Melon - France Miniature
The Charentais melon is regarded as being the best in the world and is so honoured in France that it has even earned its own festival, the ‘Fête des Melons’ in the town of Cavaillon. Rarely available as seed, this miniature version of the Charentais has the same superb flavour and deep perfume but in a miniature form, making it easier to ripen in our cooler climate and perfect for smaller gardens. The small, round fruits of Melon ‘French Miniature’ have lightly netted, greenish-gold skin and dark green stripes. Inside lies bright orange flesh with an intoxicating scent and honeysuckle sweet flavour. Each fruit weighs in at about 400g and is perfect for individual servings. You can expect 5-8 fruits per plant.
Days to maturity: 75.
Height: 55cm (22in). Spread: 200cm (79in).
The Charentais melon is regarded as being the best in the world and is so honoured in France that it has even earned its own festival, the ‘Fête des Melons’ in the town of Cavaillon. Rarely available as seed, this miniature version of the Charentais has the same superb flavour and deep perfume but in a miniature form, making it easier to ripen in our cooler climate and perfect for smaller gardens. The small, round fruits of Melon ‘French Miniature’ have lightly netted, greenish-gold skin and dark green stripes. Inside lies bright orange flesh with an intoxicating scent and honeysuckle sweet flavour. Each fruit weighs in at about 400g and is perfect for individual servings. You can expect 5-8 fruits per plant.
Days to maturity: 75.
Height: 55cm (22in). Spread: 200cm (79in).
The Charentais melon is regarded as being the best in the world and is so honoured in France that it has even earned its own festival, the ‘Fête des Melons’ in the town of Cavaillon. Rarely available as seed, this miniature version of the Charentais has the same superb flavour and deep perfume but in a miniature form, making it easier to ripen in our cooler climate and perfect for smaller gardens. The small, round fruits of Melon ‘French Miniature’ have lightly netted, greenish-gold skin and dark green stripes. Inside lies bright orange flesh with an intoxicating scent and honeysuckle sweet flavour. Each fruit weighs in at about 400g and is perfect for individual servings. You can expect 5-8 fruits per plant.
Days to maturity: 75.
Height: 55cm (22in). Spread: 200cm (79in).
Sow melon seeds from March to mid April for indoor cropping or early April to May for transplanting outdoors later on.
Sow melon seed at a depth of 1cm (½") in trays of free-draining, seed sowing compost. Place in a propagator or seal container inside a plastic bag at a temperature of 20C (68F) until germination which takes 7-10 days. Protect the emerging seedlings from direct sunlight to avoid scorching. Once germinated pot on individual seedlings into 7.5cm (3") pots of compost and grow melon plants on until they large enough to be transplanted into growbags. Maintain a temperature of 20c (68F) and keep the compost barely moist to avoid stem rot.
When melon plants are well grown, transplant 2 plants per growbag or 1m (3') apart under frost free glass, or into frames or cloches outdoors. When growing melons outdoors cover the soil 3-4 weeks before planting with a plastic mulch. Gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days before transplanting into warm, well drained, humus rich soil in full sun, with shelter from winds. Plant in single rows at a distance of 50-90cm (20-36") apart leaving 2m (6') between rows. Pull a little soil around each plant to keep it from touching the plastic mulch. Water well after planting until melons are fully established.
Melon plants can be trained upwards on strings or wires, or allowed to spread flat on the ground. Pinch out the growing point after 5 leaves have formed to encourage lateral shoots to develop. Select 4 vigorous laterals and train these to 6 leaf stage, before pinching out each growing tip. Remove any other laterals. Fruiting sub laterals will then form on each stem.
Water melons regularly, particularly as the flowers develop, and provide a liquid feed every 10-14 days. Shade plants from strong direct sunlight. As the flowers develop, select 4 or 5 female flowers on each plant and hand pollinate them by placing a male flower inside each female bloom. Female melon flowers are identified by a swollen part at the base of the bloom. Once fruit has set remove any further flowers to allow the fruits to develop. Harvest melons when they begin to produce their characteristic sweet smell and the fruits start to crack near to the stem.
