By Clint Thompson
Small melon producers in the southeast have a few options to choose from if they want to capitalize on new cantaloupe varieties, according to Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist.
“It’s one of those crops that we have a lot more potential with. It’s scattered through the state. Most growers, especially if they have roadside stands, all grow cantaloupes,” Kemble said. “They all tend to focus on older varieties, heirlooms and other types, which are great. But the problem is most of them don’t have very good shelf life. I think if I’m a market grower, if I’m growing for a roadside stand or if I’m trying to get in commercially, I think it’s always a good ideal to trial some varieties. I think these are three that I would put at the top of my list to look at this year.”
Strong Qualities
The three varieties include Anne’s Charentais, D’Artagnan and Savor. All offer long shelf life, a sweet taste and needed protection against diseases.
“The flesh stays crisp longer as opposed to getting mushy quickly. That’s been one of the nice things. The flesh stays nice and crisp. It cuts well. You can really stretch out the typical shelf life for those,” Kemble said. “Taste wise, I think they actually beat out some of the more traditional types that we grow.
“All three of those have really good disease packages.”
Longer shelf life is essential for growers, whether they are selling their product at a market stand or if they’re shipping it across the country. Every producer longs for a crop that will stay edible for an extended period of time.
“I think these have been very helpful for shippers. There’s a couple that I think are worth looking at. They have done really well in our trials here,” Kemble said. “(Anne’s Charentais) has done exceptionally well. Even when we’ve done taste tests for it, frankly, it’s tastier than some of the old types that are out there. Everyone looks at Athena for being the market standard for eastern types. Anne’s is a netted type; it doesn’t have sutures. Its taste is significant.” “It’s always done really well with 11% and 12% in higher brix.”
Other options include Brilliant, a Canary melon, and the other is Lampkin a Piel Da Sapo melon.