Our mixed melon packet offers three different richly perfumed melons chosen for exquisite flavor & early harvest. Luscious, icy green Diplomat Galia has golden netted fruit; honey-scented Santa Fe honeydew’s ivory rinds blush yellow at harvest; oval Solid Gold cantaloupe has deep orange, spicy-sweet flesh. All 3 vigorous melons have excellent disease resistance.
Yellow seed = Diplomat F1 Galia (Fusarium 0, 1, 2 & Powdery Mildew 0,2)
Pink seed = Santa Fe F1 honeydew (Fusarium 2)
Green seed = Solid Gold F-1 Cantaloupe (Powdery Mildew 1, 2)
| Plant In |
Sun/Shade |
Planting Depth |
Space Seeds |
Days to Germinate |
Days to Harvest |
| April-June |
Full Sun |
1 in. |
Rows: 2 ft. Hills: 4 in. |
7 - 10 days |
Approx. 85 |
STARTING SEEDLINGS OUTDOORS
Melons need full sun, rich soil and warm temperatures. Plant only when weather is warm and settled and temperatures stay above 50F (10C). In rows 4 ft. apart, sow groups of 2 to 3 seeds every 2 ft. after germination, thin to the strongest seedling per group, so you end up with one plant every 2 ft. Or make slightly mounded hills, 2 ft. in diameter and 5 ft. apart, sowing 5 or 6 seeds in each hill. Thin to 3 strongest plants.
TO START EARLY INDOORS
Several weeks before the last frost date, sow seeds in individual pots of seed starting mix. Keep warm and moist, and provide a strong light source until weather turns warm enough to transplant outdoors.
GROWING NOTES
Amend soil well with aged manure or compost. Where summers are short or cool, lay down black plastic to retain heat, and plant into holes made in plastic. Where insects are a problem, cover seedlings with floating row covers to exclude them, removing when plants blossom. Keep young vines well watered and fed, tapering off water as fruits ripen up for best sweet flavor.
HARVEST AND USE
Pick melons when they are fully coloured, heavy and fragrant and "slip" or pull easily from the vines. With 3 different luscious varieties to choose from, their juicy flesh and sweet flavors will be a highlight of your summer garden.
