[Guest]

Anyone growing either of these; Tiger or Golden Sweet from Baker Creek seeds? I've got both coming up and showing fruit but am unsure of when to harvest. Baker Creek show the Tiger turning yellow with red stripes but nothing on the Golden Sweet, which are already "golden colored", and as I want to keep the first couple of each for next years seeds, don't want to harvest too soon, but don't want them to rot either.

Anybody already harvested either of these and can give me some advice here?

thanks,

 

[Hank - Narita]

Someone sent me golden sweet melon seeds and they are planted in the garden. My experience with melons has been that when they pull away from the vine they are ripe. Also they have white patches on the underside. They also make a thud sound when thumped. Let us all know when you find out for sure.

 

[Guest]

I think you mean Tigger melons. We grew them last year and when they're ripe YOU WILL KNOW! They are very fragrant and look like the picture in the catalog. They taste like a mild cateloupe and are very easy to grow. Just give them something to trellis onto.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Gita, guess I better get a trellis out there for them, how tall of a trellis did you use and was it sufficient, I have a long growing season here in the high desert. My vines are currently about 6 foot long.

Did you per chance grow the other small Golden Delicious melons, that is where I am having trouble, it has been golden for over three weeks and there is no slip, excessive drying of the connection part (stem) or smell that would hint as to ripness, as of this date.

My First Tigger is starting to turn lighter on the yellow on the bottom & sides, so maybe it is starting to ripen.

Did you save seeds or try storing any of your melons, would appreciate any additional information as to your experiences with Tigger melons.
Thanks,

 

[Guest]

Yes, I saved some Tigger seeds. If I remember correctly the vines grew about 7 or 8 feet. I don't remember any pests bothering them. The other melons you're talking about I don't know anything about. Why don't you pick one and taste it, and then decide what to do?
The only problem I have with growing sweet melons is the aphids and then the ants. For that I use a baby hair brush and brush them off day after day. Eventually they give up.

 

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

If you are growing the melons at all close to each other then the seed in the melons will most likely be a hybrid of the two melons, and worse yet if you have a squash plant anywhere close you willhave that as a hybrid of some of the seeds.

Not worth the effort to save the seed if you ask me.

 

[Guest]

"If you are growing the melons at all close to each other then the seed in the melons will most likely be a hybrid of the two melons, and worse yet if you have a squash plant anywhere close you willhave that as a hybrid of some of the seeds."

Appreciate the concern, but took all that into consideration when I designed my experiment and set out my plants, so that I could easily carry out the crosses that I wanted and still maintain a pure seed stock, thereby the importance of the first melon's seeds.

One of the great joys of gardening with melons is the ease with which pollen can be collected and crosses can be made and controlled,much easier than tomatoes which I am also trying.

The growing out of one's crosses and the selecting is something that takes years to obtain a stabilized new plant that breeds true.

Hybrids are not bad, especially if that is your desired end result. Might see a new melon being offered in a few years, similar to what Martin did with his tomato research.