A garden question for non-gardeners, too

[sparrowgrass]

And how do I know if it is ripe?

Size 8 Croc included for scale.

(I planted some mixed melons from Burpee, and in my usual enthusiatic disorganization, I tossed the packet, so I don't even have a list of suspects.)

[mrbigjas]

looks like a crenshaw to me, but i could be wrong. photo here.

the little stripey ones next to it look like korean melons, which i love. they taste like a mix between cantaloupe and cucumber.

[sparrowgrass]

Any clues on how to tell if it is ripe? It still seems to be growing, so maybe the skin color will change.

The little ones do indeed taste like cantaloupe/cucumber. I tried them, and didn't really care for the taste, but the dog likes them. There is a pile of them beside the porch, with the seeds all licked out.

[mrbigjas]

gardenweb rarely steers me wrong:

Cranshaw Melon - The cranshaw, or crenshaw melon as it is sometimes spelled, is a very popular and flavorful melon well known for its wonderful aroma and flavor. Available from mid-summer to mid-fall, cranshaws are large oval shaped melons with a yellow-green ridged skin. The flesh is a vibrant orange-pink that has a seductive flavor and scent. Ripe cranshaws are easy to pick out as they are perhaps the most fragrant of melons when they are ripe. Harvest when the blossom end begins to soften and the skin is golden yellow and green.

click here for more

[annecros]

Is this the one, from the Burpee web site:

Click here

There is a similar picture there.

From the citation:

A small delicious gourmet melon rarely found in markets.

Unique, elongated oriental melon. White, crisp flesh sweet and fragant. A small delicious gourmet melon rarely found in markets. Yellow skin lined with silvery furrows, so thin it can be peeled like an apple. Harvest 76 days after sowing.

Sounds like a real treat to me, and yours looks well grown.

[sparrowgrass]

It is not yellow--it is a sort of creamy white and has no fragrance yet, so I think I will take a chance and let it grow a bit longer.

[andiesenji]

The blossom end will give just a bit when pressed (not too firmly) with the ball of your thumb.

This works for just about any melon, except for watermelon and Christmas melon (which has a harder outer skin.

Also the stem will begin to shrink just a bit and you might be able to see a faint line where it meets the melon. Some varieties will actually fall off the stem when fully ripe. Casaba are hung in net bags when the vines are trellised because they will drop off the stem.

For smooth-skinned melons, when fully ripe the skin should feel slightly suede-like, not exactly rough, but there is a textural change from the waxy feel of the unripe melon.

Edited August 14, 2007 by andiesenji (log)

[Norm357]

And how do I know if it is ripe?

Size 8 Croc included for scale.

(I planted some mixed melons from Burpee, and in my usual enthusiatic disorganization, I tossed the packet, so I don't even have a list of suspects.)

←

That looks like a spaghetti squash to me.

Edited August 14, 2007 by Norm357 (log)