Has anyone grown any of the little personal size melons? I really want to grow both a watermelon and a cantaloupe. I'm looking at Red Pony Watermelon, Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe and #3180 Petit Gris de Rennes Melon (I think it's a cantaloupe-type). I'm curious as to how flavorful they are.
Personal Size Melons
I grew Minnesota Midget 2 years ago and got fruit. It wasn't that flavorful, but it was a really rainy summer. So I gave it a try last year and we had an even worse summer. It rained most of the summer and when it wasn't raining, it was cloudy. Anyway, last years plants never set fruit. Maybe I should try it again this year. They were awfully cute little things though. I don't know if that helped you at all, but that's my 2 cents. I guess I don't want to write it off just yet. I want to grow it in a good summer with a normal amount of sun/rain.
Last year we grew a hybrid, seedless personal size watermelon called "Snack Pack" from Burpees. It's a super sweet, red fleshed melon. We sold them by the bushel basket load at our farmers markets. It requires a pollinator seed (they're included in the seed pack) but we didn't plant the pollinators, we just set the snack pack plants among our other melons and let them be the pollinators.
Jen, I read that water should be withheld the last couple of weeks to prevent cracking and to sweeten the fruit, so the excess rain was probably the issue. Did you trellis them?
ImaTulsaDawg, I looked at those too. The description stated they were the size of a large cantaloupe....true? I was looking at the Red Pony because it was smaller. Good to know about the pollinator.
msrobin - I grow Minnesota Midget as I garden in the square foot method and have limited space. The fruit was very sweet and you can eat right to the rind. They are large softball sized. We enjoy them very much! I live in the desert so excess moisture is not normally an issue and they love our heat. Maybe that is why my luck with them is better than some? I have trellised them and not and they perform equally well. The vines are not monsters like most melons:o)
Locakelly, thanks. I plan on trellising them too. Have you saved seeds, or do you buy commercial seed every year?
I originally purchased my seeds from Seed Savers Exchange and since I grow a limited amount, the seeds lasted me a while - lol. I have saved seeds and shared with friends who were happy to get them;o)
There are lots of personal sized melons, for open pollinated cantaloupes the Minnesota Midget, Rocky Ford Netted Gem ( sometimes called Eden's Gem) Watermelon New Hampshire Midget. Hybrids many choices Tasty bites, Lil Loupe, Savor: Watermelon Yellow Doll, Smile, Baby Doll, Little Baby Flower, New Orchid
Thanks, Farmerdill
I haven't run across any of those listed except Minnesota Midget in my search online. I'll look for the others to try next year. Glad to hear MM is OP!
I just ordered Minnesota Midget and Petit Gris de Rennes melons, and Red Pony and Golden Midget watermelons.
Yeah - looks like you are set for melons then! Let us know how you like the varieties you got...
Sure will! If I remember correctly....all heirlooms are open-polinated. If that's the case, I should be able to save seed from all but Red Pony and have plenty to share. :)
msrobin, yes, the Snack Pack melons are about the size of a large cantaloupe.
MsRobin, yes I did trellis them. Maybe I'll try them again this year and hope for a sunnier summer.
ImaTulsaDawg, thanks.
Me thinks we're going to be eating a lot more melons as we work through the varieties. :)
Jen, I wonder if you mounded the soil up where you plant them for better drainage, if that would help. Might even consider using a mulch that would help shed excess rain.
When you say personal sized watermelon, what weight are we talking about? I already have my regular watermelon seeds (Diablo) but DH would like a smaller one for just the two of us. Whillhite usually goes by weight.
Terri, the watermelons are about 5#, the size of a large cantaloupe. The little cantaloupes are about the size of a softball. I found the seeds at Bakers Creek (rareseeds.com). Farmerdill listed several that you can probably find on a google search.
Oh, gosh, thanks for the prompt responce, msrobin! I think I have Yellow Doll and Sugar Baby picked out. They look like they will do well in my area.
I'm wanting to trellis these two, a new adventure for me and I always go for the new adventures. Bad idea? Will I need to prune them the way one needs to prune the European melons?
Terri, I haven't gotten that far, to learn that I might have to prune the vines! Let me know what you think about the Yellow Doll. I'm not familiar with yellow melons, but it sure looks appetizing! Keep me in mind this fall, if you are interested in trading seeds.
I think the Sugar Baby is a little larger, maybe 8-10#?
Edited to add: My mistake...Sugar Babies come in at 6-10#. Still plenty small enough!
This message was edited Mar 5, 2010 11:19 AM
I tried Sugar Baby last year. They are about 6-10#. My problem was telling when they were ripe. Never had that issue with others...
I've been told by a neighbor that in my area you can tell when a watermelon is ripe when the coyotes go after it (they won't touch it until it is ripe). Not a very productive method IMO! Hope for no coyotes this year in the garden as DH is putting up turbo wire! Short of coyotes I think I will call Willhite's for some extra info as that is where I am getting the seed.
Thanks for the tip on Sugar Baby!
Knowing when melons were ripe was always an issue for me, too. I read (yes, I do a lot of reading...) that when the white spot on the bottom where the melon sits on the ground turns yellow, it's suppose to be ripe. I never could tell by the trendil drying up either, mostly because I couldn't find it. LOL!
These I ordered, one just falls off the vine when ready. The skin on the Golden Midget changes from green to yellow when it's ripe. At least those two will be easy to tell!
msrobin, I will be one happy camper if I can get as far as being able to trade seeds! I always seem to come up against a disaster that wipes out one or more of my crops. But wait 'till this year! I will find a place to put you down for some Yellow Doll seeds.