Have not grown it, but Indy rates it very highly> He will probably be along shortly to give you the run down. Tendersweet is hard to beat under my conditions, If I had to grow just one yellow meater, that or Golden Honey would be my choice. I grow two hybrids each year, but so far have not found one that was definitly superior to open pollinated counterparts. Usually but no always they are more uniform in size. Tendersweet
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One of the hybrids which I have tried Summer Gold. Not recommended.
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Do ypu prefer Golden Honey over Orangeglo?
Ray

Yes. Orangeglo is an excellent melon. Flavor is competitive with Tendersweet. Biggest drawback is a soft brittle rind. Never had one split in the patch, but it has to be handled with kid gloves. It also is a long season melon. Golden Honey is a much smaller melon, but much earlier, and will take some handling just like Tendersweet.
Golden Honey
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Orangeglo. Great late melon but hard to transport.
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I have grown Gold Strike....and properly raised and ripened, it is delicious.

Orangeglo has never cracked on me at all and is delicious too. It did have some hollowheart this year, but usually doesn't. I got an early fruit this year from Orangeglo by hand pollinating. This melon is one vigorous grower.

I raised Tenersweet once and it had hollowheart and mine wasn't as good as the other golds.

Tendergold can be great too.

I plan to try a couple new golds for me next year.....Pure Orange and Orange Sunshine.

If a person does plant a seedless, Sweet Slice Plus is a healthy grower and can be very good tasting...at least my 25 pounder was. I gave the rest away.

Tendergold is good. Very similar to Tendersweet Orange, which I still prefer.
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The only yellow meater that I have ever grown, that was a big dissapoitment was Tastigold. Flavor and production was fine. But fully a third of the melons split in the patch. Had a few duds in Red meaters. Matador and Royal Golden being the worst.
The original Sweet Slice, OK but not worth the price of seeds.
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Maybe I should list the varieties that I'm considering for
next year, and if guys don't mind, tell me the ones I should cull.
AU Sweet Scarlet
AU Producer
Chris Cross
Legacy
Verona
Crest
Orange Flesh Tenedersweet
Gold Strike
Yellow Doll
Orange Glo
Bush Snakeskin
Star Brite,
Mountain Sweet Yellow and now
Golden Honey
I know this is a long list, and I sure appreciate your comments.
Ray

Au Sweet Scarlet- One of the best I have ever grown. Large melon and early ripening.
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AU Producer - Supposed to be an improved Crimson Sweet, almost identical,but I prefer the Crimson Sweet.
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Chris Cross, Excellent melon. shoudl be considered an improved Dixie Queen.
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Legacy- One of the best of the Alsweet types. Very uniform melons, excellent flavor, and a dependable producer.Don't have a photo available at the moment.
Verona- The best Black Diamond type that I have grown. Big, tasty, uniform and dependable.
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Crest- A Charleston Grey type hybrid that is the best hybrid I have grown to date. Early crown set.
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Tendersweet. see previous posts. Orange has a shade better flavor than the Yellow.
Gold Strike- see previous posts
Yellow Doll - Oustanding pale yellow fleshed icebox type hybrid. Very early.
Bush Snakeskin- Have not grown. Have not been ovely impressed with other short vine (bush) watermelons.
Starbright- Have not grown.
Mountain Sweet Yellow- Have not grown the Yellow, but the red is a good oldtimer.
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Melon growers--------I have a ? please tell me the watermelons that has the best vine growth.
Jack

Jack,

The variety that has the largest stem coming out of the ground with the strongest vine usually for me is Orangeglo. Summer Flavor #420 is another good grower ....oftentimes.

Farmerdilla

The salesman at Willhites said that AU Producer is his #1 seller and that he rarely sells AU Sweet Scarlet. I was going to get both of them, and knew that Producer was supposed to be an improved Crimsom Sweet. Why do you prefer Crimson Sweet & Tendersweet over Tendergold ??

I'm a backyard grower, and I've got room for two hills
each for 12 different varieties. Thanks
Ray

Probably more personal preference than anything else. Crimson Sweet has a more tender flesh for me than AU producer but is not quite as uniform in size. Willhite used to vend all of the Alabama melons AU Sweet Scarlet, AU Producer, AU Golden Producer ( virtually identical to the Yellow fleshed Crimson Sweet)and AU- Jubilant ( A Jubilee type). Have not tried the Jubilant as they dropped it before I got around to it, but the others were good melons) I have grown Tendersweet for about 50 years, try lots of others, but so far nothing has blown it away in its class. Tendergold is more uniform in size, but has no other advantages over Tendersweet that I can notice.

I appreciate your comments and the wonderful pics. Thanks
Ray

Hi Farmerdilla,
I am planning to grow Crimson sweet in my backyard this year. Will you able to tell me how long the vines grow and approximately how many fruits I can expect. Also is this variety self-polinated. I am just planning to have one plant..

Thanks,

Vidyaa

Hi Rayrose, I just stumbled across your old thread asking opinions of Gold Strike Watermelons (I was searching for Strike beans) and wanted to ask you how they turned out for you. Gold Strike has been my #1 melon going on 5+ years now. A perfect mix of crispness, sweetness & juiciness that melts in your mouth, down to the rhine. Last year I gave some seed to an old timer watermelon grower (even older than me) and it's now his & his families favorite too. Hope you're still growing it a-ok.

Vidyaa: Crimson is a normal plant. 8-10 feet on average. For 22lb melons two melons at a set is expected. They may set 3 or more from time to time but will size down. When the first ripen they will usually set two more. Some years I will get three sets. Making a total of 6 melons ripening from early July to the first of October. They are insect pollinated, so you may have to hand pollinate. Two plants would be better.

Gold Strike is an awesome watermelon; sweetest of the orange/yellow we've found; like (rayrose SC 8) Gold Strike and Big Stripe are our favorites. We also grow the big Charleston Gray. Having trouble finding Gold Strike seed for '23. Willhite's tells me they are dropping it!! ANYONE Please post if you locate another supplier.

ive grown gold strike for years, they are the best. but this year i can not find seeds. davids is out of them, seed kingdom went out of business.if anyone has any seeds i would love to buy them.

I was just looking for seed for Gold Strike and came across this thread. Hands down, here in zone 10 Florida, it is my favorite melon by a long distance. I am looking for seed for the 2nd year in a row but have not had any luck. Does anyone know where I can find some?