A knock-out for aroma and overall flavour, and productive earlier in the season - which translates to a better harvest potential for... Read More
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A knock-out for aroma and overall flavour, and productive earlier in the season - which translates to a better harvest potential for coastal growers. The fruits are deeply ribbed, finely netted, and globe shaped. They can be as large as 15cm (6") in diameter and weigh in at 1.8 to 2.2kg (4-5 lbs). Halona cantaloupe seeds produce cantaloupes that have exceptionally good disease resistance, including resistance to powdery mildew and fusariam wilt. Powdery mildew can be a big problem in hot, humid weather, so Halona is a good choice for coastal gardeners. These are premium quality, medium sized melons for the home garden.
Matures in 75 days. (Hybrid seeds)
Latin
Latin
Cantaloupes (musk melons) & Honeydews: Cucurbita melo
Watermelons: Citrullus lanatus
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy in a greenhouse or cloche, or outdoors in long, warm summers. Difficult without these conditions.
We Recommend:
We Recommend: Halona Cantaloupe (ML500). The fruits are incredibly sweet, with a flavour that is out of this world. Plants are relatively productive, even without special growing conditions. Try Halona in a raised bed with lots of rich soil.
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full-sun
Zone: 4-10
Timing
Timing
It is essential to start seeds indoors or in a greenhouse mid to late April. Transplant at the end of May or first week of June, when the plants are 5 weeks old. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 20-25°C (68-77°F). Seeds should sprout in 5-10 days.
Starting
Starting
Sow seeds 1cm (½”) deep. Set transplants 60-90cm (24-36″) apart in rows 1.5-2m (5-6′) apart.
Growing
Growing
Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8. Choose a warm, well-drained soil. Add dolomite lime and compost or well-rotted manure to the bed and ½-1 cup of complete organic fertilizer beneath each transplant. Melons need really warm growing conditions. Use black plastic mulch, cloches, or floating row covers. Success may improve in raised beds. Melons plants require 8-10 weeks of good, hot growing weather from the middle of June to the end of August. During that time, a melon vine must grow 5-9 leaves before starting to flower, then set 4 or more male flowers before making its first female flower, and then ripen its fruit before cool, damp weather sets in. Melons do not ripen off the vine. During the entire growing season, make sure to provide ample water.
Harvest
Harvest
Fruit will ripen in late August to early September. Ripe cantaloupe will easily detach from the vine when light finger pressure is applied to the stem. Watermelon is ripe when the tendril nearest to the fruit withers and dries up.
Seed Info
Seed Info
In ideal conditions at least 60% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years. Per 100′ row: 60 seeds, per acre: 5.2M seeds.
Companion Planting
Companion Planting
Melons are great companions for corn, marigolds, nasturtiums, pumpkin, radish, squash, and sunflowers. Avoid planting near potatoes. Melon leaves are full of calcium, so they’re good for the compost heap.
More on Companion Planting.
