Cantaloupes

ChicagoDeli37

11 years ago

When do I know when to pick.

This ones pretty big.

{{gwi:105046}}

Here's some smaller ones. Lots like this.

will they beat the frost?

{{gwi:105047}}

{{gwi:105048}}

Leaves are getting some mildew and some seem to be dyong

On the bottom

any options on what u should do?

Comments (8)

Omni
11 years ago
As for leave treatment, that looks like a fungal infection. Soon, it will spread to the other leaves. Get some type of an anti fungal spray and spray it down on both sides of the leaves.

Now, for the Cantaloupe, wait until you get a golden/brown or hay like color. Your cantaloupe right now is when you'd cut it if you were planning on shipping it (thats why so many grocery type cantaloupes are that greenish viney color). Once its golden/brown, your ready to harvest. It will probably be another week or so.
Take a look at this image:

http://allthingsnext.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/cantaloupe.jpg

Also, what zone are you in?
ChicagoDeli37
Original Author
11 years ago
What type of spray? Any brand name?
In in chicago
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farmerdill
11 years ago
Unless it is a Charentais, all muskmelons slip from the vine when ripe. If you have to cut or break it from the vine it is not ripe.
ltilton
11 years ago
It won't be ripe till it changes color. I t hink those longer melons aren't cantaloupes, and each type has its own ripeness indicators.

The longer ones still look fuzzy - they've got a long way to go.

You may not get frost til November, there in the city. That won't be the problem, the problem is the shortening length of days. Melons need lots of sun and heat to grow sweet.
glib
11 years ago
I think you will beat frost, but you won't beat mildew without spray.
edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
11 years ago
Are they all the same type of melon? The netted one is definitely a muskmelon. I agree that they will lighten in color and slip from the vine when ripe. The one that's fully netted might ripen in time, but I'm not sure about the others. I also have a mildew problem on my leaves, but I'm hoping my last few melons ripen before the vines die. Too late for me to fight a mildew problem now.
barrie2m_(6a, central PA)
11 years ago
They'll ripen regardless but you may be dissapointed with the flavor.
ikea_gw
11 years ago
Once they turn yellow and start to smell good, you will notice that the stem will start to detach from the melon. At this point if you don't want your melons to fall, you can see if a little pressure on the stem will make the melon fall off. I grow my melons on the ground so I can wait for the stem to fall off the melon and then harvest.