Melons

90 days. This gorgeous teardropshaped melon from Punjab, India, is dripping with sweetness, boasting a sky-high sugar brix level and exquisite flavor. Introduced in 1967 by Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, India, the Hara Madhu is an improvement on several old local landrace varieties from what is now the state of Haryana, just south of Punjab. Its incredible flavor is a testament to the local flavors of the region. It is improved to grow vigorously in a wide range of climates, including the U.S. 10-12ft long vines produce plenty of 2-3 pound fruit that are striped green and cream, with a white flesh and have a shorter shelf life.

• 8-12 hours of Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
  
• Cucumis melo
  

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

A delicious melon that has made a trip around the world! This variety has been grown in Lanzhou, China since it was introduced there in the 1940s by U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace. The white skinned, honeydew type melon has thick, heavy and sweet flesh that is rich in Vitamin C. Wallace founded the Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed Company, and in the 1940s he shared the seeds of this melon with Chinese locals.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

70 days. The most unique and beautiful French melon we sell! The fruit is 4-9 lbs., very flattened and ribbed, with warts and bumps. Melons have grey/green skin turning straw color; flesh is salmon-orange. Once one of the best known melons, it was mentioned in the 1860’s, but it likely is much older. The flavor is very rich if picked at perfection, and the fragrance is heavenly. This is a favorite melon of ours, almost unheard of in this country.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

This micro melon is an early heirloom introduced to Minnesota in 1948. Measuring just 4 inches across, they have sweet, orange flesh and are perfect miniature versions of the “classic muskmelon.” Compact, 3-4-foot vines produce good yields of sweet orange orbs. Jere Gettle remembers eating these as a child in the 1980s in the mountains of Montana. They were the only melon that would grow in the mountain climate, and Jere remembers harvesting them with his father, cutting open the palm-sized fruit and savoring the sweet, succulent flesh.

• Full Sun
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

60-70 Days. Light green, mild tasting, and deeply ribbed. These elongated fruit give uniform, easily digestible, fluted slices. They are apt to twist and coil when grown on the ground, but develop nice and straight when hanging from a trellis. Fruits reach over 24 inches long, but these taste best when harvested at about 15 inches. This classic Armenian “cucumber” is genetically a melon.

• 60-70 Days
• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Ideal Temperature: 70-90 F
• Plant Spacing: 18-36" 
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo
  

85 Days. An Ohio heirloom that has been grown since the 1920s. According to legend, the sweet orange flesh is said to cause a state of passion if eaten straight from the garden on a moonlit summer night. It has succulent flesh that is very sweet, aromatic and very finely flavored. Fruit weighs 3-4 lbs and is produced on vines that have some drought and wilt resistance.

• 85 Days
• Full Sun
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

70 days. This amazing early Indian melon was collected by Joseph Simcox. The fruit is a brilliant copper-red and is striped in green and cream, making this an extremely unusual and beautiful melon. The pale green flesh is sweet, aromatic and slightly musky in taste. Joe believes that this melon originated in the Punjab, and he spent more than 8 years trying to find seeds of this extremely interesting variety. Vine produces lots of 2 lb fruit.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

85 days. A famous superb heirloom French melon--super sweet and very fragrant. Light grey-green skin, smooth round 2-to 3-lb fruit, bright orange flesh. These are top sellers at high-dollar markets. This is always a favorite here. We just love the sweet flesh that is so firm.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

Unique, sweet, citrus-like taste! 95 days. Oblong fruit is brownish-green and netted outside, lime green within. In our trials the flavor was an unusual, a very delicious, sweet-tart combination with a distinct citrus taste. The name simply means “old melon from Samarra,” which is a city in northern Iraq. Original seed was furnished by our friend, Iraqi seed collector Nael Aziz, who writes that this variety is known to have been grown in the Abbasid Period over one thousand years ago! Endangered due to war and America’s aggressive promotion of patented seeds in Iraq.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

95 days. This is a small but delicious melon from Rajasthan, India. The name Madhu Ras means honey melon, an appropriate name for such a sweet fruit. These melons thrive in the hot and dry conditions of western India, and they will grow in similar conditions in the U.S. One of our favorites in trials, the flesh is soft and silky with a classic muskmelon taste. This is a rare find brought to us from Botanical Explorer Joseph Simcox, who found this special heirloom at a market in Delhi, India.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

85 Days. An outstanding golden meated version of Jenny Lind, developed by long-time friend and the late master seed saver, Merl Neidens. Short vines just go wild producing these succulent, sweet 2 lb. beauties. Give this one a try at upscale markets. Early and productive.

• 85 Days
• Full Sun
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

92 days. A honeydew melon with a brilliant, gold rind, delicious green flesh, and unique flavor. Two weeks earlier than regular Honeydew with excellent yields. Will rarely sunburn. A great keeper--unique and rare!

• 92 Days
• Full Sun
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

80 days. A tiny and wondrous melon from the Soviet Union. Vibrant in color, intense sweet aroma and juicy, honeydew-like flesh make this a favorite edible ornamental. Allow the vines to climb a trellis or a fence, and you will be rewarded with luminous, striped fruit about the size of a tennis ball. Its whimsical eye appeal and intoxicating scent will transform landscape and garden designs into a fairy land, but the fruit isn't just photogenic; it's also deliciously sweet and juicy in texture! The vines produce a large yield, early in the season.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

85-90 Days. A flavorful old Amish heirloom that was collected by the members of Seed Savers Exchange. It has a rich, sweet muskmelon flavor that reminds you of the way melons tasted long ago. Fruit is oval and weigh 4-7 pounds each. Flesh color is orange. A good producer!

• 85-90 Days
• Full Sun
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

90 days. The most amazing looking melon we have grown. The fruit is vibrant yellow with brilliant fire-red, zigzag stripes (a few may be solid yellow), simply beautiful! They are also the most fragrant melons we have tried, with a rich, sweet, intoxicating aroma that will fill a room. The white flesh gets sweeter in dry climates, mild tasting. Small in size, the fruit weighs up to 1 lb. The vigorous plants yield heavily, even in dry conditions. This heirloom came from an Armenian market located in a mountain valley.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

90 days. Banana-shaped fruit with smooth, yellow skin and sweet, spicy, salmon-colored flesh. Melons mature at 16-24 inches long and 5-8 lbs. Listed in 1885 by J. H. Gregory’s Catalogue, saying, “When ripe it reminds one of a large, overgrown banana... It smells like one, having a remarkably powerful and delicious fragrance.” This is one of our all-time favorites, being very sweet and great for specialty markets.

• 90 Days
• Full Sun
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

80-90 days. Grow your own delicious fruit for pies in 70 days! Fruit taste of honeydew melon and peach when cooked in desserts. The 3-inch fruit is the size of a peach, with a yellow rind and fruity-tasting white flesh. This variety was very popular in Victorian times for making sweet pickles, pies, and preserves. Developed in China and introduced into America in the 1880s. You can find easy recipes for melon pie online.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

75 days. Crisp, juicy texture and electrifying green flesh; the sugary flavor is amazing! The green orb-shaped fruit is lightly netted. The green flesh is thick, very aromatic and sweet. This uniform and pleasingly perfect heirloom variety is one of the finest flavored that we have tried, always winning our hearts at annual melon tasting trials. Hailing from Poland, these melons are about two to three pounds each. Extra fancy looking!

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

100 days. Amazing flavor! A perfect mix of impressive hardiness and deluxe flavor. This prolific, uniform, and disease-resistant variety is dripping with sugary honeydew flavor. Beautiful, ivory-green fruit is bright and has good shipping and storing quality.

• 100 Days
• Full Sun
• Seed Depth: 1/2"
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

85 days. A favorite Asian variety of Dr. Amy Goldman, author of Melons for the Passionate Grower. These small 3 to 4 inch round melons are very sweet with a high sugar content. Oriental varieties open a whole new dimension to melons as they are amazingly different. Crisp and crunchy­; they have edible skins. Their small size and light, golden rind make them very attractive. This fine Japanese variety was developed by Sakata’s Seed Co., of Yokohama. This is a must for marketing. They are in high demand by melon lovers and command top prices! Rare and colorful.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

85 days. Dense, 2-lb fruit has orange flesh that is superbly sweet, flavorful, and perfumed. This variety is early and well adapted to cool climates. The fruit weighs around 2 lbs and has a grey-green rind. This fine French variety is of the best quality and is the favorite melon of the French melon expert and author Bruno Defay. Rare in the USA. One of our most requested market melons; specialty growers love them because they command top prices! We continue to receive rave reviews about this melon, which is surely one of the best Charentais types.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

80 days. This sugary melon has rightfully remained a popular choice in France for centuries. This variety was long ago preserved by Carmelite monks in France, at least since the 1800s but likely longer. This round/oblate, slightly ribbed 1.5 to 4-pound fruit has a sweet, juicy orange flesh and was a favorite of the “Maraichers” or vegetable farmers of Paris’ green belt in the 19th century.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.

Rare Marvel from Japan! This historic melon is named for the Japanese Chrysanthemum flower, which it is said to resemble. One of the best melons we found in Japan, with an incredibly unique flavor. A very rare, early and beautifully productive, small, white, creamy melon that has mellow flesh. It tastes like Greek yogurt with a hint of lychee; the flavor has also been compared to pear. The origin of Kiku melon is the Makuwa Uri melon which came from China to Japan sometime in antiquity.

• Full Sun
• Sprouts in 7-14 Days
• Ideal Temperature: 75-90 Degrees F
• Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
• Plant Spacing: 18"
• Frost Hardy: No
• Cucumis melo

Growing Tips: Melons prefer slightly sandy, very rich, well-drained soil. Be careful not to over water vines, especially as fruit is approaching maturity.