Questions about Honey Kiss melon

[ginger2778]

I confess, I cannot grow melons to save my life. I am curious about the Hami , aka Honey Kiss melon at my local Publix. I saw them there for the first time, and bought one ($4.99) out if curiosity. It has a crispness to the flesh even when ripe, and an unbelievable sweetness, far sweeter than even the best cantaloupe or honeydew. I am in love with it.

Anyone ever grow it or taste it here?
I am saving seeds by fermentation, is that the right thing to do with melon seeds?Trying again to grow a melon, this one is worth it.
Are these hybrids?

[Labradors2]

It's a hybrid - unfortunately.

Apparently, they should be fermented!

Linda

[Worth1]

Dont let hybrid scare you off when it comes to melons.
Many times I have gotten sprouts from store bought cantaloupe seeds in the yard and used them to grow melons.
They were smaller but so sweet you couldn't stand it.
I have yet to buy one from the store in many years that even came close to being a good melon.
If you see a melon like this in the store and the green vine is still attached to the melon and wont come off it isn't ripe nor will it get ripe.
Ripe honey dew melons aren't hard and green they are yellowish and a wee bit soft.
As for farmers markets sometimes you can get good ones there or along side the roads next to the farms that grow them.
Or a big trailer parked at the town square in some rural country town.

[ginger2778]

This was sweet beyond belief. It stays firm, but I looked it up, you tell it is ripe when a black spot appears on the skin. Never had a store bought melon like this one.
Linda, thanks for letting me know it's a hybrid. Ever eat one?

[Labradors2]

Never tried one Marsha, but they sound delish. I'm in love with Halona F1 cantaloupes

Linda

[ddsack]

Marsha, I've saved seeds from some small melons that I ate while in Mexico, not fermented - just rinsed and dried and they germinated just fine a few months later. Not saying don't ferment them, just that like with tomatoes it's not necessary to germination.

I've never seen that variety in stores here - sounds jummy! Might as well try growing them, even if hybrid.

I had great germination on my F1 Picolino cukes -- too good in fact, I didn't separate them in time and had to plant bigger clumps rather than rip apart their roots. I ended up with about 10 plants, so it will be interesting to see if there is much variation in fruit.

Linda -- I love Halona F1 too! Only cantaloupe I'm growing this year.

[BigVanVader]

Im growing Halona, as well as petit gris de rennes, sarahs choice. The hybrid melons are doing great here. I'm going to save seeds from them then grow them with Joseph's landrace next year to get my own farm specific melon. Seeing his results with the bush melon plants that produce 5 melons or more each convinced me its worth trying.

Edit: I had to go check notes for other names I had forgot. Also growing King Show and Summer Kiss

[ginger2778]

It sounds like Halona F1 is the one to try. Do you all know if it can be grown in nematode infested soil?

[kurt]

We gots the Honey Kiss and Golden Kiss,they showed up last year along with a Orange Flesh that is hands down the best lope I have had in along time.The kisses came in cute bags,so next season will try hanging the melons,flowers off the ground (ala trellis).In mid Florida I have seen plenty lopes/melons on huge mounds as to get away from the humidity/crud that nails me every time I have tried.I get melons real early during Oct plus,but only in the drier years.

[NewWestGardener]

I remember Tania had Hami melon seeds for sale a few years ago, original seeds from a store bought melon.
They are very popular in China, you can buy them by the slice on melon stands. They come from northwest, with a long growing season and plenty of sunshine.

[BigVanVader]

The Kiss melon series was a collaboration with several grocery store chains to breed a melon that tasted as good as the melons local growers sold. Specifically to carry in winter. Now Wal-Mart has one.
http://www.andnowuknow.com/quick-dis...8#.WUlZ62jyvIU

[oakley]

I can't grow melons. Tried for years. Disappointing when a market one is watery and
fibrous. The waste and expense alone has been a struggle to try every year.

This one was memorable, Bonsai. They offered tastings so i bought 4.

[oakley]

Probably just attention. I have great looking garlic this year. Planted last minute in my
pea and bean bed last Fall. Obvious that it likes that soil.

I've had really good winter squash years...same thing if it gets what it needs. I'm finding
this year if i start seeds a week or two early waiting for plant-out, they do better even if
the seedlings are a bit tender. I still direct seed more for insurance but this season
stuffing in 3-6 inch starts with a couple skewers near the stems prevent any cut-worms.

Don't have my list this year but have many varieties planted. Hope to get something...
unlike a couple yrs ago. The size of ping-pong balls,

[ginger2778]

Oakley, what a great price for a melon, I have never seen them so inexpensive. I grew one melon, it ended up the size of a tennis ball. I stink at melon growing, but I want to learn. I know they grow them in Florida, sounds as though Kurt has some success.
BVV, interesting link. I didn't know the kiss were more than one melon.

[BigVanVader]

Yeah unfortunately they don't sell seeds. I got Summer Kiss seeds from Edemilia (here on TV but lives near me) she got them from some sort of trade show for new vegetable varieties. We get our melons from Aldi and it is delecious as well and I'm tempted to save seeds for landrace but I don't have the room for it atm.