Seed started May 7

French Charentais

The ultimate French melon - bursting with flavor and possessing an intoxicating, aromatic flesh.

This gourmet French melon is the only true cantaloupe, not the melon bearing that name that we are most familiar with in North America, which is actually a muskmelon.  

The modern Charentais was developed around 1920 and was called a refined cantaloupe.

Size: 12-18 inches high by 36-49 inch spread

Location: full sun, rich well drained soil - they require lots of space and heat

Matures in: 74 days

Native to: Poitou-Charentes region of western France

Why did I Choose it? It sounded so incredibly delicious when I looked it up. I had never heard of these melons before, but if you watch Monty Don’s French Gardens I’m pretty sure they are the melon being sold in the market that he goes to. 

Uses? Melon and prosciutto, melon and feta salad, fresh ripe melon 

Specifics: Melons grow 6" in diameter and weigh 3-4 lb. Their smaller size makes them perfect for 2 servings. 

They are sweet, fragrant, orange fleshed with slate blue/green skin. Apparently they smell as good as they taste with notes of jasmine and apricot. You can tell when they’re ripe to pick because of the smell. 

True cantaloupe melons will ripen even in cooler temperatures.  

Personal Notes: Hawthorn gives them 86% germination rates.

I planted 24 on May 7th (which is technically a week late but what can you do) because I really wanted a summer full of melons and by May 10th 2 sprouted. 

By May 30th one had died.

The one that lived was popped into the ground and did nothing.

At this point I thought I’d start the last 6 in trays and hope for the best. 

Beginning of June they were in the process of hardening off amongst the 2nd set of watermelon starts and everyone was looking good. They were all outside and a huge windstorm blew in and bashed the trays they were hardening off to bits. 

None survived and the one in the ground promptly died. 

So much for a summer full of melons. I will try again though because just the thought of them makes my mouth water. 

Blacktail Mountain Watermelon

Seed started May 7

Size: 18-24 inches high, with a 60-72 inch spread

Location: full sun with good air circulation, they like lots of space and rich soil

Matures in: 71 days 

Native to: Northern Idaho, developed by Glenn Drowns when he moved to the cool, short season climate but still wanted to grow melons

Why did I Choose it? One of the earliest watermelons with sweet, delicious fruit. We love watermelon and the chickens think it's a treat, completely cleaning off the rind.

Uses? Fresh watermelon, mint and feta salad is super yummy, but we mostly just eat it as it is, nice and cold from the fridge on a hot summer day. 

Specifics: Quickly maturing plant with fruit averaging 8 - 12 pounds. Fruit is super sweet, super flavourful.

The roots of some melons can go as deep as 4-6 feet. 

Personal Notes: Hawthorn gives a germination rate of 87%.

I planted 20 seeds on May 7th and 2 had sprouted by May 30th. These went into the ground with the solitary Charentais. They didn't really go anywhere. The windstorm claimed the backups. 

My sister ordered more seeds and we got them sometime in the beginning of June. I sowed these directly in the garden and they sprouted and grew alright. They flowered and started growing little melons but by that time it was already too late in the season. By frost we had a couple very small melons. Cutting them open they were a little red and the chickens enjoyed them. 

Hopefully if we do melons again this year they will sprout when we start them, not encounter a windstorm and grow better and faster out in the garden. 

Melons in general

Companion Plants: Melons are one of the most compatible plants in the garden. 

Marigolds repel nematodes, aphids, beetles, flies and other annoying garden pests. 

Catnip and tansy repel leafhoppers, aphids, flies and squash beetles. 

Nasturtium are edible and delicious. They attract garden pests that would otherwise damage your crops. They distract and repel aphids, whiteflies, leafhoppers, ants and squash bugs. 

Lettuce and radish are fast growing and have shallow roots so they provide weed cover and you harvest them before the melons can crowd them out. 

Radish left to flower doesn't take up too much space and attracts pests and pollinators.

Other plants that repel beetles and squash bugs are bee balm, mint, rue, broccoli, calendula and goldenrod. 

Aphids are also repelled or distracted by yellow nasturtium flowers, anise, chives, cilantro, garlic, onions, and petunias.  

Avoid:  ?

Next up seeds started Outdoors May 1

Peas