I saw on ABC that too much water after the melon has set, can result in a flavourless melon.
I also read that too much nitrogen can result in a lack of flavour.
I have never heard of the variety you bought, so who knows. It certainly sounds like a dissapointing experience.
Cheers,
Dee.

I've done the too much water thing last year. My melons were awful. Like watery bags of slop. But they had some flavour. Sounds like you've been had.

I grew rockmelons two years ago and they tasted salty.
I thought it may have been caused by feeding them with Seasol twice. ???
And I was very carefull with the watering like not too much before harvest.
I may have got a packet of bad seeds also but not from ebay....Cheers..MM.

I suspect the seeds were duds, but I've never grown melons before and so have no basis of comparison, ie did I overwater? Still, I'm tempted to try again next spring. The fruit is quite small--about the size of a baseball--a solid gold in colour, and doesn't take that long to mature, so I might persevere, but next time I'll keep them dry and hungry. Don't suppose anyone else is willing to join in the experiment, if I can harvest some extra seeds? Then we could establish definitively if it's just me or the seeds!

Incidentally, they were sold as 'vine peach' melons.

MM ... maybe I should add a little vanilla essence to the watering, if they absorb additives so readily :-)

That's not a bad idea just try it on one plant you never know,
A new experiment after all strange things happen in the garden don't you think.
Cheers..MM.

I would suggest trying the charentis melon from france and then there are some wonderful ones called galia which are tropical melons, which are supposed to taste sweet and spicy.
Melon seed can be imported into Australia, you just need the seed company to put the scientific name of the melon species on either the seed packet or invoice, or they will confiscate them. I have successfully imported seed, as I am trying to get a melon that ripens in my cool climate, until I get my greenhouse built

If it's of any help, melons (rockmelons, cantaloupes etc) are thought to have originated in Northern Africa. I'd imagine then that they would do best during a dry summer. In non-mediterranean climates, this may be hard to replicate but we can certainly control the amount of water we give them. Maybe a weekly watering during dry spells but otherwise nothing is the way to go for melons. Just a thought.

Helen, which varieties are you thinking of trying or have you tried? I get my seeds from Baker Creek in the US. Do you know them? Best selection of melons and pumpkins I've seen.

hi ray

I have am currently trialling Minnesota Midget. Last year I tried Collective Farm Woman, Charentis. They grew well under the black plastic, but unfortunately I twisted my ankle and my partner had to water them and he doesnt believe in watering plants much, even in summer, so they didnt do too well.

I have got some seed from Bakers Creek also, what are your favourites and could you recommend any for me for next year?

regards

Helen

I've been browsing the Baker Creek website at www.rareseeds.com and found the following description of the 'mango melon or vine peach':
The 3" fruit are the size of a peach, with a yellow rind and bland white flesh. This variety was very popular in Victorian times for making sweet pickles, pies and preserves. They were developed in China and introduced into America in the 1880's. In the Orient this type of melon is pickled.

Mystery solved: it's a pickling melon, not intended for eating raw. A case of false advertising on the part of the seller ('tastes like mango') rather than unfavourable growing conditions! Anyway, I'll be pulling out the vines and working some manure into the area to prepare for a new crop of something that I might actually enjoy eating ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Bakers Seeds: Asian & Eastern melons