Watermelons Small/Medium
$4.00
Personal and icebox-sized watermelons — all the sweetness in a more manageable package. Perfect for small households, small gardens, and anyone who wants the whole melon to themselves. Varieties include: Sugar Baby (petite round fruits with sweet, crisp bright red flesh and thin dark green rind — perfect for individual servings and small gardens or containers). Growing tips: These smaller varieties mature faster (70-80 days) than their full-sized cousins, making them more reliable at our 3,990-foot elevation. Same care as large melons — full sun, warm soil, consistent water — but they need less space. A great choice for raised beds and smaller gardens.
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More Squash & Melons
Summer Squash
Zucchini, pattypan, and other summer squash varieties that produce prolifically from early summer through fall. The garden's most generous plant — you will have plenty to share with neighbors. Varieties include: Cocozelle Zucchini (dark green with light green stripes, firm texture), Dark Green Zucchini (classic glossy dark green, tender and mildly sweet), Early White Scallop (pattypan with scalloped edges and nutty flavor), and Early Prolific Squash (bushy, highly productive dark green zucchini-type). Growing tips: Direct sow after last frost when soil is warm. Summer squash grows fast — harvest frequently at 6-8 inches for best flavor and texture. Letting fruits get too large makes them seedy and tough. In our climate, watch for squash vine borers and powdery mildew. Morning watering at the base keeps foliage dry and healthy. Two to three plants feed a family generously.
Winter Squash
Butternut, acorn, spaghetti, and other storage squash that you harvest in fall and enjoy all winter long. These hardy, long-keeping squash are nutritional powerhouses with rich, sweet flavor that improves in storage. Varieties include: Vegetable Spaghetti (noodle-like strands, low-carb pasta alternative), Waltham Butternut (sweet nutty flesh, creamy texture — perfect roasted or in soups), Table Queen Acorn (dark green, sweet nutty flesh — great for roasting and stuffing), True Green Hubbard (large with dense sweet flesh — excellent for soups and stores well all winter), and Table King Acorn (compact bush-type, 1-2 pound fruits with sweet orange flesh). Growing tips: Winter squash needs a long season — plant after last frost and give them plenty of room to sprawl. Ready when the stem dries and the rind can't be dented with your thumbnail. Cure in the sun for a week after harvest, then store in a cool, dry place. Our warm days and cool nights produce excellent sugar content.
Pumpkins
Carving, pie, and decorative pumpkin varieties to make fall complete. From classic jack-o-lanterns to rich pie pumpkins, there is a variety for every autumn tradition. Varieties may include: Jack O'Lantern, Sugar Pie, Cinderella, and other pumpkin types for carving, cooking, and decorating. Growing tips: Pumpkins need space, sun, and a long growing season. Plant after last frost and give each hill 6-8 feet in all directions. In Big Pine, our warm summer days and cool nights help develop deep orange color. For Halloween pumpkins, count back 90-120 days from your target date to determine planting time. Water consistently but avoid wetting the leaves.
Melons
Sweet cantaloupe, honeydew, and specialty melon varieties that thrive in the Owens Valley's hot summers. There is nothing like a sun-warmed melon picked straight from the garden. Varieties may include: Hale's Best Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Charentais, and other melon selections suited to our climate. Growing tips: Melons love heat — and Big Pine delivers. Plant in the warmest spot in your garden after all danger of frost. Black plastic mulch warms the soil and helps melons thrive at our elevation. Cantaloupes are ripe when they slip easily from the vine with gentle pressure. Honeydews are trickier — look for a color change from green to creamy white and a slight give at the blossom end.