St. Nicholas Storage Melons --Has anyone tried these melons? Do they really store until Christmas time? Do they need a long growing season? Does anyone have some seeds to trade/ sell? I can't find the seeds listed in any of my Canadian books, maybe they have a different name?

-- Terri in NS (terri@tallships.ca), February 23, 2002

Answers

Here is an interesting article that may be helpful to you and seed sources listed: Every gardener should be a plant breeder, http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/kitchen/2001su_breeding.html Brooklyn Botanical Garden: “Developing new vegetables doesn't require a specialized education, a lot of land, or even a lot of time. It can be done on any scale. It's enjoyable. It's deeply rewarding. You can get useful new varieties much faster than you might suppose. And you can eat your mistakes.”

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 23, 2002.

Guess I should of put this in with the earlier post: It talks about the Xmas type melons that this person developed called 'Blacktail Mountain' and talks about "There are long-storage melons, the Christmas types," "I'm surprised more people don't grow them. I always do, and eat my last watermelons in February.”

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 23, 2002.

ms. terri, i belive baker creek seeds has 'em. www.rareseeds.com

also put winter melon or "santa claus melon" into your browser to find some more places.

www.hollarseeds.com/VarietyTables/VarietyData.htm

this is a link to some very informative charts, & had several winter/strorage melons listed.

i had tried one cassaba type strage melon, yup it stored, was grainy in texture but still sweet. nothing to compare to a ripe july melon, but in december it was grand! sorry didn't save any seed.

yes 90-120 days to maturity. start 'em indoors, set them out w/plastic mulch & htcaps/milkcartons/wall'o'waters whatever to extend your season.

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), February 28, 2002.