FruitMelon
Tam Dew Melon
Tam Dew is an heirloom honeydew melon bred for heat tolerance and reliable production across a wide range of climates. This open-pollinated variety matures in 100 to 109 days and produces elegant melons weighing around 5 pounds, with striking ivory skin and luminous green flesh inside. Grown from zones 2 through 13, it thrives in full sun and handles the demands of both garden beds and greenhouses. The Texas A&M Cooperative Extension specifically recommends this variety, a testament to its performance in challenging growing conditions.
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
48
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-13
Size
15in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
Tam Dew delivers exceptional keeping quality for a honeydew, storing for multiple weeks after harvest without quality loss, which makes it genuinely useful for home gardeners who want melons that don't demand immediate eating. The heat tolerance bred into this variety means it keeps producing when other melons slow down in hot summers, and the resistance to both Downy and Powdery Mildew protects it from two of the most common fungal problems that plague melon growers. The combination of old-fashioned open-pollinated genetics with modern disease resistance gives you the best of both worlds: reliable seed saving and reliable harvests.
Common Uses
Tam Dew melons are eaten fresh, chilled, and sliced for dessert or as a sweet addition to fruit platters. The dense, sweet green flesh is perfect for eating out of hand or portioning into fruit salads where its mild honeydew character shines without overpowering other flavors.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds into warm soil after the last frost date when soil temperature reaches 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. This is an annual vine that should not be started indoors; sow seeds directly where they will grow.
Harvesting
Tam Dew melons mature 100 to 109 days after planting. Harvest when the skin turns ivory and the melon yields slightly to gentle pressure at the blossom end. A ripe honeydew will often release easily from the vine with a light twist. Cut the melon from the vine with a sharp knife rather than yanking it off.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cucumis melo
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Growth Habit
Vining
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (W)