Muskmelon: Sakata's Sweet How to grow & when is it Ripe?

[taffy341]

I have planted Sakata's Sweet muskmelons and they now have some small melons growing.

I've noticed that where there are small melons growing the leaves near them seem to start turning yellow/brown. Is it normal for leaves near a fruit/melon to start turning color like the melon is absorbing it's nutrients?

I was told to prune off the dead leaves so the remaining plant receives the nutrients... will new leaves grow or is the plant actually dieing?

The climate is hot (85-97 degrees). Can melons get too much water? Normal daily watering and/or every two (2) to three (3) days...? I'm concerned that I've been over-watering.

Please give me any and all advice & help with this Sakata's Sweet muskmelon.

I'm told that Sakata's Sweet muskmelon is a very sweet large apple size melon that skin & all can be eaten.
This is my first experiment with the Sakata's Sweet and I've never seen it before and obviously never tasted the melon.

[taffy341]

Also, is it true that too much watering will dilute the flavor and/or sweetness of the Sakata's Sweet muskmelon?

[Fusion_power]

Sakata Sweet is a nearly round to slightly ovoid asian melon that gets between baseball and softball size. Most should be just about the middle of the range. They tend to be very dense so will feel relatively heavy when ripe. When they get fully ripe, they tend to "slip" off the vine but best eating flavor is usually just before they turn loose. Contrary to others opinions, I don't recommend eating the rind. It has a slight tart/bitter flavor that I don't like. The melon is very sweet and suitable for various dessert dishes.

I'm unsure of the vine problems you are having, but would point out that these melons enjoy highly fertile soil. They especially respond to high levels of organic matter to grow in. They are also moderate to high users of nitrogen. From your description, it sounds like you may not have enough available nitrogen for the plant to maintain leaves and mature fruit.

Yes, there is a reduction in sweetness if you overwater them.

DarJones

[taffy341]

Thank you..... for your help. Glad you mentioned that the skin was 'tart'.... will definitely not eat the skin and spoil the sweet flesh favor.

My community garden raised bed plot is Organic: Microlife fertilizer (check website for ingredients), Texas Greensand, a little blood meal & Lady Bug's Uncle John's liquid Fertilizer.

I can add more nitrogen .... the melons are getting 'baseball size +'. And some are starting to change from green to yellow-green.

I'll stop watering everyday.... should I water every other day?
Also with the Sakata's Sweet I'm using the old 'chinese irrigation method' of having the plants around a12" diameter terra cotta pot filled with water (bottom hole plugged). Last season my Brussel Sprouts' (huge) grew close to the terra cotta pot absorbing it's water and I also watered the top soil. When I dug-up the Brussel Sprout plants, the soil (4" deep) on the outside of the plants (3" - 4" from outside edge of plants) was dry. I guess I've complicated the 'watering issue' ... lol ...

Question? What do you suggest for watering the Sakata's Sweet muskmelon? Houston, Tx. weather is now basically in the 90s ... hot.

Question? I may have goofed (lol) ,,, I picked a large green-yellow melon and put it in a brown paper bag. Will the Sakata's Sweet muskmelon ripen in a brown paper bag??? In fact, do melons ripen in brown paper bags... ?
(one of the other beginning community gardeners suggested it.... hmmmm ... "the dumb leading the dumb.... lol")

[Hoosier Girl]

If it is starting to shade into yellow, it may already be ripe. I grew them for the first time last year, and when I noticed this color change, just cut one open and tasted it. Yes, it was ripe, and quite tasty. It was softball sized. Experience tends to be the best schoolmaster, so sometimes you just have to get out the knife and plate to develop a feel.

I was losing leaves too, and eventually lost the plants, but not before they had provided numerous melons. They only had fair to middlin' soil fertility wise, and I didn't bother giving them any fertilizer. They got watered once or twice a week, maybe.

[Walk]

We eat the skins on the Sakata Sweet melon when they are ripe - color is just beginning to turn. Haven't noticed any bitterness but maybe weather conditions or poor soil have contributed to the lack of health of your plants and therefore the flavor was impacted.

Although they taste OK fresh, we think that the best way to savor these melons is to dehydrate them. The sweetness is really concentrated when dried. Remove the seeds and slice into thin slices (about 1/4" - we have on old mandoline type slicer). Dry until leathery. We did dozens of fruit this way last year and it was easier than using regular muskmelons because they didn't need to be peeled.

[taffy341]

I really appreciate everyone's information... thank you.

Tomorrow will taste a Sakata's Sweet that is green/yellow turning yellow and will definitely slice & dehydrate for saving after the growing season.

Question:
1- How long can dehydrated slices be saved?
2- Will the melon's ripen in a brown bag? I asked this previously but no one gave an opinion.

[Walk]

If properly dried, foods can last indefinitely if stored in glass jars with an airtight seal in a cool, dark location. However, foods lose nutrient value over time so they should be used up around the time of the next harvest season for maximum nourishment value. The melons are so good you'll be lucky to have them last that long ;>). Melons are best vine ripened but will ripen a bit if harvested a little early. I've never used a bag but just left them sit in our pantry until we eat them.

[ilex]

They crack fairly easily, so if you water a lot that's a real risk. Once cracked, you better be quick or anything that's alive will get into the melon.

I pick them when they change color, they also have a stronger smell.