The Honeydew Melon ( Cucumis melo ) is an open pollinated variety dating back to the 1800’s. The fruit is round to slightly oval with a fairly smooth outer skin that is an almost creamy-white to light green or pale yellow in colour. The green flesh is refreshingly sweet and very juicy, with a slight honey taste, which is apparently how this melon got its name.
Honeydew melons are high in antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin C, they also contain good servings of potassium, fibre, calcium, selenium, zinc, magnesium and vitamins B6, B12, A, E, among a host of other beneficial natural nutrients which aid in digestion, the immune system and heart health. These melons are made up of 90% water, so are an excellent way to receive extra hydration on hot summer days.
There are many health benefits of adding honeydew melons to your diet.
Growth
Honeydew melon plants grow between 30-60cms (1-2 feet) in height and will spread out to 1.2-1.8 metres (4-6 feet) wide, so plenty of space in the garden is important. They can be staked but this isn’t necessary. One plant will provide on average anywhere between 2-5 melons depending on the growing conditions. Protecting your melon plants from snails & slugs will be beneficial.
The size of the melons themselves will range between 14-22 cm’s (5.5-8.5 inches) in length and weigh in anywhere between 1.5-3.6 kg. Knowing when to harvest your honeydews can be tricky, it is best to wait until the fruits are large but have clearly stopped growing. The blossom end of the melon will have a very slight softening and often the leaves of the stem end will have yellowed.
Honeydew Melon plants prefer warm drier climates and do not like to have consistently wet feet, so let the soil dry out in between watering.
After harvesting, our plants get pulled out of the ground and chopped up, the chopped-up stems and leaves make an excellent addition to the compost heap.
Note: Germination instructions can be found in the ‘Germination Instructions Tab’ below. Upon purchase you will receive these detailed instructions via email so that you have a permanent record.
FAMILY:
Cucurbitaceae
CLIMATE:
Temperate, Mediterranean, Sub Tropical & Tropical
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
15 to 45°C / 59 to 113°F
SOIL TYPE:
Well-draining to dry, organic rich soil.
LOCATION:
Full Sun
HEIGHT:
Up to 60 metres (2 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 1.8 metres (6 feet)
pH:
6.2-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Annual.
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Low-Medium
POLLINATION:
Monoecious (flowers are either male or female, both found on same plant). Pollinated by insects.
MATURITY:
14- 16 weeks
GERMINATION RATES:
84-90%
GERMINATION TIME:
14-21 days
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 28 seeds
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
Yes
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
EDIBLE:
Yes.
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Store a 4°C (fridge) for 5 years.
FACTS ABOUT CUCUMIS MELO (Honeydew Melon)
Honeydew melons are believed to have come from West Africa and to have been cultivated for over 4000 years!
Uncut honeydew fruit will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks and the cut fruit 3-5 days. Fruit can be cut and frozen and will keep its flavour for up to a year, the texture does change a little however, so it is better used in juices & smoothies etc once it has been frozen.
