Melon, Honeyrock Organic

How to Sow

Sow in fertile, warm soil after danger of frost. Sow seeds 2-3" apart in groups of 4-6 in raised hills. Cover with 1/2" of fine soil. Keep evenly moist. Space hills 4-6' apart each way. Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days. To get a head start, sow 2-3 seeds in individual biodegradable pots indoors, 3-4 weeks before outdoor planting time. Grow in a sunny spot or under plant lights.

How to Grow

Thin to 3 or 4 strongest seedlings in each group when they are 1-2" high. For indoor started plants, thin to one seedling per pot. Move indoor starts outdoors to a sheltered location for one week prior to transplanting into the garden. Allow plants to ramble across the ground or train melons on a fence or trellis. If allowing to ramble, mulch around plants to keep soil warm and moist, control weeds and keep fruits off the ground, using straw, newspaper, or yard clippings.

Provide plants with extra water during especially dry periods. If fruits are not forming on your plants, you can also hand-pollinate the flowers on your melons. Do not plant squash family crops in the same place 2 years in a row.

Harvesting

Allow your melons to ripen on the vine. Generally, fruits are ripe when they smell aromatic and when stems start to crack and slip off easily with light pressure from the thumb. Harvest cantaloupes when the fruits change from green to yellow or tan and they break away from the vine easily. Harvest winter melons when they turn the appropriate color and their blossom ends are soft. Watermelons are ready for harvest when their undersides turn from white to yellow. The tendrils closest to the fruit will also turn brown and dry up, and the skin will become dull and hard at harvest time. For best flavor, eat at room temperature.