Soil: melons want lots of organic matter (compost and/or decomposed manure). Melons do not like their roots disturbed during transplanting. Start seeds indoors in small biodegradable pots May 1st. Ideal temperature for germination: 85-95° (use heating mat). Melon seedlings are sensitive to damping off fungus so keep seeds on the drier side and use a fan (set to low) to provide air circulation. Days to germination: 4-5. Once 2 leaves appear, grow plants at 72°. Do not let plant become pot-bound in their pots. Transplant them outdoors, pot & all, around June 1st. Or, direct sow seeds outdoors (1/2” deep) around June 1st, keeping seeds moist until germination. Protect germinating seeds from slugs (use phosphate organic slug bait). Protect plants from cucumber beetles by covering seeds/seedlings with row cover fabric at planting. Protect plants from groundhogs and deer. Water plants regularly (we recommend drip irrigation/soaker hoses).
Check melons daily for ripeness! (see video above). Moonflow can be harvested slightly underipe as a green, firm-flesh, bright citrus ‘honeydew’ melon but we prefer it as a melt-in-your-mouth, pale-fleshed, sugary sweet melon 7 days later.
When ripening, Moonglow melon rind will start to turn from dark green to more yellow/light green and start to smell good. For the sweetest melons, harvest when fruit is 50-75% yellow. Do not leave on the vine too long or it will lose flavor and begin to rot. Ripe fruit of Moonglow usually need to be cut from the vine.
If the plants have leaf diseases (such as powdery/downy mildew or anthracnose) and their leaves are gone, melon fruit will not reach their full, sweet flavor.
Melons are insect pollinated and will cross with all other melon varieties (except watermelons) within ½ mile (or let the melon varieties cross and see what you get!). Minimum population size: 6-25 plants (but you can save seed from less # of plants if the seeds are for your own use). Always select seeds from the best plants. Rinse and dry seeds from ripe melons.
