Abby,

I also bought some Ambrosia "cantaloupe" plants at a local greenhouse. I've harvested 6 melons so far from the 4 plants. I've weighed all of them and kept a log of that data, but it's on my computer at home. But I do remember that the largest one was 88 ounces (5.5 lbs) and the smallest was around 44 ounces (2.75 lbs). There are about 4 more good melons growing, one that looks stunted, and a couple that have just started growing. I have not been satisfied with the taste though. Maybe I picked them too early, but I just touched the vine where it connects to the melon lightly and the vine slipped off the melon just like I had read. My wife says they taste a little like honeydew melons which is maybe why she likes them and I am disappointed. They just aren't as sweet as I had hoped. I don't think I over-watered them although we did receive a lot of rain in June that I of course had no control over. They are definitely still good to eat so I guess I shouldn't complain. I hope yours turn out well. If I can keep the aphids from destroying the vines, maybe I'll be harvesting melons for another month or more. Good luck!

Eric

Ambrosia is far from my favorites, But as Eric stated it is a nice size melon averaging 31/2 to 4 lbs. Like most most lopes they start out green, develop netting, turn a tan gold when ripe. They slip from the vine, so it is easy to tell when to pick them. It is a popular market melon in the southeast.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ambrosia melon

Ambrosia's okay but Burpee's Early Crenshaw is MUCH much better than Ambrosia, though it isn't listed as a muskmelon and doesn't slip from the vine when ripe. It's bigger and much sweeter.

My Ambrosia size does vary (6"- 8" diameters) but all have been quiet sweet this season. We have been on the dry side here. The green netted look will quickly change to orange almost over night and they must be harvested quickly or the bugs will find them. I also place a hand full of pine needles under them to prevent bottom rot which can occur during rainy spells. The sweetness and texture will depend upon how close you pick it at it's peak of ripeness, the window is short at perhaps 24 hours. These are true vine ripened and not like the harder under ripe ones found at the market.

I'm new to growing melons (last year was my first), but I was blown away by Ambrosia's sweetness and yield. The only other melons that I was able to havest last year were watermelons and they were no better (and probably worse) than a typical supermarket purchase.

I had so many Ambrosias last year that I had to give them away. I gave one to a coworker one morning and later that day I saw it outside his office on a table so I asked why. It turns out that the melon was so sweet smelling that it was making him sick in the small space of his office!

I'm growing them again this year with other muskmelons so I'll have something to compare them to, but I can't imagine something being sweeter! Then again, some above said Burpee Crenshaw is MUCH sweeter so I'll have to put that on my list for next year.

Bart

I agree that Crenshaw is very good and sweet but I grew them just once due to low production. Got 1-2 Crens/vine as compared to 4-5 Ambrosias/vine.

vgkg

My Crenshaws have been twice as big and heavy as the Charentais melons I grew this year, and about that much larger than the Ambrosia melons I grew the two years prior. So the poundage of melon I've harvested is about the same.

Of all the melons I've grown, I prefer the Crenshaws so far, but I do realize that you have to grow melon varieties for several years to get a sense of what their production and taste actually are. This year in particular has been very good for tomatoes and melons in this area. Last year was not. I didn't grow Ambrosia this year because of space limitations, and it may not be fair to try to compare melons grown in different years.

"The green netted look will quickly change to orange almost over night".

I've actually been waiting for that to happen for about a week. Well, maybe they are not done developing the netted look yet.

Ambrosia is a cantaloupe/muskmelon. There are several hundred cultivars. But it is unfair to compare a single cultivar with other types of melons. Some folks may like Honey Dews or Crenshaws or Canarys or Spanish melons better than Cantaloupes. I would hate to pick one type, if I had to it would be Galias. For me there are many better cantaloupes than Ambrosia and for me Lily is a better Crenshaw than Burpees. But it is not fair to compare Lily to Ambrosia any more than saying a Delicious apple is superior to a Bartlett pear.

Wow! The number of replies shot up really quick! Thanks for all the info everyone, I might post pics later on if this thread doesn't die.
Btw, the only reason I'm growing Ambrosia is because most of the cantaloupe and muskmelon plants I grew from seed died. It was the only muskmelon variety that the local nursery was carrying at the time, so I gave them a shot.

Abby

Myself, I hated the winey taste of Ambrosia when I tried it years ago. I have a huge Lilly [Lillie?] that is ready to pick and the Burpee Crenshaws are great. I brought in the first Sugar Queen today and have Rocky Sweet and Star Headliner ready too....plus many watermelons eaten, eating, and on deck.

Yes the Ambrosia Melon will literally Turn Color Overnight to the rich Golden color and the Netting "seems" to fade away.

Eric's problem with aphids..Introduce Lacewing larvae every week during the season.
I have added link to my favorite Supplier of Lacewing.

An agree with most..
The Crenshaw is Number one for Sweetness.
and I Rate
Ambrosia Number 2

Here is a link that might be useful: Lacewing available from the Oldest Biological Control Insectary in the US. Established in the late 1950's