Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The cantaloupe readiness dilemma ~

July 8, 2011 014

If you come for a visit here in the deep south and take a little stroll with me through my garden, you might think I know a thing or two about growing cantaloupes because…

I planted six little seeds

and

there are about 9 cantaloupes waiting for us to eat them.

That’s not counting the three we’ve all ready picked.

Apparently, cantaloupes grow really well in the deep south!

Care to guess how much I know about planting cantaloupes?

Nada, zilch, nothing at all…

I just planted them because my husband really likes them!  ~smile~

July 8, 2011 015

Now the dilemma came when it was time to determine when to pick these melons to eat.  After a little internet searching, I found out that the melon will separate from the vine on the stem end and will smell strongly of cantaloupe.  So every day, I would visit the cantaloupes and lightly press on the stem end of the cantaloupe to see if it would separate from the vine.

And it didn’t.

David and I decided to cut one off of the vine.  Needless to say, it was not ready.  We got very little cantaloupe from it but the City Chicks sure did love it!

July 11, 2011 022

One day I noticed that a little cantaloupe was looking awfully yellow as compared to the previous day.  (Clue #1 that it is ready, by the way.)  I decided that I would get down there close to the stem end and smell it to see if it smelled strongly “cantaloupey”. 

After quite a contortionist act which was not the least bit successful in getting my 30ish years old self down to the ground to smell this cantaloupe, I decided to gently pick it up and smell it. 

And guess what?

July 11, 2011 025

It gently released itself from the vine!  No tugging, no pulling, no cutting…

July 11, 2011 041

And here I was trying to make something easy so hard.

Boy, with this gardening thing, you learn something new all the time!

This post is linked at:

Smockity Frocks Frugal Gardening 101

14 comments:

  1. I can almost smell the cantaloupe here! You're doing something right! Maybe you have a home business growing there?

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  2. Wow! That's good to know. Thanks for sharing your information on cantaloupe and the pictures are great.

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  3. girl, you got that right1 Your experience sounds familiar with me and cucumbers...and squash...and greem beans. LOVE gardening!!

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  4. Sweet Country LifeJuly 13, 2011 at 9:27 AM

    I planted cantaloupe, too. But, the kicker is. They are not doing worth a hoot! However...the one mystery plant, that started growing in my corn, has turned out to be...a cantaloupe and has half a dozen melons in various sizes, growing on it! ;o)
    Go figure!

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  5. I don't live in the deep south, but I do see a lot of farmers at roadside stands offering cantaloupe. I wonder if I should give it a try here in North Carolina next year? Is there any way to preserve cantaloupe?

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  6. I can only imagine how good fresh from the vine cantaloupe tastes! I think a lot of fruits and vegetables let us know in their own way when they are ready--if they resist being picked, they are saying: "let me alone!"

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  7. thelittlegrayhouseJuly 13, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    So glad you posted this as I was wondering the same thing this morning while out watering. My 9 little seeds have produced quite the vine with LOTS of blooms but no melons yet. (I was late getting them planted) I am hoping for several melons but had no idea when to harvest them. Thanks for the tips.

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  8. Wasn't I saying just last week that my vine was beautiful but I had no cantaloupes? Well, I do know! Hooray! And now I know when to pick them!

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  9. HomegrownandbeeyoutifulJuly 15, 2011 at 6:04 AM

    the best way I learn is by trial and error too:)

    but the good thing about blogging and all these good photos is that we can better learn from each other.
    btw, your lopes are lookin GOOD!

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  10. I love when it I get a "surprise" mystery plant in the garden. They do seem to do well in our garden too. :)

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  11. I've heard of people freezing cantaloupe. I'm going to try it tomorrow myself since I've got three sitting in the frig and many more outside!

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  12. Yesterday, we had a fresh from the vine watermelon and it was the best I've ever had in my entire life! I'm not a big cantaloupe eater so I'm having to get used to the flavor but my husband is enjoying them fresh from the vine.

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  13. We were discussing that same thing the other day! Maybe our crop for next year's farmer's market? (If I can find enough space in my yard. Maybe the front yard. :)

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