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Post by daylilydude on Jun 1, 2014 14:59:39 GMT -5
Was given a pack of the "Hale's Best Jumbo" cantaloupe yesterday evening and I have never grown cantaloupe before, so looking for any info I can get with them... How far apart? How long are the vines? How to know when to pick and so on...
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Post by spacecase0 on Jun 2, 2014 0:21:25 GMT -5
last time I grew one it was 3 foot diameter, but I am guessing that is on the small side
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jun 2, 2014 9:34:01 GMT -5
Most cantaloupes make long vines, maybe not quite as long as watermelon vines, but close. The leaves tend to be a bit smaller, though. Unless a cantaloupe is labeled as a bush type, expect it to roam! However, the vines are pretty flexible, so you can turn them around to keep them heading back into the area you've reserved for them. Weed control is something you need to plan ahead for, since it will be difficult to impossible to hoe effectively when the vines start running everywhere. A thick mulch or a layer of plastic on the ground are two possible solutions. Others probably have more good ideas. Usually you plant cantaloupes in hills with 3-4 plants per hill (after thinning) and the hills 4' -6' apart. Cantaloupes can also be grown just fine in rows, in raised beds or in very large containers as long as you have some place for the vines to roam. You can also grow them on a trellis to save space, but the fruit will need to be put in slings or supports, since most cantaloupes slip from the vine when ripe - splat! Due to the weight of the fruit, trellising works better with smaller-fruited varieties. If you are growing on the ground and using an organic mulch, you may have problems with bugs chewing into the fruits where they make ground contact. In rainy weather, fruits laying on the ground can rot before ripening. Elevating the fruit helps with both problems. I set my melons on upside down gallon nursery pots, but anything that gets the fruit up off the ground and allows it to dry quickly after rains will work. It's usually pretty easy to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe. Once it starts, the ripening process happens fast (just a day or two in hot weather). Lots of critters love ripe cantaloupe, and in hot rainy weather ripe ones can split or rot pretty fast. So when you have melons that you think are about to ripen, check on them daily Here is what to look for: - Most cantaloupes undergo a color change, and become less green and more tan or yellow or orange as they ripen, though some varieties retain a lot of green even when ripe. So any color change means it's time to check for ripeness.
- Smell is a good indicator for some cantaloupes. Although some
cantaloupes don't have much of an aroma when ripe, many do. If a cantaloupe smells ripe, it probably is. - Ripe cantaloupes soften enough to have some "give" at the blossom scar. When you press in firmly with a finger or thumb, the blossom scar should sink in a bit, then bounce back when you remove the pressure. If the blossom scar is still hard, it's probably not ripe. If the blossom scar doesn't spring back, your melon is probably overripe.
- Last but not least, most cantaloupes "slip" from the vine when ripe.
This means they either fall off the vine on their own or the stem releases from the fruit with a slight pull or gentle pressure where the stem attaches to the melon. If you have to yank hard or cut the stem, the cantaloupe is probably not ripe.*** (However, there are a few varieties that either don't slip, or are better picked before full slip. Usually the seed packet will say if the melon needs to be picked before full slip.) But for most varieties, slip is the "I'm ready now!" indicator.
***If you ever wondered why cantaloupes from the store are often so flavorless, they are usually picked before full slip so they will be hard enough to withstand shipping and have more shelf life at the store. You can often see where the stem has been torn or cut off rather than slipping off neatly. They look ripe, but will not be as sweet as melons left on the vine until fully ripe.
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Post by w8in4dave on Jun 2, 2014 12:08:05 GMT -5
We have never grown them but I bout some for 79 cents the other day. OMG who knew my grand kids loved them more than water melon? I have never been a big fan. Dave loves them tho. So for 79 cents! You bet cha!
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Post by daylilydude on Jun 17, 2015 19:01:38 GMT -5
I planted mine in a row... 6 in the row and only 5 came up and starting to run... we hope we can get them to full ripe. The wife doesn't care for them, but her dad loves, loves, loves them so he may have to help me eat them... lol!
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Post by paulf on Jun 17, 2015 19:53:28 GMT -5
Laura is right on the money. I put a chunk of plywood under the melons to get it off the ground.
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Post by meandtk on Jun 17, 2015 22:01:13 GMT -5
I planted mine in a row... 6 in the row and only 5 came up and starting to run... we hope we can get them to full ripe. The wife doesn't care for them, but her dad loves, loves, loves them so he may have to help me eat them... lol! Certain critters love them and often know they are ripe before you know. Beware the racoon!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jun 18, 2015 9:08:29 GMT -5
You should have plenty of season left for your cantaloupes, DLD. Most of them only take about 80 days from sowing seed to harvest. Like meandtk said, the main thing is keeping the bugs and critters from beating you to them.
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