Hearts of Gold is a classic cantaloupe that delivers sweet, aromatic fruit in just 80 days from planting. This heirloom muskmelon produces small to medium melons with the golden-orange flesh that gave the variety its evocative name. Direct sow or start indoors after your last frost date when soil temperatures reach 70, 90°F, and you'll be harvesting fragrant, netted fruits by midsummer.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-11
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These cantaloupes earned their name for a reason: slice one open and you'll find that distinctive golden-orange interior that's both beautiful and reliably sweet. At 80 days to harvest, Hearts of Gold fits neatly into most growing seasons, and the vines thrive in full sun with minimal fussing. The netted skin is a reliable sign of ripeness, making harvest straightforward even for first-time melon growers.
Hearts of Gold melons are enjoyed fresh: halved and seeded, served chilled as a breakfast or dessert, or cut into cubes for fruit salads. The sweet, aromatic flesh also works beautifully in smoothies and as a simple palate cleanser after meals.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
For short-season areas, start seeds indoors 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost date. Sow into biodegradable pots (melon roots are sensitive to disturbance and benefit from planting directly into the ground in their containers) at a depth of 1/4 inch. Keep soil at 70, 90°F for germination. Transplant within 2 weeks after your last frost date once soil has warmed.
Transplant 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, when soil temperature reaches 70, 90°F. Plant biodegradable pots directly in the ground to minimize root disturbance. Space plants 2 inches apart with 4 inches between rows, allowing room for vines to spread.
Direct sow 1 to 2 weeks after your last frost date when soil temperature is consistently 70, 90°F. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep and thin seedlings to 1 plant per mound.
Hearts of Gold melons are ready to harvest at 80 days. Look for a tan, netted skin and a sweet aroma wafting from the blossom end as signs of ripeness. Gently press the melon with your thumb near the blossom end; ripe fruit will yield slightly to pressure. Twist or cut the stem cleanly from the vine. Melons harvested at full ripeness will be sweetest.
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