I'm going to spray an Epsom salt solution on the cantaloupe tonight when the sun goes down. People tell us our cantaloupe are the best they've ever had in their life! There is more to this posted manure, automatic watering system, low or no maintenance, etc. We've proved "them" wrong and are doing it again this year. We were told we couldn't raise cantaloupe in our high desert climate due to the short growing season. Then we took off for a long trip and had a neighbor harvest 50+ more before the Fall frost while we were gone. Last year, we harvested over 400 melons which we gave away to friends and neighbors, plus our own family eating a ton of cantaloupe. Fifty holes give us 120 plants, give or take. A couple of seeds per hole, sometimes 3 seeds. We plant a patch about 20' by 45' on thick black plastic (lifetime of 30+ years) in holes 4-5 feet apart, drilled into the plastic with a hole saw. However, we almost always get a frost into June.like this year on June 1. We plant Ambrosia cantaloupe around May 15 in hopes of not getting a frost thereafter. Once fruit is cut, it will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Uncut cantaloupe stored at 45℉ to 50℉ lasts up to 2 weeks. Melons last 3-5 days if left at room temperature. Don’t let cantaloupe harvests go to waste Tendrils around fruit dry out and turn brownĩ. Stem has to be forcibly removed from melonĮnd opposite of stem is slightly soft rind has a little “give” Leaving it on the vine as long as possible gives you the sweetest flavor. Harvest cantaloupe at the right time (see chart below).Ĭantaloupe will continue to soften once picked, but it won’t get any sweeter.About a week before melons are ripe, cut back watering as much as possible to concentrate the fruit’s sugars.The leaves produce the sugars which sweeten the fruits. The more fruit ripening on a vine at the same time, the less sweet they will be. Ripening only one fruit at a time maximizes sweetness.
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