Charentais Melon Seeds – Approx. 20 Seeds
A French cantaloupe
Charentais is a French cantaloupe melon associated with the Poitou-Charentes region. Its sweet, aromatic fruit is grown to be enjoyed fresh.
Plant and fruit
The plants form trailing vines that can also climb using tendrils. Broad green leaves and small yellow flowers accompany the relatively small, round fruits.
Charentais melons typically have grey-green skin with darker green markings and modest ribbing. Cut open a fruit to reveal orange flesh surrounding a central seed cavity.
Growing in the UK
For gardeners keen to grow their own melons, Charentais offers an appealing greenhouse crop. Give the vines warmth, plenty of light and room to trail or climb.
Botanical name: Cucumis melo
How to Grow Charentais Melon in the UK
When to Sow
Sow indoors from mid-April to mid-May. Melons need warmth to germinate and grow.
Sowing and Germination
Sow seeds in small pots of moist, peat-free seed compost and cover lightly. Keep warm, ideally in a heated propagator, and keep the compost moist but not waterlogged.
Growing On and Position
Once seedlings appear, give them plenty of light and keep them warm. Grow on in a sunny greenhouse or polytunnel, protecting plants from frost and cold nights. Plant into a large container, growing bag or greenhouse border when conditions are reliably warm.
Allow the vines to trail or train them up sturdy supports. Support developing fruit on climbing plants with a sling; place fruit on trailing vines on a tile or piece of wood to keep it off damp soil.
Watering and Feeding
Keep the compost or soil evenly moist, particularly while fruits are forming. Container-grown plants benefit from liquid feeding; switch to a high-potassium feed as the fruits develop, following the product instructions.
Flowering and Harvesting
Allow pollinating insects access to flowers. Under cover, you can also use a small brush to transfer pollen from a male flower to a female flower, which has a small fruitlet behind it.
Look for a characteristic melon fragrance and a stalk beginning to crack as signs that a fruit is ready to harvest.
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