Sugar Melon - Cantalopue Petit Gris de Rennes [Cucumis melo]

The annual Cantaloupe melon 'Petit Gris de Rennes' produces fruits weighing 500 to 800 g with orange and aromatic flesh, even in cooler regions. With subtle caramel nuances and a fine melon-like taste. Ideal for direct sowing or pre-cultivation, pot culture possible, sowing in spring, good for mixed culture, harvesting the fruits.

 Description 
The Cantaloupe melon 'Petit Gris de Rennes' is a very old annual subspecies of sugar melon and originally comes from the regions around Brittany. The variety was described in the garden of the Bishop of Rennes 300 years ago. The early-ripening and high-yielding French variety produces fruits weighing 500 to 800g with a smooth gray skin. The orange and aromatic flesh with subtle caramel nuances has a fine, fresh, melon-like taste. The fruits of the robust plant ripen even under less warm conditions and are therefore ideal for outdoor cultivation in temperate climates. One plant develops 2-5 fruits.

 General information 
Plant family: Cucurbitaceae
Life cycle: Annual
Days to harvest: 130 days
Plant height approx.: 40 cm
Root type: Shallow rooter
Nutrient requirements: High
Water requirements: High
Winter hardiness: Up to 3°C
Location: Sunny
Soil: Permeable, humus-rich loamy soil

pH value: 6 to 7

 Sowing and planting information 
Germination type: Dark germinator
Sowing depth: 2-3 cm
Optimal germination temperature: 18-26 °C
Germination time: 6-14 days
Plant and row spacing: 70x80 cm

Germination ability of seeds: 3-4 years

 Mixed culture 
Optimal mixed culture: Peanut, Soy, Bean, Pea, Fennel, Kohlrabi, Beetroot, Nasturtium, Corn
Unfavorable mixed culture: Potato, Tomato

 Sowing by climate zone 
Subtropic climate (Mediterranean) (e. g. B. Portugal, Spain, Italy)
Direct sowing is possible at an ambient temperature of at least 15°C. Pre-cultivation from March to June is recommended. The ideal location for the plants is sheltered from the wind, warm and sunny.
Moderate climate (e. g. B. Germany, Switzerland, Poland)
Direct sowing is possible at an ambient temperature of at least 15°C. Pre-cultivation from April to May is recommended. The plants should ideally be located in a sheltered, warm and sunny location.

 General recommendations 
The best time to germinate melons is when the average night temperature is 15°C. Direct sowing in rows is possible. Pre-cultivation and subsequent planting at the specified planting distance is recommended. When pre-cultivating, sow the seeds directly in small pots or in seed trays and plant them from the second pair of leaves after the cotyledons or when the root ball is sufficiently rooted directly in the prepared bed.
Sugar melon 'Petit Gris de Rennes' prefers a permeable, nutrient-rich, moist and humus-rich loamy soil. Doesn't tolerate waterlogging.

 Additional tips 
Outdoor cultivation is possible in temperate and subtropical climates, although greenhouse cultivation may be preferable in cooler areas. It is recommended to cut the side shoots after the fertilized flowers. Sufficient and consistent watering is necessary and has a positive effect on the quality of the fruit. At temperatures below 10°C the plant reduces its growth. In order to quickly obtain a fine, crumbly and permeable soil with good nutrient and water storage capacity, it is recommended to additionally incorporate biochar and primary rock flour.

 Type of propagation 
Propagation occurs via seeds.

 Plant care 
Ein gelockerter nährstoffreicher und konstant feuchter Boden ist grundlegend wichtig für das Wachstum und eine qualitative Fruchtbildung. Eine Stickstoffreiche Düngung ist je nach Beschaffenheit des Bodens nach 8 Wochen empfehlenswert, eine Kaliumreiche Düngung nach etwa 11 Wochen.

 Other names 
Botanical names: Cucumis melo
English names: Sugar melon, Cantaloupe
German names: Zuckermelone, Cantaloupe Melone
Portuguese names: Melão de açúcar, Cantalupo
Spanish names: Melón azucarado, Cantalupo
French names: Melon sucré, Cantaloup 

 Origin 
Country: Germany