Cantaloupe, also called muskmelon (Cucumis melo reticulatus); casaba, Crenshaw, Persian and honeydew melons (C. melo inodorus); watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris). Though melons are thought of as fruits, they are treated like vegetables in the garden. They grow on vines that creep along the ground for 6 to 10 feet or more and are usually planted in clumps on mounds, or hills, of soil.
The flowers quickly develop into slender pointed seed pods that become 7 to 9 inches long when fully mature, but are most flavorful and tender if picked when only 2 to 3 inches long. Good varieties are Clemson Spineless. Dwarf Green Long Pod, Emerald and Louisiana Green Velvet. An 8-foot row yields about 5 pounds of pods every two weeks until frost if the pods are picked daily.
Okra grows best in soil with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0. In most of the U.S. and southern Canada, where frost is expected in winter, sow seeds indoors or in a hotbed about a month before night temperatures are expected to stay above 50'. Sow the seeds in peat pots, two seeds per pot.
Casaba, Crenshaw, Persian and honeydew melons are closely related to cantaloupes, but generally ripen later. Excellent varieties for warm regions are Golden Beauty Casaba, white flesh, 120 days: Honey Dew, white flesh, 110 days; and Persian, orange flesh, 120 days.
Water the plants in dry weather. Because melons lie on the ground, a mulch of old hay or straw helps prevent rot. Also, melon roots are shallow and are easily damaged by cultivation; if a mulch is not used, hoe no deeper than 1 inch when weeding. Do not move the vines; they too are easily injured.
Cantaloupes should be picked at what is called the "slip" stage, when a slight pressure at the point where the stem joins the melon causes the melon to slip off the vine. All other melons are still firmly attached to their vines at harvesttime, so other yardsticks must be used: casaba and honeydew melons are ripe when the skin turns yellow; Crenshaw and Persian melons when they develop a fruity scent; watermelons when a rap on the fruit creates a dull rather than a sharp sound. Fruits that start to grow after midsummer will not have time to mature and should be removed; this thinning will direct nourishment toward fruits that are developing. Unused melon seeds keep for about five years.
The flowers quickly develop into slender pointed seed pods that become 7 to 9 inches long when fully mature, but are most flavorful and tender if picked when only 2 to 3 inches long. Good varieties are Clemson Spineless. Dwarf Green Long Pod, Emerald and Louisiana Green Velvet. An 8-foot row yields about 5 pounds of pods every two weeks until frost if the pods are picked daily.
Okra grows best in soil with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0. In most of the U.S. and southern Canada, where frost is expected in winter, sow seeds indoors or in a hotbed about a month before night temperatures are expected to stay above 50'. Sow the seeds in peat pots, two seeds per pot.
Casaba, Crenshaw, Persian and honeydew melons are closely related to cantaloupes, but generally ripen later. Excellent varieties for warm regions are Golden Beauty Casaba, white flesh, 120 days: Honey Dew, white flesh, 110 days; and Persian, orange flesh, 120 days.
Water the plants in dry weather. Because melons lie on the ground, a mulch of old hay or straw helps prevent rot. Also, melon roots are shallow and are easily damaged by cultivation; if a mulch is not used, hoe no deeper than 1 inch when weeding. Do not move the vines; they too are easily injured.
Cantaloupes should be picked at what is called the "slip" stage, when a slight pressure at the point where the stem joins the melon causes the melon to slip off the vine. All other melons are still firmly attached to their vines at harvesttime, so other yardsticks must be used: casaba and honeydew melons are ripe when the skin turns yellow; Crenshaw and Persian melons when they develop a fruity scent; watermelons when a rap on the fruit creates a dull rather than a sharp sound. Fruits that start to grow after midsummer will not have time to mature and should be removed; this thinning will direct nourishment toward fruits that are developing. Unused melon seeds keep for about five years.
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One gardening tips is to water the vegetables in your vegetable garden deeply and thoroughly whenever it show signs of wilting during the midday heat.
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