Why Vegetables Can Be Sweet but Bland

Q. I have vines producing melons during the summer. They wanted to split, and the taste was bland. But the same vine producing melons in the Fall were much sweeter! Can we conclude that when it is too hot sweetness suffers, and splitness reigns?

Melons splitting due to irregular watering and lack of surface mulch.

A. I wish it were that simple. It’s really a question of the type and variety of melon grown as well as time of year.

Why Melons Split

            During times of high water use some types of melons easily split. Splitting is usually an irrigation issue; soil gets dry followed by an irrigation. This happens frequently in the desert when growing in uncovered, bare soils. Water loss from the soil can be over 4/10 of an inch per day! This is about 50% higher than water lost from the same crops in melon growing regions. It helps if you make sure the soil is not dry when it enters the hottest time of the day.

            Melon splitting is a variety issue complicated by weather and climate. If splitting is a problem with a variety, then select sequential planting times, or chose a different variety. It can make a difference. Write down your choices in a garden calendar and learn from these notes.

Harvesting Melons

            Never harvest melons that do not separate from the vines easily. Melons can be harvested early, and they will ripen, but they don’t get any sweeter than when they were separated from the vine. Not true of many tree fruits. You can have a fully mature melon that is not sweet if harvested too early.

Melons Need Fertilizer

            Melons are “hungry” crops and can deplete a soil of nutrients quickly. That’s why it will be necessary to add nutrients back to the soil at least yearly.

Choose Varieties Carefully

            Some varieties and types of melons just don’t perform ideally during our hot summer months. If you grow tomatoes, this might sound familiar. The heat is great for helping the plant make sugars but not in developing acidity. So, in the future keep good notes, pick varieties of melons that are consistent quality producers, plant them so fruits are harvested during cooler times of the year and wait to harvest until the melon slips easily from the vine.

            Trials can be fun, but I would caution you about “putting all your eggs in one basket”. Rely on a proven variety that you like and combine it with something new.  And don’t rely on one season of growth. It can be a bad year. Three seasons are better and five are best.