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Vegetable Gardening

Minnesota Midget Melon etc. days to maturity

14 years ago

Does anybody keep garden records and have an actual recorded days to maurity for Minnesota Midget or other melon?

Last year I grew Minnesota Midget muskmelons and was happy to see them produce. It gave me confidence that I could grow melons! But I wasn't too impressed with their taste, despite a dry month leading up to their harvest. This year I would like to try a different vairety, but my choices will be somewhat limited by the days to maturity. My garden is small and spaces have to pull double-duty so to speak, and there won't be room for melons to go in until probably early June. And they need to be done by the end of August or there's not enough sun to give them good flavor. Every catalog but one gives Minneosta Midget 60-65 DTM, but my records and this other catalog agree on 82 DTM. I think I should be able to grow anything with an 80 DTM, but if what the catalogs say is 20 days off from what I'll experience, well... And if other people are getting Minn. Midget in 60-ish days, then maybe I need to take another look at my light situation out there.

Cheers!

Sunni

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Comments (4)

myfamilysfarm
14 years ago
I tasted one called "Little Sweetie" last year. I don't know anymore about it, except it is small, very sweet melon. I got it from another grower.
farmerdilla
14 years ago
DTM are guesstimates. Climate and weather dramatically impact maturity. I have not grown Minnesota Midget, but I have grown the extra early Alaska. When planted at the same time they will ripen a week or two earlier than main season melons (85 day).
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lantanascape
14 years ago
I grew MM last year, and I didn't keep records, but I'd estimate about 70-75 DTM. I started them indoors, but we had a cool spring, and they got a slow start. I probably could have had 65 DTM with a warmer spring, or keeping them under plastic for the first few weeks to jumpstart the vines. Jenny Lind had better flavor for me, and was maybe an extra 10 DTM. I think if I grow these small melons again, I'll grow them in buckets, and keep them in the greenhouse until they start to vine, then train them to a trellis once they're set out, as I've heard that trellising will expose the fruit to more heat.
sunnibel7 Md 7
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, guys! Last summer was pretty normal- hot, not too dry until August, but not wet before then either. So I doubt I will get better melon-growing weather this year. My Mom had a theory that maybe the difference in DTM was due to the seedhouse being so far North (longer days) and I am a bit further south than Maine... the seedhouse with the same DTM as I experienced is in New Mexico, so maybe she's on to something?

Anyhow, maybe I can get a variety I like the sound of and start them inside (I love my new seedling starting setup!!!) in May. Would a 4 inch pot be big enough for a melon plant to live in for its first month of life, do you think?

Cheers!

Sunni

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