Early Dew Honeydew
Early Dew Honeydew is a hybrid melon. Germination takes 8-12 days and fruit ripens from about day 85-95. Skin runs to pale green flesh with smooth cream to pale yellow rind. Water need is 1-2 inches per week, deep watering preferred over frequent shallow watering. Suits zones 2-11. As a hybrid it will not breed true; saving seed from it is not worth the space.
Sowing
Start indoors 4 weeks before last frost date or direct sow when soil temperature consistently reaches 70°F.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-2 inches per week, deep watering preferred over frequent shallow watering
- Soil
- Well-drained sandy loam with good fertility and drainage
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 48-60 inches
- Height
- 6-9 feet
- Season
- Warm season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Pale green flesh with smooth cream to pale yellow rind
- Size
- 3-4 pounds
- Shape
- Oval with smooth, non-netted skin
- Flavour
- Sweet and mild with classic honeydew flavor and smooth, juicy texture
In the kitchen
Fresh eating, fruit salads, smoothies, chilled soups, and elegant desserts
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Aphids, cucumber beetles, spider mites, thrips
- Diseases
- Powdery mildew, downy mildew, bacterial wilt, alternaria leaf blight
- Resistance
- Good resistance to fusarium wilt and moderate resistance to powdery mildew
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | May – June | July | July – August | October – September |
| 3 | May | June – July | June – August | October |
| 4 | April – May | June | June – July | September – October |
| 5 | April | May – June | May – July | September – October |
| 6 | April | May – June | May – July | September – October |
| 7 | March – April | May | May – June | August – October |
| 8 | March | April – May | April – June | August – September |
| 9 | February | March – April | March – May | July – August |
| 10 | January – February | March | March – April | June – August |
| 11 | January | February | February – March | May – July |
| 12 | January | February | February – March | May – July |
| 13 | January | February | February – March | May – July |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Protein (g)
- 0.531
- Fat (g)
- 0.216
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 8.15
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 15.7
- Calcium (mg)
- 6.58
- Iron (mg)
- 0
- Magnesium (mg)
- 9.5
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 11.7
- Potassium (mg)
- 209
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.06
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Early Dew Honeydew?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other melons with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Early Dew Honeydew suits these too.
- Watermelon Charleston Gray 85 days
- Cantaloupe Hales Best 85 days
- Hale's Best Cantaloupe 85 days
- Delicious 51 Cantaloupe 85 days
- Orange Honeydew Melon 85 days
- Jade Dew Honeydew 85 days