Melon Canary Yellow 2 - Cucumis melo

The 'Canary Yellow Melon 2' is an early variety with oval, yellow, ribbed fruits weighing about 1.5 kg. Its white flesh is juicier than most melons. This melon can be stored in a cool cellar for several months and is often consumed during Christmas. Sowing from March to May. Harvest from June to September.

The melon is a compact, round, oblong or long fruit with smooth, ribbed or reticulated skin. The very watery flesh can be green, white, yellow or orange and encloses a central cavity filled with seeds. It is commonly consumed raw as an appetiser or sweet dessert but also in sorbets, jams, compotes or syrup. The small melons removed during thinning and various pruning can be prepared as pickles marinated in vinegar and accompanied by seasonings. Melon is very hydrating, refreshing and diuretic. It is rich in trace elements and vitamins B and C in particular. Orange-fleshed varieties also contain vitamin A (the famous carotene!).
They are creeping annual herbaceous plants whose female flowers are distinguished from male flowers by their inferior ovary (under the flower), marking like an embryo of fruit. They are located on each plant's secondary or tertiary branches and will form the fruit. As for the male flowers, they always insert themselves in the axils of the leaves on the main stem.

Harvest: four weeks are necessary between fruit formation and harvesting. The sweet smell emitted by the fruit and the peduncle on the verge of detaching indicates that the harvest can occur.

Storage: if it is not opened, the melon can easily be stored for several days (up to 5 days) in a dry and airy place on racks, for example. You can freeze it if it has been opened or suffered a shock. You will remove the skin and the central seeds before cutting it into pieces and moistening it with the juice of a lemon.

The gardener's tip: place a slate plaque or a tile under the fruit. It will no longer be in direct contact with the ground, thus preventing it from rotting due to humidity. Also, remember to mulch around the plants, especially during the peak of summer, as melon plants like cool soils.
Melons are very prone to powdery mildew (a fungal disease that leaves a white fuzz on the surface of the leaves). Carefully avoid watering the leaves or flowers. Melons are very demanding fruits belonging to the cucurbit family. Like all its members - cucumbers, watermelons, squash, etc. - they deplete the nutrients in the soil. Therefore, it is advisable not to cultivate this type of fruit in the same place or succession to avoid excessively depleting the soil.
Plant them with oregano, as they make a good companion both in the garden and on the plate.