Courtesy Territorial Seed Company
Melons don’t mind their manners—at least as far as their growth habits are concerned. A single, rambling vine of a standard melon variety can cover up to 100 square feet of garden space,
Courtesy Territorial Seed Company
Melons don’t mind their manners—at least as far as their growth habits are concerned. A single, rambling vine of a standard melon variety can cover up to 100 square feet of garden space, and most urban farmers don’t have that kind of room to spare. It’s sad to think that delicious and nutritious homegrown melons are taken off the menu because of space restrictions.
This is especially true knowing that it doesn’t have to be this way. Miniature melon varieties are the perfect partners for city landscapes, taking up little room yet producing much like their full-size brethren.
Two Ways to Grow
Melons can be termed “minis” if their fruits are small—usually less than 2 pounds each. These mini melons produce vines that are as rowdy as standard-sized cultivars, taking up lots of garden space, but the fruit they produce is single-serving size.
“What makes these types of miniature melons a good fit for urban gardeners is the fact that their lightweight fruit doesn’t need to be supported when the plants are grown vertically,” says Niki Jabbour, author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener (Storey Publishing, 2011). “Gardeners with trellises, arbors, fences, tepees or other garden structures can easily grow these mini melons upward instead of outward.”
Vertical vines fill a far smaller garden footprint than vines left to ramble, and the developing fruits are kept up off the ground and away from pests and rot.
The second way mini melons are classified is by their growth habit. Bush-type melons are excellent choices for gardeners with limited space. These plants are far smaller in stature, taking up only a few square feet apiece, but in most cases, the fruit is standard size. The compact vines aren’t as prolific as full-sized vines, but production is still good. In most cases, each vine will produce three or more fruits.
Now let’s stop talking. Here are 10 mini melons you can start growing right away!
This beautiful little melon is one of the first to mature each season. With only 65 days to maturity, this Charentais-type averages just 5 inches in diameter. Its smooth skin ripens to a yellowish tan and is accentuated with dark green, shallow ribbing. The salmon-orange flesh is sweet as can be.
Production on Alvaro is an added bonus; each plant sets about a half-dozen fruits. Charentais melons do not slip from the vine when ripe; instead, look for yellowing skin and small cracks on the blossom end of the fruits. You can also smell when Alvaro is ready to be cut from the vine; the ripe, delectable fragrance is unforgettable.
2. Early Silver Line
This Korean introduction matures in 75 days. The oval-shaped, smooth, yellow-skinned fruit is highlighted with silver striping, and each small melon weighs between 1 and 2 pounds. The white flesh is very crisp and sugary, and with a name like Early Silver Line, you know it will be one of the first melon