Looking for tips on varieties of cantaloupe or musk melon that can be grown in Hillsboro Oregon. Years ago we bought
great musk melons from a small farm just west of here, but the folks sold the land and that was the end of that!
Tried some seeds from a Home Depot seed packet last year with miserable results. Either no taste or bad taste.
Bought some great ones last year that came from Eastern Oregon, so I thought I would try again.
Any ideas would be welcome.
Joe
Hi Joe,
You need a hot, full sun area. They need lots of water. I would be inclined to try to grow the smaller melons like the French personal canteloupe, rather than watermelon, for example, because we get less heat than they do back east.
My two cents,
John S
PDX OR
Thanks John, I will look for the French personal varieties in the seed catalogs I get. I will also get them in the ground a little earlier this year. I'm thinking May instead of the first of June like last year. Last year I had them on my drip system and they were watered every other day.
Joe
I think the name of one of them might be Chanterais, or something like that.
John S
PDX OR
I have been growing Charentais from Baker Creek Seed Co. for the last couple years just east of Salem. As John said, lots of sun. I actually grew them through black plastic with drip irrigation under the plastic. They did well. Seeds started in a greenhouse in early May, and transplanted out into the garden when the soil temperature is above 60.
Dave
I'm in Hillsboro and we've had luck with the Moon and Stars watermelon. Last year we also did well with a cantaloupe type with a long crazy name: American Melon Ananas D' Amerique A Chair Verte (Green Fleshed Pinapple). We got both from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. but I've seen the Moon and Stars else where. Start them early as starts, put them in your hottest spot.