Organic Hales Best Jumbo

3-5 lb. melons, heavily netted and ribbed with orange flesh.

Plant in ground after possibility of frost, 77 days

2g package, Approx. 50-90 seeds

Cantaloupe/melon growing info:

  Melons are easy to grow with a few special tips.  They don’t do well when transplanted, so it’s best to plant directly or transplant very carefully.  Done correctly you get about 1-2 melons per plant.  Plant 1 inch deep between 36-42 inches apart.  Melons can be trellised to help keep the plants off the soil. Melons love a rich compost and do best with constant moisture during the growing season.  Take care to water the soil not the leaves to avoid powdery mildew.  Remove any blossoms that appear before 50 days to encourage proper vine growth.  The bigger the vine, the bigger the fruit.  When fruits begin to form, trim all but the biggest one or two off by pinching.  Add mulch or straw or cardboard under forming fruits to avoid rot. Harvest when the rind changes color. A ripe cantaloupe should slip off the vine, other plants should be cut with pruning shears.  Melons love hot weather and are not cold tolerant at all.  They’re very sensitive to breaking once the vines are large so do any trellising before the plant gets large. For best results, plants with companions beans and corn in 3 sisters formation. Some add sugar to water when the fruits are forming to help make sweeter fruit.