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| Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program
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'Charentais' Melons |
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| Sub-Category: |
Charantais/French
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| Sub-Category 2: |
| | Description: |
Original French Charentais-type. Smooth- and thin-skinned, 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-pound fruit matures to creamy yellow with green stripes and salmon flesh. Can ripen even in cool areas. Also known as 'Charantais'.
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| Days To Maturity: |
75-90
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| Seed Sources: |
Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2014
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| Rating Summary |
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Overall: (4.0 Stars)
Taste: (4.8 Stars)
Yield: (3.0 Stars)
Ease/Reliability: (2.2 Stars) |
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| Reviews |
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Login to share your Review of Charentais.
Number of Reviews: 4
KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease
Reviewed on 08/15/2012 by
Little Minnie
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
 Taste
Yield
Ease
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Sherburne, Minnesota, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| Taste and scent is phenomenal. You can smell them ripen outside. Several of mine split when ripe but then I got to eat them instead of the customers. Productivity was not bad and they are almost as early as MN Midget- only 2-3 behind. Mine were larger than grapefruit and contained 2-3 servings per melon. Mine also had a lot of sugar marks on the rind and sugar seeping from the stem. They change color when ripe. |
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Reviewed on 10/25/2007 by
mrmcgregor
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Cortland, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| I've grown these now for 5 years, and they're a pain to grow and don't produce much, but they have great flavor and a very practical (small) size. |
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Reviewed on 01/17/2007 by
California Olive
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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California, United States
Frost Free Season: More than 203 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| Charentais melons are known for adaptability to cooler climates than most melons, but in our hot, dry climate it's difficult for home growers to get a ripe, unsplit melon, whether they are heirloom or hybrid varieties (at least the ones I have tried). They are very sensitive to watering near the time they are maturing, and the high heat here makes you feel cruel for not watering, letting those little leaves curl up every day. "Helpful" people just can't stand to see them that way.
You can still eat the split melons, though. Flesh is firm and the taste is very good if you pick them at the right time. The taste is decent even if the melon is a little under-ripe. I would likely put the taste at 5 stars for melons grown under more suitable conditions. |
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Reviewed on 12/17/2006 by
starflakes
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Roberts, South Dakota, United States
Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| I struggled in an earthbox to get one melon in a drought year, but the one I was blessed with made me exclaim WOW. The seeds germinate slowly and the plants do not run over a huge area. They do not like high heat about 90 degrees as the blossoms fall off like alot of crops do. The fruit flavor of mine is best described as a pineapple muskmelon. It is so unique, flavorful and wondefully sweet I deem them worth the effort. I can see why people rave about them. Size was between baseball and softball. Everyone should experience a true Charentais at least once in their life. |
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Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program, © 2004-2024, All Rights Reserved
Cornell Garden Based Learning, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Horticulture Section
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