FruitMelon
Dae Jang Geum Melon
Dae Jang Geum is a Korean hybrid melon that ripens in just 60-69 days, delivering sweet, crisp white flesh beneath a striking golden-yellow skin marked with elegant white sutures. This heat and drought-tolerant variety thrives in zones 2-13 and produces oval melons weighing over 1.5 pounds, making it both vigorous and productive. Whether you're gardening in traditional beds, raised plots, or even a greenhouse, this non-GMO hybrid handles diverse growing conditions with robust resistance to Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose, Bacterial Wilt, Downy Mildew, and Fusarium Wilt.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
15 in
Height
TypeVining
Spacing
72
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-13
Size
15in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Golden-yellow skin with distinctive white sutures creates a melon that's as beautiful as it is delicious. The white, crisp flesh delivers remarkable sweetness in just 60-69 days, making it one of the faster-maturing melons you can grow. Its exceptional disease resistance across five major pathogens, combined with genuine heat and drought tolerance, means you'll harvest abundantly even when conditions get tough. This is a melon bred for real-world gardens, not greenhouse perfection.
Common Uses
Fresh eating is where this melon shines, sliced and served chilled to showcase its crisp texture and concentrated sweetness. The compact size and white flesh make it well-suited to fruit salads and dessert preparations where visual appeal matters as much as flavor.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Sow seeds directly into warm soil after the last frost date has passed, when soil temperatures are reliably warm. Plant seeds at the spacing noted above to establish vigorous vines.
Harvesting
Melons are ready to harvest 60-69 days after planting. Look for golden-yellow skin as the primary ripeness indicator, and gently press near the blossom end; ripe melons yield slightly to pressure. The melon should slip easily from the vine when gently twisted. Harvest in the morning when fruit is still cool for the sweetest, crispest eating experience.
Pruning
Dae Jang Geum's vining growth habit benefits from light pruning to improve air circulation and prevent disease. Trim excess side shoots if vines become overly dense, but allow sufficient foliage to shade developing fruit and prevent sunscald. Avoid heavy pruning that removes flowering nodes.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucumis melo var. makuwa
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Growth Habit
Vining
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (W)