Really long wait for the biggest Ali Baba, but it was worth it. This one got a big but faint yellow spot, and a few days ago the shade of green on the rind began to yellow. Around that time the sound also grew deeper when thumped. From dry tendril to ripening was maybe 2 weeks? It felt like a long time.
When I split the melon in half, a noticeable watermelon smell wafted into the air. Crisp texture, flavor is good. There are some faint bubblegum flavors in the background but they don’t really stick out that much. It’s a lot like the other big red one I got.
Watermelon season is coming to a close. I have a patch of late melons but I’m not sure how they will mature since anthracnose is ramping up.
I picked a Strawberry watermelon this week. Probably my least favorite variety so far, not very sweet and just has a meh watermelon flavor. Like the flesh tastes more rind-y. Compared to the OrangeGlo I picked that day it’s pretty obviously bland. It’s so similar looking to Nancy, I thought it would be similar taste but definitely not (Nancy is the sweetest watermelon I tasted). Strawberry is also more seedy than Nancy.
Here are this morning’s melons. There is a malformed Ali Baba up top, with probably a Sangria on the left, a Jubilee? on the right, and a Moon & Stars Yellow on the bottom.
This is my first Moon & Stars Yellow. They are heavy setters but most of mine got blossom end rot. The flesh has a mango taste. Texture is soft like OrangeGlo. High sweetness. Not super seedy.
I would like to post some positive comments reguarding “Gold on Gold”. Very productive, good flavor, I like the size. Did throw a bunch of runts and if you drop one, it’s going to split. But very pleased and hope to grow it again.
Go ahead and laugh, but I planted it because I thought it would turn yellow when it’s ripe (built in ripeness indicator). It’s never green, it’s yellow when young too.
No. Sugar spots/cracks are a light brown. The dark streaks are stains from the compost the melon sat on top of. There is also sooty blotch and flyspeck fungus, which are the sooty patches and black spots on the rind.
Been eating lots of watermelons since last post. Have a few left in house but patch is done. Georgia Rattlesnake was once again the best overall for taste and texture this year. I had a few great Janosik yellow flesh and a couple great Harvest Moon seedless. I’m currently eating some decent Crimson sweets, but texture not as good.
Next year I’m planting half Georgia Rattlesnakes and trying summer flavor 720 and sweetheart all from Willhite seed. And I always plant a few Janosik and Harvest moon.
Update: reached out to the place I bought them from and apparently theyre “Waterloupe” melons. Anyone have any idea on the parentage of this one? Its texture was so superior to a cantaloupe for me.
