5 dessert Melon

[Hector1]

Trying Melon for first time. This sounds a lovely variety.

”A new discovery for us, this traditional melon we recently got from Bulgaria was a real success in our 2013 trials. The plants were really happy and gew well in our polytunnel.

It is very early and sweet, and makes lots of larger slightly oval fruit, green with pale yellow stripes. They are indeed big enough to get 5 portions out of each one!

They are at their best when they have turned yellow, but still have a distinct green stripe between ribs. We got so many seed we are offering them at a very reduced price
Larger early melon for short seasons, with a good flavour. Particularly good chilled in the fridge before serving.”

[Jang]

Sounds very promising. Hope it does very well for you.

In that corner of your gym/polytunnel, alongside the cucumber perhaps?

[Galina]

Good luck. I have a few plants of Collective Farm Woman, but they are still tiny seedlings. Looking forward to compare notes.

[Hector1]

Jang. I did think of putting in gym but then wondered of risks or dropping on her Not ruled out, as I have a net I can attach to roof.

collective farm woman is an impressive name

[Galina]

A Russian winter melon type, the type that stores for a few months after harvest, .

[Jang]

Hector, I'm wondering whether you had success with Five Dessert melon. I've only succeeded with Malaga F1 and even tha,t though largish and juicy, hasn't been very sweet this year.

I'd love to find an open pollinated variety which does well. I've tried Petit Gris de Rennes but it just sulked. I'll try again next year but would like one or two more to try alongside it.

[clumsy]

Petit gris de rennes grew from the seeds supplied by galina for us in the allotment in derby. They grew fine in poly tunnel and greenhouse. The other one I grew going back 10yrs was tigger melon small size but was sweet you can smell the fragrance but the slugs and mice were also attracted to it when it was ripening.

[Jang]

Thanks for the recommendation, clumsy. I’ll look out for Tigger melon seeds. From a quick google it looks like the smell, as you say, is amazing, sometimes even more than the taste.
I don’t know why my Petit Gris de Rennes didn’t prosper this year. I’ll make sure they get prime position next year.
Minnesota Midget is another one which I‘ve seen very positive comments about for cooler areas. Maybe worth trying too.

[clumsy]

Before you plant it make sure the compost or soil is warm. I noticed that everyone that grew the melon was in black pots similar size to those flower pots you get in supermarkets. The pot was placed in where the sun was hitting it direct with compost mix in for a week or so before the plant was put into it.

[Jang]

Good advice, thanks. I think I probably did rush to set the plants out in the polytunnel soil. I'll hold back more next year.

[clumsy]

I still have the original seeds it was the first melon I ever grew and the first time I brought seeds from abroad. I grew the melon for my mum. Kept the seeds as a memory but willing to share not sure how viable they are, maybe they will germinate or not worth trying.

[Jang]

That's very kind, clumsy. Difficult to know whether it's worth the postage but on the other hand a pity to waste them. I don't know whether you might be happy to try a couple on damp kitchen roll in a warm place and see whether anything happens. But don't worry if inconvenient as I know you have plenty on your hands.

Hope you mum enjoyed them! Did she know that kind already?

[clumsy]

She described a melon she ate when she was young so the internet search gave me tigger melon. But the actual melon she was talking about years later found it was kajari melon. Still have seeds for this melon also if your interested.

I've put three seeds on a damp cloth to see if they germinate. Great idea very easy to do.

[Jang]

Another google!
Kajari is beautiful looking. How did they do for you?

[clumsy]

The kajari didn't do well the late spring became cold and the summer was also a washout cool temperatures.