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Leon Fisk · 12-08-2010, 01:02 PM posted to rec.gardens

On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:14:08 -0400
(EVP MAN) wrote:

I'm in Pennsylvania zone 5-6. I planted Hale's Best cantaloupes this
year and averaged 5 melons per plant. The problem I'm having is the
fact that the fruit isn't very sweet. I don't know if it's something I
done wrong or if it's the melon I decided to grow.
snip

How ripe did you let them get? I'm just picking our muskmelon now. They
seem to be best (sweetest) when some cracks develop around where the
stem attaches. A nice tan/brownish color and the stem will detach with
little effort on your part. Another clue is that you can easily smell
them. A few cracks may show in the fruit itself. When you cut them open
the rind will only be 1/8 to 1/4 inch max for the most part. At this
point you need to use them right away. They go from really good to
rotten in just a day or two. The stuff you find/buy at the store was
picked way, way too soon and will never be so sweet and tasty.

Been freezing some of what we can't eat and giving others to the
neighbor. It would be nice if like one a week got ripe, but sadly it
doesn't seem to work out that way...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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