Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Charentais Melons - How to know they're ripe?

Charentais Melons, a.k.a. French Breakfast Melons are considered by many to be the sweetest, most flavorful melons in the world. And I have some growing in my garden!

I've been wondering how to know when they're ripe and ready to pick. These melons have a grayish yellow-green skin, typically the size of large grapefruits (~ 2 pounds). From what I've found on the internet, you must use your senses:

  1. Look - The skin will trade its gray-green color for a warmer yellow tone. 
  2. Smell - The nose knows! Charentais have a complex, full-bodied aroma with flower overtones.
  3. Taste - Eat them up quick, because these melons don't store well and do bruise easily.

Here's a good guide to harvesting all kinds of melons:
GardenWeb

Here's a nice video:
Harvesting a Charentais Melon

No comments:

Post a Comment