Description

'Hale’s Best Jumbo' cantaloupe is a favorite among experienced gardeners, thanks to its incredibly sweet, thick-walled flesh. Each 3–5-pound fruit has a small seed cavity, meaning more delicious, juicy melon to enjoy! The melon’s salmon-pink flesh is heavily netted and packed with flavor. Known for its drought tolerance, this cantaloupe grows well in most climates, making it a reliable and rewarding crop. With vines that can sprawl up to 6', 'Hale’s Best Jumbo' is a classic variety that stays sweet and delicious, even in warmer conditions.

Botanical Name: Cucumis melo
Days to Maturity: 85 days
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Native: Africa, Asia, Australia, West Pacific Islands
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Plant Dimensions: Sprawling vine; average 6', but can be more.
Variety Information: 6″ diameter, 3–5 pound average, heavily-netted fruit with very sweet, thick, salmon-pink flesh. Small seed cavity means more fruit! Plants are more drought tolerant than other varieties; however, since melons have a high percentage of water, prolonged drought can reduce yields.

When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70°–90°F.
When to Start Inside: Recommended for short-season areas. 2 to 4 weeks before transplanting within 2 weeks after your average last frost date. Sow into biodegradable pots that can be directly planted in the ground; roots are sensitive to disturbance.
Days to Emerge: 5–10 days
Seed Depth: ¼”
Seed Spacing: 2–3 seeds per mound
Row Spacing: 4'–6' apart
Thinning: Thin to 1 plant per mound

Harvesting: Harvesting at the right time is very important with melons. Commercial growers harvest before melons are ripe, forcing them to ripen off the vine, but the last few days of ripening on the vine put a lot of sugars into the melon. Consequently, melons taste significantly better when vine ripened. How do you know when melons are ripe? Use these indicators: 1) The color between the surface netting is brown, not green. 2) A ripe melon will have a pleasant, fruity aroma at the blossom end. 3) A crack will form on the stem right near the point of attachment. This is called the “slip stage” and in a few days, the melon will detach from the vine with little effort and pressure. If it is somewhat difficult to detach the fruit from the vine, the melon is not ready yet. Do not allow to over-ripen.

This packet sows up to 16 mounds. 32 seeds in the packet.