to be interesting to see what they look and taste like.

September 2, 2012	#7
noinwi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: PNW Posts: 486	I picked this yesterday, although not intentionally. I tried to gently pick it up to smell the blossom end and it popped right off the stem. It's not as deeply ridged as the ones I've seen photos, but the original seed was purchased the the late 90s. I don't know if there are different strains of Charentais. The fragrance was heavenly and made the whole apartment smell like melon. It was just shy of 2 1/2 lbs. We had it this afternoon for a treat. Very juicy and flavorful, but could have been a little sweeter...still very good. I should have held it over for at least one more day, but the fragrance was making me salivate, lol. Now I have fresh seed(yipee!). I do have one more still on the vine that's half the size and still quite green(a late surprise). Hoping it will have time to ripen.