I grow Super 45 and Sugar Queen.
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If you grow the variety ‘Piel de Sapo,’ I’d be interested in hearing when you plant them and what you have done to ripen them successfully.
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I’ve never even heard of it.
It’s one of the “winter melons” - I’ve never attempted it, given the long time to maturation, but I’ve tried some of the other, shorter-growing white flesh kind
Not my favorites
I grew this type of melon, which is also called Christmas melon. I do not remember the exact name, I will look for it when I get home. It was vigorous and productive. Unfortunately it always fell to the bacterial wilt (as well as the other melons). The only melon which managed to ripen for me was really good tasting. It is easily to see when it is ripe as it turns yellow.
It’s a very tasty melon, in my opinion: When ripe, very sweet (~14 brix) with a honeyed flavor; one of my favorites. The difficulty with it is that has a very long growing season (circa 115 days). Some growers report starting it with other melons and letting the vines coast into Fall, but I have not had luck with that approach–my vines lose vigor, the bugs take over, and the melons do not ripen up as I’d like. Some commercial growers in the Central Valley of California go the other route, starting them in February to harvest with main crop melons. I have been skeptical that I would have the early-season heat at my location for that approach and haven’t tried it yet . . . hence the question–how have others grown these things well??
A little more description from one seed vendor.
I grew Lambkin F1 melon christmas melon. According to the description it’s 70 days. It was not late for me either. Next year I’ll try it again with netting.
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Lois, I live roughly parallel with you, just a bit west. I always start my long melons in peat pots about a month before last frost free day. About the same time I take a heavyweight black plastic garbage bag and place it on the soil where the melon will grow. Anchor the edges with dirt and the soil is warmed and ready to plant through the plastic at the right time and I find it adds a month to the melon season.
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Thank you for looking that up! I did not know that there were “early” variants with a shorter growing season. I’m looking forward to trying it next year already.
Lots of melon lovers here!!! My family is nuts for melons. I still remember my great grandmother on her literal death bed asking for watermelon juice to be squeezed into her mouth. It’s a life long passion!!!
I have grown several varieties of cucumis over the years but the 2 that I simply can’t live without are Israeli and Crenshaw. Israelis are like an amazing honeyed pear with wonderful smoothness paired with a crunch. Crenshaws have the amazing flavor most people associate with “cantaloupes” but without the musty aftertaste and they are so creamy!!!
Anyone that has grown these and has other recommendations they feel are comparable, please comment as I’m always looking for new things to try. I am in Utah though and have to get creative with the longer season varieties.
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Indeed - I do likewise with all my melons, and I think the transplants made it possible for me to get a harvest so early this year [I use clear plastic]
Altho sometimes the seeded-in-ground overtake them - you never know what’s going to happen
Evdurtschi - not quite sure what you mean by an “Israeli” melon. The Galia melons I grow were developed there - I grow them instead of honeydews now, as being earlier and much easier to tell when they’re ripe. I suspect they must be some kind of honeydew hybrid, with the green flesh
Just picked my first ripe one - the one I’d been watching - today
Delicious! I have grown Galia but these are different. Often called old original Israeli. They have a white to orange cream color flesh.
I’ve seen the old Israeli melons from Wilhite’s, any place else? Not that I’d buy melons from any one else.
Looks similar.
This is the one I grow. It is not the same as the link you provided.
http://heirloomseeds.com/melons/old-original-israeli-melon.html
Ate a Sugar Queen for breakfast. It was perfect. Thanks to @rayrose for recommending this one last year.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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