FruitMelon
Top Mark Melon
Top Mark Melon is an open-pollinated cantaloupe that delivers what home gardeners crave: sweet, juicy orange flesh in just 80-89 days. This heirloom variety produces 3-4 pound fruits with a robust, aromatic character that tastes like summer itself. Hardy across zones 4-11, it grows as a vigorous vine and rewards full sun with abundant harvests. The combination of reliable disease resistance and exceptional flavor makes it a standout choice for anyone serious about growing melons.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
15 in
Height
TypeVining
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-11
Size
15in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The flesh is exceptionally sweet and aromatic with a juicy texture that defines what a cantaloupe should taste like. Top Mark resists Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, and scab, which means fewer battles with common melon problems. It reaches harvest maturity in roughly 80-90 days, fast enough to fit into most growing seasons, and the 7-inch fruits are sized perfectly for a family meal or market stand.
Common Uses
Top Mark Melon is grown for fresh eating, where its exceptional sweetness and aroma shine brightest. Slice it chilled for summer desserts, serve it as part of a fruit plate, or enjoy it on its own. The dense, juicy orange flesh is also excellent for smoothies and fruit salads where you want genuine cantaloupe flavor.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow at 70-85°F in seed-starting mix, keeping soil consistently moist until germination. Transplant seedlings into larger containers once they develop true leaves.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed. Space transplants 18 inches apart in rows 72 inches apart.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds after all frost danger has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 70°F. Sow 2-3 seeds per hill and thin to the strongest seedling once vines are established.
Harvesting
Top Mark melons are ready to harvest 80-89 days after planting. Pick when the fruit has a full, dense feel and the stem separates cleanly from the vine with gentle pressure. The melon should emit a sweet, fragrant aroma at the blossom end when ripe. Harvest in the morning for the sweetest flavor.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Growth Habit
Vining
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (W)