Crenshaw Sweet Melon Culinary SELECT! {Cucumis melo} Heirloom | 110-day melon | Free Shipping! US Seller 40+ seeds Crenshaw melons are oblong with skin of a pale, creamy yellow color. The flesh is orange, creamy, sweet, and very aromatic, among the very best of all melon types. 110 days. The Crenshaw melon is a hybrid cross between the cantaloupe and casaba melons. The Crenshaw melon is sweet in flavor and has a yellow-green appearance. This melon is softer than many other types,and weighs around six pounds. 6 to 10 pound fruit ripens to yellow outside with thick, salmon colored flesh. An excellent source of Vitamin C. The Crenshaw melon seeds will need full sun to thrive, and can be planted indoors and transplanted outside after six weeks. Alternatively, the seeds can be directly planted outside two weeks after the last frost in the spring. The seeds should be sown one inch deep, four to six feet apart, in loose soil. While growing, the melons will need regular and even growing. When the melons have reached their full size, watering should be stopped while the melons mature. After about one hundred and ten days, the melons will be ripe and should easily slide off the vine. Germination: 85%Germination: 03/16/22 Germinate 4 to 8 days at 75 to 85 F. Plant seeds 1 inch deep, 28 inches apart with 4 to 6 feet between rows.These melons can reach up to 10 pounds, and have a lovely salmon/orange-pink interior. Crenshaws are deliciously sweet and have a wonderful, smooth, silky texture. This heavy-yielding plant prefers warm regions and does best in the heat. Before Planting: A light, well-drained soil with a pH of 7.0 and a southern exposure is ideal. Good soil moisture is important in early stages of growth and during pollination when fruits are setting. Planting: For direct seeding, sow 1-2 weeks after last frost when soil is warm, above 70°F, 3 seeds every 18″, 1/2″ deep, thinning to 1 plant/spot. Space rows 6′ apart. For transplanting, sow indoors in 3 weeks before last frost and transplanting outside. Plant 2-3 seeds per or pot, about 1/4″ deep. Keep temperature 80-90°F until germination. Handle young plants carefully and never let the soil dry out. Grow seedlings at 75°F. Reduce water and temperature for a week to harden seedlings. When the weather is frost-free, warm, and settled, transplant 2-3′ apart in rows 6′ apart or thin to 1 plant/pot or cell with scissors and transplant 18″ apart. Even hardened melon seedlings are tender. Do not disturb roots when transplanting, and water thoroughly. Watering: Melons need a steady supply of water, and soil needs to be damped but not flooded, approximately 1 inch a week. Days to Maturity: A ripe melon should be very easy to remove from the vine. For a cantaloupe, the netting pattern on the melon becomes more visible and a crack appears at the base of the stem when it was ripe. For a honeydew, the color becomes creamy. Most melon varieties are ready for harvest when the gray-green color begins to change to pale yellow and when a light tug separates the fruit from the vine. Some melon types, like honeydew, Charentais, canary, Spanish, and Crenshaw are overripe by the time the stem can be tugged from the fruit. (See each variety for days to maturity) Harvesting: Melons must be cut from the vine. All melons should be stored at 90% relative humidity. Store ripe melons at 40-45°F for 7-14 days. Tips: Cut off watering 1 week before harvest. This will give a more flavorful, concentrated melon. Over watering before harvest can cause bland taste.
