Yields usually increase dramatically. Cold storage is little used for melons except to avoid temporary adverse market conditions. Fruit may be oval, oblong or very long and slender. Mulch increases yield and earliness and is recommended particularly in Western Oregon where temperatures are limiting. Choose light, well-drained soils for earliest crops and reduced risk of stand establishment problems. Photo credit: Bill Mansour, Oregon State University, Right: Charentais Melons. Later in the season, daily picking is best. Direct seed melons when soil temperatures exceed 65 F. Set transplants only after all danger of frost has passed or use appropriate protective structures or covers (see item on row covers below). Muskmelons ripen after harvest but do not increase in sugar content. Some of these are: C. melo var. 30 Gluten-Free Recipes Honeydew, Casaba, Crenshaw, and Persian melons: Honeydew melons should be harvested when the stem end is slightly springy and the skin begins to take on a creamy yellow appearance. Honey Dew (approximately 110 days in the Columbia Basin): Smooth, greenish-white rind, turning creamy when ripe. This can only be achieved by laying the plastic with machines specifically designed and adjusted for this task. The conversion of elemental S to sulfate is usually rapid for fine ground (less than 40 mesh) material in warm moist soil. Avoid using fields in your rotation in which muskmelons, watermelons, pumpkins, squash cucumbers or other Cucurbits have been planted. Placement of colonies in the field has an effect on the number of bee visits per flower. A 36-inch-wide piece of embossed clear plastic is then used to cover the plant row, leaving a 5 to 6 inch-high space between the planted row and the plastic cover. Furthermore, "the harvest period was advanced a week or more and shortened by one week, reducing the pickings necessary by 33%.". Rochet (approximately 100 days): Oval, green rind slightly netted, flesh is greenish-white, sweet and aromatic): Solo (4-5 lb); Toledo (also called frog skin type due to the greenish-yellow rind with dark green blotches), Verdol F1 (dark-green skin slightly netted and crisp, white, sweet flesh (resistant to Fusarium races 0,1 and 2; also referred to as Spanish type). Approximate dates are: Western Oregon: Begin direct seeding in the middle of May. "Full slip" is the stage of ripeness at which the melon comes away easily from the stem attachment and where the skin begins to take on a slightly yellow appearance under the netting. Long Shelf-Life Melons: Sunseeds has recently developed a series of Western shipping type muskmelons with long shelf life. Grain windbreaks have been found effective when grain rows are used for each melon row. Potassium should be applied before planting or banded at planting time. Some soils may have a fairly high SMP buffer value (over 6.5) and a low pH (below 5.5). If the application of N plus potash (K2O) exceeds 50 lb/A, there is danger of seedling injury from the concentration of salt when fertilizer is banded at planting time. A lime application is effective over several years. This temporary "active" acidity from fertilizer is encountered following recent applications of most N fertilizer materials. Eastern type muskmelons: Round to oval, usually sutured, netted rind with sweet orange flesh, not intended for long-distance shipping; Early: Superstar, Earlisweet. College of Agricultural Sciences Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; A sweet sticky substance deposited on leaves by insects. For questions or feedback about our college or website, please Contact Us. For trial: Earliqueen, Earlidawn, Northern Queen, Supermarket. When the soil test is below 1 ppm Zn, a response to Zn is expected and 4 lb Zn/A should be included in the fertilizer band. Santa Claus (approximately 110 days in the Columbia Basin). Bees transfer pollen from male flowers to the female flowers, making fruit set possible. Preliminary research in California indicates that soil-supported covers or mini-tunnels have been used to promote early production of some crops. With strict editorial sourcing guidelines, we only link to academic research institutions, reputable media sites and, when research is available, medically peer-reviewed studies. A number of varieties resistant to sulfur-induced foliar damage are available. vs. Magnesium can also be supplied in dolomite, which is a liming material and will reduce soil acidity. Persian melons when ripe have a skin that begins to turn a mauve color under the net, the blossom ends begins to soften and the flesh has a tinge of orange. Some S fertilizer materials such as elemental S and ammonium sulfate have an acidifying effect on soil. Here are a few more honeydew recipes to try: If you’re wondering whether or not your honeydew is ripe before cutting it open — look for melons with a pale cream or creamy white rind. The surface may be white, grayish green, golden yellow, orange or black! Honeydew and cantaloupe are both melon fruits that belong to the Cucurbitaceae family. Research shows that vitamin C benefits serious conditions like diabetes, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Cooling can be done with cold water, cold air, or ice. The vitamin C found in honeydew also plays an important role in a number of metabolic functions, like the activation of folic acid and conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. Honeydew even adds a nice sweetness to salsa and chilled soups, and people commonly pair the fruit with salty meats, like prosciutto. Honeydew provides both vitamin B6 and folate, two B vitamins that are important for brain development and function. As might be expected, the effect of soil moisture on sugar content of muskmelon is particularly serious when prolonged periods of saturated or near-saturated soil moisture occur during the final stages of fruit development. When you consume too much honeydew, you may experience elevated blood sugar levels and even some digestive issues, like diarrhea. Research indicates that muskmelons dipped in 140 F water for 3 minutes, dried quickly then wrapped in plastic film, sealed in shipping boxes, and cooled to 40 F can be stored in cold storage for up to 7 weeks. The choice depends primarily on economic factors and type of container. It has a distinct aroma, especially when it’s ripe, that has fresh and sweet-floral characters. Recommended soil sampling procedures should be followed in order to estimate fertilizer needs. reticulatus are the netted, aromatic melons (muskmelons) and Persian melons.C. See statements on fertilizer banding under "NITROGEN". Almost half of the final concentration of sugars is accumulated during the last week of fruit maturation. Flesh is pale green to white with a pale orange seed cavity, sweet and a distinctive flavor. Symptoms of chilling injury are pitting and surface decay. On top of this, carotenoids found in honeydew have chemoprotective properties, according to research, helping protect healthy tissue from the harmful side effects that are caused by some anticancer drugs. They may also provide about 7 days advantage in earliness and harvest season, depending on crop and time of planting. Here are some facts about honeydew melon: When it comes to honeydew nutrition, this melon contains carotenoids, including beta-carotene and phytoene, that are responsible for many of the fruit’s health benefits, like its ability to reduce inflammation, inhibit oxidative stress and boost cardiovascular health. Avoid using insecticides injurious to bees and manage application of pesticides in a manner to protect bees and apiaries from injury. Our team aims to be not only thorough with its research, but also objective and unbiased. At no time should any portion of a field be more than 250 yards from a bee hive. Mainly for greenhouse production, but also grown under plastic tunnels or in the open field: Acor F1 and Alienor F1 (both monoecious and resistant to Fusarium races 0,1 and 2); Charentais Improved, Ido, Panchito (netted rind). Hydrocooling is the most efficient method for rapidly cooling muskmelons, and they should be cooled to at least 50 F. Crushed ice is still used to remove field heat from muskmelons. During this "critical" few days, the fruit passes from immature green to ripe (full slip). Hami melons may have either red-pink, salmon, white, or green flesh. The OSU Extension Service agent in your county can provide you with soil sampling instructions and soil sample bags and information sheets. There are two types of honeydew: White honeydew has smooth, white skin and pale green flesh, and yellow honeydew has golden skin and green flesh. These melons are round or slightly oval, very sweet, about 7"-8", 3-4 lb extremely well-netted green rind. Susceptible to Fusarium wilt. Light green, sweet flesh with some orange-fleshed varieties available. Never band B fertilizer. Honeydew and Cantaloupe are types of muskmelon that belong to the gourd family. The flesh is crisp and very sweet. The use of transplants is recommended for western Oregon, and for early production in eastern Oregon. Fruit oval 6.5" x 7.5", 5-5.5 lb: Casablanca.