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| MELONS (Cucumis melo) We have heirloom melons that can mature in almost any climate. Try some of these sweet & juicy varieties this year and enjoy a taste trip into your past... enjoy the flavor! Melons need a fertile soil and abundant heat to reach perfection. Sow in place about two weeks after last frost of spring. Plant seed about one inch deep, 12 inches apart, in rows 5 feet apart. Or plant in hills, 4-5 seeds per hill, with hills about 5 feet apart. In short-season climates, grow transplants indoors, starting about 1 week before last frost date and set out about 2-3 weeks after sowing; never let transplants become root-bound in their container. Melons may be trellised, but larger-fruited varieties would need a cloth sling to support each fruit. Dry conditions the last week or two before ripening make melons sweeter; too much moisture makes them bland-tasting and prone to rotting in the field. Judging ripeness varies from one variety to another, and may take a bit of trial and error when harvesting an unfamiliar variety. With some, the fruits “slip,” or come free from the stem with little effort. Often a color change takes place; fruits will soften noticeably, or become fragrant. 25-50 seeds per packet.
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Delice De La Table
A pre-1885, French heirloom that was listed in the French book "The Vegetable Book". The name of this beautiful, old variety translated means "Delight of the Table". A hard to find, almost extinct variety that is very tasty.
Item Code: ML118
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Charentais
85 days. A famous, superb heirloom. A French, 2-3 lb. melon with light, grey-green skin. The bright , orange flesh is super sweet and very fragrant. This was my favorite melon in 2003. I just love the firm, sweet flesh. These are top sellers at high dollar markets.
Item Code: ML114
Bulk Quantities
1 oz - $7.00
1/4 lb - $18.00
1 lb - $45.00
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Amarillo Oro
(Cucumis melo) 100 days. Beautiful, golden-yellow oblong fruit grow to 15 lbs. and have sweet, creamy white flesh. A pre-1870 European heirloom winter type. Good shipper.
Item Code: ML101
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Prescott Fond Blanc
70 days. The most unique and beautiful French melon we sell! The fruit is 4-9 lbs., very flattened and ribbed, with warts and bumps. Melons have grey/green skin turning straw color; flesh is salmon-orange. Once one of the best known melons, it was mentioned in the 1860's, but it likely is much older. The flavor is very rich if picked at perfection and the fragrance is heavenly. This is a favorite melon of mine, almost unheard of in this country.
Item Code: ML102
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d'Alger
Another colorful ancient French Cantaloupe (possibly from Africa) it is definitely one of the oldest. Ribbed fruit are dark green (almost black) with silver splashes. As they get ripe they turn yellow with near red splashes. The flesh is highly perfumed and very smooth and creamy. Compact vines, quality French seed, from Bruno Defay. Pre-1800 Heirloom.
Item Code: ML103
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Petit Gris de Rennes
85 days. Dense 2 lb. fruit have orange flesh that is superbly sweet, flavorful and perfumed. This variety is early and well adapted to cool climates. The fruit weigh around 2 lbs. and have a grey-green rind. This fine French variety is of the best quality, and is the favorite melon of the French melon expert and author Bruno Defay. Rare in the USA. Our #1 requested market melon, specialty growers love them because they command top prices! We continue to receive rave reviews about this melon. Order early.
Item Code: ML104
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Yellow Canary
100 days. An elongated-shaped melon, with a deep yellow rind. Flesh is light green and very sweet and tasty. A favorite! Good yields.
Item Code: ML105
Bulk Quantities
1/4 lb - $8.50
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Boule d'Or (Golden Perfection)
Very sweet, pale green flesh is just marvelous. Yellow and loosely netted, a very beautiful melon. This was one of our top melons in our 2003 trials, truly incredible! It was listed in Vilmorin's book The Vegetable Garden in 1885, but is very rare now. An all-time favorite and a dream for market growers.
Item Code: ML106
Bulk Quantities
1 oz - $10.00
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Rugoso Di Consenza
A beautiful "Amarillo Oro" type melon from Italy. It is a good late season market variety with sugary-sweet white flesh and a bright golden rind, with ridges, hard to find here.
Item Code: ML108
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Noir de Carmes
80 days. A beautiful and rare heirloom from France, and the famous "Black Rock" melon preserved by the Carmelite monks. It was mentioned by Mawe & Abercrombie in 1787. Nearly black in color, the fruit turns orange as it ripens. They are deeply ribbed and have smooth skin. The flesh is orange in color, thick flavorful and perfumed. Excellent and unusual. The fruit weigh about 3-6 lbs. each.
Item Code: ML109
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Early Frame Prescott or 'Prescott a Chassis'
The Prescott melon that was grown in "Cold Frames" in the Europe of yesterday, hence the name. These are not the flat shape of our other Prescott's but rather a roundish pumpkin shape with ribs, 2-3 lbs. each. Delightfully, rich and sweet orange flesh. We have a few seeds for this very hard to find pre-1885 French melon.
Item Code: ML110
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Obus or Kroumir
90 days. Another of the true French cantaloups that we have obtained from France's best collectors. This one was developed from "Noir Des Carmes" and was mentioned by Vilmorin in 1904. The fruit are generally oblong in shape. Dark green rinds get golden as the fruit ripens. These are very sweet and have orange flesh; 4-8 lb. in weight. Rare.
Item Code: ML111
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Piel de Sapo (Toad Skin)
110 days. Oval, 8" long fruit, skin mottled green and yellow, somewhat like a toad's skin. Sweet, white flesh has a very good taste; one of the earlier maturing winter melons, but still rather late. Very rare, from Spain.
Item Code: ML113
Bulk Quantities
1 oz - $6.50
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Valencia Winter Melon
A rare old-time melon that was listed by American seedsmen in the 1830's but probably goes back much further; believed to come from Italy. Can keep four months into the winter. Very sweet cream colored flesh, dark green skin; rare and delicious.
Item Code: ML115
Bulk Quantities
1/4 lb - $13.00
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Vert Grimpant (Green Climbing)
A very old, green-fleshed French melon, can easily be grown on a trellis because the fruits are small, 1-2 lbs. Fruit is slightly oblong and the flesh is crisp and juicy. Makes a great cooking melon; keeps well. A very rare heirloom, French grown seed.
Item Code: ML116
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Tendral Verde Tardif
Oblong melons with a dark green rind and sweet white flesh. A popular winter melon variety in Europe, but rare here. Very Late.
Item Code: ML117
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Hero of Lockinge
Small, round, one pound melons have delectable, creamy-white flesh that is full of flavor and sweetness. This English heirloom was introduced in 1881 by Sutton's Seeds, but was named for Lord Wantage of Lockinge, founder of the British Red Cross and was deveoped at the family estate at Lockinge Park.
Item Code: ML119
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