Melon - Hales Best Jumbo Cantaloupe

Grow fragrant Hales Best Jumbo melons with thick salmon-orange flesh for summer wedges or freezer cubes.

Aromatic fruit for the summer table

Hales Best Jumbo makes round cantaloupes with thick, sweet salmon-orange flesh. Fruit grows about 6 1/2 inches across, an easy size to chill whole before cutting into wedges. The aromatic flesh is good cold from the refrigerator, spooned into a fruit bowl, or cubed for the freezer when several melons ripen together. This variety is for gardeners who want the familiar musky-sweet cantaloupe character and enough fruit to share at a summer meal.

Give vines warm ground and room

Cantaloupes need warm weather, full sun, and space for vines to run. Choose a bed where the vines will not bury nearby seedlings. Sow in a hill about 9 to 12 inches high and 2 feet across, with six seeds over the hill; when plants reach 3 inches tall, keep three of the strongest. Seed goes 1/2 inch deep. Plan rows and hills with room to spread, since this melon needs about 4 feet of planting and row space. Consistent moisture helps the plant establish and carry fruit through the hot part of the season.

Let the melon signal when it is ready

Plan for maturity in about 85 days, then check the fruit itself. A ripe Hales Best Jumbo turns golden beige, carries a distinct aroma, and slips easily from the vine. Those signs are more useful than the calendar alone. If the stem holds tight, give the fruit more time and check again the next day. Lift melons gently so the vine is not pulled or snapped. Chill ripe fruit promptly. If the bed produces more than the household can eat fresh, cut the extra into cubes and freeze them for smoothies or cold desserts.

Keep harvest simple

Harvest only when the fruit is fragrant and easy to separate, then cut it cleanly from the vine. Slice the cantaloupe lengthwise and scoop out the seed cavity before serving. Keep the cut halves refrigerated. A sharp knife makes neat wedges and leaves less fruit clinging to the rind. For a quick breakfast, pair chilled melon with yogurt or cottage cheese; for a summer plate, serve it alongside salty cured meat or a handful of berries.

Directions for use

Planting depth: 0.5 inch. Days to germination: 7 days. Days to harvest: 85 days. Planting space: 4 feet. Spacing rows: 4 feet.

Sow 6 seeds over a hill 9 to 12 inches tall and 2 feet across. When plants are 3 inches tall, thin to 3 plants per hill.