Here's the link to some photos that I forgot to add before.

Here is a link that might be useful: Moon & Stars Photos

Nice melon! What was the flavour like?

Jealous as all get out sarah!!. Looks great. I had a fear that these will never grow in oz or something. I have one small Blacktail Mountain which I found by chance this arvo, here's hoping.

Amazingly it tastes like a watermelon, unlike any I've had from the sops that seem to just taste sweet! The colour of the granita was wonderful, a pure baby pink.It was well worth the wait

A fine looking melon Sarah. Let us know how the pickles turn out. It's great to make use of stuff that wouldn't otherwise get eaten. I'll definitely be trying again this year with it. I also have a yellow-fleshed version that I'm keen to try.
I have an almost ripe Sweet Siberian that I'm looking forward to trying along with a couple of Charleston Greys and what is either Sugar Baby or Blacktail Mountain (I forgot to label the damn plant - what an idiot (no comment necessary!!!)

... There's a little watermelon called Golden Midget (just scroll down a bit), made for two people really, that has a built in ripeness indicator (the skin and leaves turn a goldy colour at maturity). Anyway, I just wondered whether they might do well at a farmers' market. A standard watermelon is often too big, especially for the elderly, or families where only one or two like them. What do you think?

I reckon you're on to something there Ray. Interesting site. The melon above it called Giza looks and sounds like the ones my family grow in Malta. It doesn't say but if it is the same it grows to about 8 inches diameter and has a beautiful flavour if grown in the right conditions. Sydney weather would be perfect. The seeds are very large though. About twice the size of normal watermelon seed.

I have a couple of lovely big fruit on my Moon & Stars too!

Any tips on how to tell when they're ripe?

Amanda

Wow. That site is fantastic, Ray! Makes you want to grow them all.

The Golden Midget sounds great. It would be perfect if you wanted a whole watermelon but not a gigantic one.

My Moon & Stars melon seed has germinated and is now in the ground, but I don't expect any fruit from it as I can't imagine the summer (What summer? Have we had one yet?) to go on for another 100 days or so.

Glad to hear your melon tasted great, Sarah! Great pictures.

What do you use watermelon pickles for?

Amanda I just guessed that my melon was ripe, I'd picked a couple of Sweet Siberian over the last weeks so I used that as a guide. It was very dark green & hollow sounding & it was just so big!

Spatz I have no idea what you use melon rind pickles for but they look nice, a beautiful golden colour. I'll let them sit for a month then try them & let you know! I'm also thinking of using the rind in bread & butter pickles & picallilli. Maybe I'm being a bit ambitious!

I've heard the white part of the watermelon rind is an aphrodisiac!

I've eaten plenty of rind...didn't work for me.
That web site I referred to above for the Golden Midget has probably the best melon, squash and pumpkin list I've seen. I go mad on that site - have plastic, will spend. I not only want to try them all, I intend doing so!!!
Pepino, how about asking your rellies to send over some seeds? It's perfectly legal to import melon seeds into Australia. They just have to be clean and dry! Oh, and you have to write the botanical name on the customs sticker, or at least on the envelope. If quarantine can't identify them, they don't get through!

Never thought of that Ray. I might get some sent over. Is there a generic botanical name for melons like there is for tomatoes? or one for watermelons as opposed to rockmelons? I would like both if I can.