Idiot's Guide For Melons

Idiot guides are sometimes useful. It doesn't mean you're an idiot, it just means you lack certain information. I have a guide for my phone. I bought it used. I'm sure it might be useful if only I could remember where I placed it. Like an idiot, it is lost in my room of clutter.

I never claim to be smart. I remember when I bought some melons that had aphid infestation. It was not too bright to bring them home to infest my other garden plant. Every gardener knows that where there are ants there is an aphid farm waiting for production.

"Ants are incredible creatures and one thing they have learned how to do is farm aphids. Ants will propagate aphid larvae in order to keep a steady supply of aphids to eat."

I made a spray out of garlic, mineral oil, and soap. It worked okay, put was a little strong for some plants that now have brown leaves. I've notice that lady bugs are now controlling the spread of aphids so I have quit spraying.

Yesterday, I harvested my first heirloom melon. The melon reminded me of the idiot guides. By its design, it shows how to slice the melon. Take a look:

Follow the grooves and you cannot go wrong in slicing the melon. It surely is a melon made for idiots.

There are three ways to know when your melon is ready for harvest. One way is to notice the color change. The green will change to more of an orange color. Another way is to notice the stem. It will become cracked around the stem and easily pop off the melon. A little tension applied is all that is needed to release the melon from the vine. The last way is to smell the melon. It will give off a sweet odor.

I saved some seeds for next year. I rinsed the seeds in a fine holed colander and dried the seeds on a paper towel. It is so easy to save seeds, yet many gardeners would rather buy them.

There is nothing like a sweet melon on a hot day. I can't wait for the big one to fully ripen.