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Cucumis melo Cavaillon

Cucumis melo Cavaillon
Melon 'Cavaillon'

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A vigorous variety of melon with oval fruits. It produces a late crop of firm and sweet melons, with orange-pink flesh. Sow the seeds in spring and harvest from August to October.

Ease of cultivation

Beginner

Height at maturity

30 cm

Spread at maturity

1.50 m

Soil moisture

Moist soil

Germination time (days)

7 days

Sowing method

Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat

Sowing period April to June

JAN J

FEB F

MAR M

APR A

MAY M

JUN J

JUL J

AUG A

SEP S

OCT O

NOV N

DEC D

Flowering time April to June

JAN J

FEB F

MAR M

APR A

MAY M

JUN J

JUL J

AUG A

SEP S

OCT O

NOV N

DEC D

Harvest time August to October

JAN J

FEB F

MAR M

APR A

MAY M

JUN J

JUL J

AUG A

SEP S

OCT O

NOV N

DEC D

Description

Cucumis melo 'Cavaillon' is a vigorous variety of melon that produces oval fruits. It produces a late crop of firm and sweet melons, with aromatic orange-pink flesh. Sow the seeds under cover in spring and harvest from August to October. The melon can be consumed as both an appetiser and a dessert.

The melon is an annual, creeping herbaceous plant from the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a round or elongated fruit with a smooth, ribbed, or reticulated skin. The juicy flesh can be green, white, yellow, or orange.

It can be eaten raw as an appetiser or dessert, as well as in sorbets, jams, compotes, or syrup. The small melons removed during thinning and pruning can be prepared as pickles, marinated in vinegar and accompanied by herbs. Refreshing and diuretic, melons are rich in trace elements and vitamins A, B, and C.

Harvesting: melons are ready to be harvested when they give off a sweet smell and a small crack appears around the stem. Cut the fruit with pruning shears. Harvesting takes place 4 to 5 months after sowing, from July to September approximately.

Storage: the fruits can be stored for up to 5 days in a dry and well-ventilated place. Rest them on racks, for example. If it has been cut open or has been damaged, you can freeze it (cut the flesh into pieces and moisten it with lemon juice).

Gardener's tip: place a slate or a tile under the fruit. This will block direct contact with the ground, thus avoiding rotting due to humidity. Also, consider mulching around the plants, especially during the peak of summer, to keep the soil moist.

Harvest

Harvest time August to October

Type of vegetable Fruit vegetable

Vegetable colour yellow

Size of vegetable Large

Interest Flavour, Nutritional value

Flavour Sugary

Use Table, Jam, Cooking

Plant habit

Height at maturity 30 cm

Spread at maturity 1.50 m

Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Annual

Foliage colour medium green

Botanical data

Genus

Cucumis

Species

melo

Cultivar

Cavaillon

Family

Cucurbitaceae

Other common names

Melon 'Cavaillon'

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference • 42691

Planting and care

Soil preparation

Melons require nutrient-rich soil and plenty of warmth for successful fruiting. Choose a location that is both sunny and sheltered. Melon plants prefer moist but well-drained soil. Loosen the soil to a depth of about 10cm (4in), without turning it over. Add well-decomposed organic compost. If the soil does not drain well, it is possible to create a small mound for each plant.

Sowing under glass

In areas with less sunlight, it is wise to sow melon seeds on a warm bed in a greenhouse before transplanting them to the ground. Starting from the end of March, fill pots (minimum 8cm (3in) in diameter) with special seed compost and plant 2 or 3 melon seeds per pot, with the pointed end downwards to facilitate root development. Moisten the soil, which should remain moderately moist. The seeds usually germinate in about a week. When the plants have three true leaves, thin them out to keep only one plant per pot. Depending on the sowing date, you can either transplant them to the ground if the soil is warm enough and the risk of frost has passed, or keep one plant in each pot until the soil warms up. When transplanting in the ground, leave a spacing of 1m (3ft) between rows and between plants in a row.

Sowing in the ground

In warm regions or on the Atlantic coast, it is possible to sow melon seeds directly in the ground. Make sure beforehand that the soil is warm enough. Sow two to three seeds in holes, with the pointed end downwards, keeping a spacing of 1m (3ft) between rows and between plants in a row. Moisten the soil, which should remain moderately moist. When the plants have three true leaves, keep the strongest one. This sowing can be done in May, once the risk of frost has passed. Use cloches or mini-tunnels if necessary.

Melons require regular watering (about twice a week in summer, depending on the climate). Be careful to water only the base of the plant and not the leaves to prevent powdery mildew. Regularly weed and hoe.

Melons are quite "hungry," so you can follow them with peas or broad beans.

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Seedlings

Sowing period April to June

Sowing method Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat

Germination time (days) 7 days

Care

Soil moisture Wet

Disease resistance Good

Pruning instructions With the new varieties of hybrid melon, it is no longer necessary to pinch the leaves, so only perform step No. 4 to have a more beautiful fruit. In other cases, especially with old varieties, proceed as follows: 1. When the young plant bears 4 leaves, pinch above the first two leaves to encourage branching. This will result in two main branches. 2. Once these branches have at least three leaves, pinch them again above the third leaf on both sides. 3. Repeat the process on the new branches above the third leaf, following the same principles. 4. During the fruiting process, pinch one leaf above the fruit to focus the sap on the fruit and not on the production of new branches. Keep a maximum of 5 to 7 fruits per plant. If there are surplus fruits, pick them when very immature and let them marinate in vinegar.

Pruning Pruning recommended once a year

Pruning time May to June

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden

Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map

Ease of cultivation Beginner

Soil light

Exposure Sun

Soil pH Any

Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 130

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