Need help growing Charentais melon

Foxy · #1 06/13/12, 12:10 PM

This is my third try at growing Charentais. The last two years I planted seeds directly into the garden and lost all the plants over the summer. This year I started plants indoors, along with some Honey Rock cantaloupe.
I fed, watered and hardened off both types the same. When I transplanted to the garden all but one Charentais died the first day but the Honey Rock are doing great.
Even while I was hardening them off the Charentais did not look as healthy as the other melon...they would wilt, look half dead, then bounce back.

What am I doing wrong? I've heard these are great melons but maybe I should just give up trying them here...zone 4 WI.

oregon woodsmok · #2 06/13/12, 04:44 PM

I don't know what to tell you. They are one of the few melons I can grow here.

The plants don't get very big, but they didn't seem sickly.

Snow Leopard (honey dew) does well for me as does Sugar Baby watermelon. I got Diplomat Galia to grow.

frankva · #3 06/13/12, 05:26 PM

I bet they are complaining about cool temps in your area.

Diplomat is a cold tolerant variety. Go to Johnny's site. Click melon. Look for the cold tolerant varieties.

I talked to them down there, about my situation. Was pointed to Diplomat for outside, charentais in the greenhouse.

French "Charentais" - Johnny's Selected Seeds

I went outside. The voles love them. (They are good.

)

Could be cutworms if they were cut off at the soil line.

Foxy · #4 06/13/12, 08:17 PM

Thanks for the link...I'll do some research before next spring.
Maybe Diplomat since you both mention that one.

hippygirl · #5 06/13/12, 11:38 PM

This is my first year trying to grow Charentais and mine aren't looking so good, either. I was thinking perhaps it's the heat/humidity, but then you're up north where it's probably not a problem...

Paquebot · #6 06/14/12, 01:13 AM

Tried them twice and failed to enjoy many both times. They were highly susceptible to powdery mildew. That was before Serenade was available here to prevent that. Growing Montreal Melon this year and will be watching for the slightest hint of unhappiness and keep the spray bottle handy.

Martin

frankva · #7 06/14/12, 07:30 AM

Tangent- Are you folks in WI watching for powdery mildew already? It holds off until late July here. Usually. Just curious.

olivehill · #8 06/14/12, 08:13 AM

Wouldn't seem like Central Oregon would be warmer than WI. The upper Midwest may be cold in the winter, but we heat up in the summer.

Foxy · #9 06/14/12, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankva

Tangent- Are you folks in WI watching for powdery mildew already? It holds off until late July here. Usually. Just curious.

I think it depends on what part of the state you're in. When I lived in the east central part, near Lake Michigan, some years by late July the whole yard was covered in it...it even damaged the Lilac bushes. Now I'm in the north, inland from the big lakes where it's not as humid, and even though I have clay soil I don't see it much. Some northern parts of the state that are sandy soil don't see much of it at all. A warmer than normal spring might have Martin watching for it already in the southern part of the state.

OR maybe the spores or whatever can't handle the cold this far north and that's why it's not much of a problem here....I just don't know, but I'm not complaining at all!

Paquebot · #10 06/14/12, 02:53 PM

We've already had 90º. 83º today, 87º for tomorrow, and 88º for Saturday. Saving grace on a lot of plant ailments and bugs is that we are short about 3" of rain for the year and most of that missing in April-May-June. When the rains come, everything will wake up no matter if good or bad.

Martin