Melon varieties - trying these this year

**nctomatoman** · April 2, 2007

Of the three muskmelons I'm growing this year, I've grown Passport before (In PA), and though it was not the sweetest melon I've tried, it yielded well (I liked Burpee's Sweet Dreams hybrid better as a green flesh, but it appears to be no more).

I'm also growing Ananas and a new one from Johnny's, Touchdown. Any views on these from those who have tried them? Are they both slip melons?

Fusion_power · April 4, 2007

I'm not particularly fond of Ananas because it tends to ripen in about 24 hours and then decay. Haven't grown the others.

Commercial growers are using Athena hybrid pretty heavily this year. It has a good combination of holding ability, sweetness, and size.

Fusion

**nctomatoman** · April 4, 2007

We've had lots of Athena, purchased from the Farmers Market - with variable impressions (some taste like dishwater!). Actually, one of the best I've ever tasted is Burpee Hybrid cantaloupe - at least far as I can remember when I grew it years ago.

OmahaJB · April 4, 2007

I'm trying Ali Baba watermelon this year. I'm not expecting anything from it because it's in a container and unless I have outdoor growing space after I move at the end of June, it'll have to be grown indoors. It sounds very good from the Baker Creek description. I had Collective Farm Woman, Orangeglo, Georgia Rattlesnake & Kansas started but they didn't survive during my 1-month illness. I just wasn't able to properly watch over them. At least I have the Ali Baba to try out.

After trying several roadside melons (muskmelon types)
last summer that were absolutely terrible tasting, I've decided to only buy watermelon this coming year. I love me some watermelon!

Although, I may have to start some Kansas seed this weekend. It sounds good from the description, and I remember hearing about that one when I was a kid. An old man mentioned how much he liked that variety but couldn't find it. Don't ask how I remember that but I do.

Jeff

Earl · April 4, 2007

Some great ones I grew down in Georgia were two Islraeli types called Ogen and Galia and an heirloom called Jenny Lind. All with unsurpassed flavor.

Ruth_10 · April 7, 2007

I grew Ananas two summers ago and my experience was similar to what Fusion mentions. It was pretty hard to hit on the best time to harvest. I've grown several charentais varieties and Petit Gris de Rennes, but the variety I like best each and every year is Ambrosia.

Ali Baba watermelon is pretty good, but Orangeglo is just wonderful. This year, in addition to Orangeglo, I'm trying Blacktail mountain in the hopes of getting some early melons to spread out the harvest.

feldon30 · April 8, 2007

I wanted to try a bunch of different kinds, but I showed self-restraint. Next year perhaps I will try a few, but not until I build some kind of apparatus for them to climb and have a way of keeping rainfall off of the plants.

April 2, 2007	#1
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Melon varieties - trying these this year Of the three muskmelons I'm growing this year, I've grown Passport before (In PA), and though it was not the sweetest melon I've tried, it yielded well (I liked Burpee's Sweet Dreams hybrid better as a green flesh, but it appears to be no more). I'm also growing Ananas and a new one from Johnny's, Touchdown. Any views on these from those who have tried them? Are they both slip melons? __________________ Craig

April 4, 2007	#3
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	We've had lots of Athena, purchased from the Farmers Market - with variable impressions (some taste like dishwater!). Actually, one of the best I've ever tasted is Burpee Hybrid cantaloupe - at least far as I can remember when I grew it years ago. __________________ Craig

April 4, 2007	#4
OmahaJB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toledo, OH Posts: 1,821	Melons I'm trying Ali Baba watermelon this year. I'm not expecting anything from it because it's in a container and unless I have outdoor growing space after I move at the end of June, it'll have to be grown indoors. It sounds very good from the Baker Creek description. I had Collective Farm Woman, Orangeglo, Georgia Rattlesnake & Kansas started but they didn't survive during my 1-month illness. I just wasn't able to properly watch over them. At least I have the Ali Baba to try out. After trying several roadside melons (muskmelon types) last summer that were absolutely terrible tasting, I've decided to only buy watermelon this coming year. I love me some watermelon! Although, I may have to start some Kansas seed this weekend. It sounds good from the description, and I remember hearing about that one when I was a kid. An old man mentioned how much he liked that variety but couldn't find it. Don't ask how I remember that but I do. Jeff

April 4, 2007	#5
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	Some great ones I grew down in Georgia were two Islraeli types called Ogen and Galia and an heirloom called Jenny Lind. All with unsurpassed flavor. __________________ "Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl

April 7, 2007	#6
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	I grew Ananas two summers ago and my experience was similar to what Fusion mentions. It was pretty hard to hit on the best time to harvest. I've grown several charentais varieties and Petit Gris de Rennes, but the variety I like best each and every year is Ambrosia. Ali Baba watermelon is pretty good, but Orangeglo is just wonderful. This year, in addition to Orangeglo, I'm trying Blacktail mountain in the hopes of getting some early melons to spread out the harvest. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

April 4, 2007	#2
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I'm not particularly fond of Ananas because it tends to ripen in about 24 hours and then decay. Haven't grown the others. Commercial growers are using Athena hybrid pretty heavily this year. It has a good combination of holding ability, sweetness, and size. Fusion

April 8, 2007	#7
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I wanted to try a bunch of different kinds, but I showed self-restraint. Next year perhaps I will try a few, but not until I build some kind of apparatus for them to climb and have a way of keeping rainfall off of the plants.