On learning to love melons

Not long before the start of the Second World War, my parents moved out of Manhattan to a twelve acre woody site on then very rural Long Island. When the war started and food rationing became the law, they soon expanded their little backyard garden to create an unusually large “Victory Garden,” as they were known, not only to help the Ware effort but also to provide better food during those years of restricted supply.

My parents were novice gardeners but their enthusiasm led them to heroic accomplishments, especially considering their lack of agricultural experience. Within a few seasons they were growing peach, pear, and apple trees, various cultivated berries, a giant asparagus patch, a multitude of their favorite vegetables and a long multi-specied grape arbor.

My father’s favorite crops were the melons. He grew an unusually delicious special variety called “Hand” melon and watermelon from special seeds sent from his brother in Alabama. Back then, before global warming extended the growing seasons, it was always uncertain whether or not there would be enough time for the watermelons to mature before the frost ruined them. But after several seasons of failure, my father had mastered the tricks for saving most of them: starting seeds early indoors, “hot caps” over young plants, special fertilizers.and so on. And the rest of the family learned to love melons just as my father did.

In her book, “Melons for the Passionate Grower,” Amy Goldman shows photos of more than 70 different species of melon including more than fifteen different varieties of watermelon.

These days supermarkets that carry melons usually limit their selection to watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe (muskmelon). Something in their recent breeding seems to have made them less flavorful. Occasionally in mid-season, some markets carry other types of melon like Piel Del Sapo and these are often a nice surprise.This summer I have seem three or four other kinds of melon in the local shops but they are usually gone the next day.

Melons may have originated in Africa or possibly Asia Minor, (experts aren’t sure) and have been popular for more than five thousand years. Watermelons are a separate family but most of the several hundred other types of melon are closely enough related to have been widely interbred to make new varieties.

The famous Hand melon, first grown by the Hand family at their farm near Saratoga Springs, NY in 1925 is still as prized as ever, Apart from its biological excellence, the Hand family has taken every step to assure outstanding quality melons including excellent soil, special fertilization, precise watering and careful timing of harvesting to assure optimum flavor.

Somewhere along the line I was introduced to Crenshaw melon, a cross between the Persian and Casaba melons. It’s a basic melon shape, longer than wide, generally with yellow skin and orange flesh and about the weight of a cantaloupe. In other words not very distinguished looking. They are very juicy like a honeydew but much more flavorful, an almost perfect taste.

But the Crenshaw has some drawbacks. First it’s only available from a few seed companies. It is also very difficult to find in stores, When it comes into markets it’s seldom ripe; and it should not be eaten before it is. Last year I planted them in the beginning of June and when they succumbed to frost in late September they were not much larger than softballs (and not sweet enough to eat). And they are especially attractive to small mammals (voles, mice, woodchucks, foxes, etc.). Even a fence may not be enough to stop all predators. One professional gardener recommends wrapping nearly mature melons in metal screening for its last few weeks on the vine.

This year I started indoors in late April and set the seedlings out around Memorial Day. They’re still not ready to harvest yet in late August but they are under assault by various critters. I’m taking a few in early and trying to ripen them on the window sill.

Whether I get any delicious, ripe melons remains to be seen...

Check your local markets for Crenshaw and other lesser known melons. Try a few different varieties if you have the chance; you will be pleasantly surprised.

Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.