Honeydew
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Golden Honeymoon is a rare heirloom honeydew melon that ripens two weeks ahead of standard honeydew varieties, delivering its sweet harvest in just 80 to 90 days. Its brilliant gold rind conceals creamy, delicious green flesh with a flavor all its own, a melon that's as visually striking as it is distinctive on the palate. This compact, heat-tolerant grower thrives in zones 2 through 13 and resists the sunburn problems that plague other melons, making it both reliable and rewarding for gardeners seeking something genuinely unique.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-13
15in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
What makes Golden Honeymoon special isn't just its stunning golden exterior or its head start on the harvest calendar, it's the rare combination of exceptional early maturity, disease resistance across six major pathogens, and a flavor profile that distinguishes it from typical honeydews. This open-pollinated heirloom produces excellent yields on compact plants that fit into smaller garden spaces, and it stores remarkably well once harvested. Unlike many melons that struggle with sunburn damage, Golden Honeymoon's robust rind protects the fruit even under intense sun.
Golden Honeymoon melons are grown primarily for fresh eating, where their creamy green flesh and distinctive honeydew character shine brightest. The fruit can be sliced and served chilled as a simple dessert, incorporated into fruit salads, or enjoyed on its own as a sweet treat during peak season. Its exceptional keeping qualities make it valuable for extending the melon season beyond the typical harvest window, allowing gardeners to enjoy their crop over several weeks rather than all at once.
Start seeds indoors 3 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds in individual pots filled with seed-starting mix, keeping the soil at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Provide bright light and maintain consistent moisture. Transplant outdoors only after the soil has warmed thoroughly and all frost danger has completely passed.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before transplanting. Move plants outdoors once soil temperatures consistently reach 60 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer, ideally waiting until nighttime temperatures stay above 50 degrees. Space transplants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 72 inches apart, setting them at the same depth they were growing in pots.
Direct sow seeds after the last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Space seeds 18 to 24 inches apart and thin seedlings to the appropriate spacing once they've developed their first true leaves.
Golden Honeymoon melons are ready to harvest 80 to 90 days after planting, typically in mid to late summer depending on your sowing date. Watch for a fully golden rind color and gentle give when the melon is gently pressed at the blossom end, a ripe melon should yield slightly to pressure but not feel mushy. The stem should separate cleanly from the vine with a gentle twist, and a sweet, honeydew-like fragrance should be detectable at the blossom end when the fruit is fully ripe. These melons are excellent keepers, so harvesting at peak ripeness rather than early ensures the best flavor and longer storage life.
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“Golden Honeymoon belongs to the lineage of heirloom honeydew melons preserved and celebrated by seed savers committed to maintaining genetic diversity in American gardens. As an open-pollinated, non-GMO variety, it represents the kind of agricultural heritage that seed companies like Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and True Leaf Market work to keep alive, melons that home gardeners and small farmers can save seeds from year after year. Its development as a melon that ripens markedly earlier than commercial honeydew suggests deliberate selection for regions with shorter growing seasons, a practical improvement that didn't require hybridization or genetic modification.”