OK, so hubby wanted to plant a row of cantalopes in the big garden. Thats about 40 plants. As I was walking through the garden a few days ago, checking the ripness of the fruit, I noticed what looked like a softball laying in the cantalope vines. We have kids next door so I thought they may have just let a ball get over the fence and didn`t come get it. Then I looked closer and found a solid white cantalope. Pure white except for the ribs which are light green. It is more round than the cantalopes and the skin is smooth, not webbed like a normal one. Vines are the same as far as I can tell. They look no different than the others. The seeds I used were from some we raised last year and a few were bought in the smaller packets. Anyone want to guess at this one ? I don`t have a clue what it is. Wish I could take a pic.
The only thing that I can think of that is white Mart is the Gaya Melon. It has smooth white skin and white flesh. They usually grow to about the size of large grapefruit. Maybe a stray seed got in there somewhere??
I went to clovegarden.com and looked at all the melons there as well as some other sites and the thing that most closely resembles mine is either a true cantalope or a cavaillon. There is one in the true cantalope pics (upper left)that generally resembles it. But mine is paper white and most of these have a creamy or green shading. The honeydew is a smooth melon with no distinct sutures so I don`t think its that either. I am kind of going with a throwback to the true cantalope. At least I am assuming that the cantalopes we eat today were developed from something similar.
I noticed today that my white cantalope has started to get some netting. Its faint but its there. Sure am waiting for this one to get ripe. Going to save seeds if its sweet and eating quality.
cantaloupe Hi Mart, I am also growing cantaloupe this year for the first time in my life, I'M lost how do you know how big they get, Do they get as big as the ones in the store? and will they turn brown like the rest of them.And oh yeah! How do you know when to pick them I'm sorry I'm full of questions, but I'm knew to them. Than you so much Margie :-?
Cantalopes will tell you when to pick them. Just lift or move the fruit and if they are ready they will turn loose from the vine. You don`t have to cut it off. Even after they release from the vine I usually wait another day for most before I eat them. But then I watch mine daily so I know when they release. You can smell the end opposite the vine and they will smell just like a cantalope smells when sliced. They can be all sizes on the vine, some smaller and some larger and yes, they will get that creamy color like the ones in the store. And the ribs or lines will not be green like they are when growing. Hope this helps you .If not just ask and I will try to explain more.
I love cantaloupe. When I first looked through a couple of the catalogs that specialize in open pollinated varieties, I saw melons that I'd never seen or heard of before. I'm betting that quite a few of those varieties got started by someone like you who had a "lucky accident" happen. Something might have cross pollinated in your garden in an earlier season. Maybe a little bird flew over your garden and left you a little gift from a neighboring garden. Who knows? IF this melon is sweet and delicious, we all might be buying "Mart's Wonderful White Melon" from our favorite seed vendor in a few years.
Well, cross your fingers that I will be that lucky. It is an odd thing laying there with all the cantalopes though. I sure hope it tastes good. I tried three new varieties this year in the small garden but nothing white.
