A New Melon For Me

I have been trying, mostly unsuccessfully, for years now to grow watermelons at this little place here.  Our previous land had sandy soil, and I easily grew watermelons.  This little place here, however, has heavy clay soils and it seems that watermelons don't care much for that.  Usually if I do get them to germinate and grow, they don't grow enough to be ripe before frost hits in the Fall.

Having read about a Canadian watermelon, Cream of Saskatchewan, I ordered some seeds of this variety to give a try this year.  I had hoped that a melon that would ripen in Canada's short growing season might do the same at this little place here.

Well, it's early August still, and we have harvested and eaten three Cream of Saskatchewan watermelons so far.  While they aren't what you expect when you think of watermelon, they do ripen, and they do taste good.

They are a small, round variety.  Not surprising there, several northern type watermelons are small and round versus large and oblong.  The big surprise is when you cut into them.

They are white!

Completely ripe, yet not a hint of pink.  If anything, I'd say they are a butter color.  Probably why they are named Cream of Saskatchewan and not just Saskatchewan melons.

Here's a picture of me holding half a melon in my hand for size reference.  This is mid-sized of what I've grown of these so far.  The bigger ones are maybe as big as a basketball.

Perhaps I should say that I have large hands for a woman.  Not big, necessarily, but I have long fingers (hence a ladies 'large' glove size), which makes for a wide grip compared to your average size lady.

DH and DD1 don't think this melon is very sweet, but I give it a thumb's up.  No, it isn't overpoweringly sugary, but it does have a good flavor.  I'll definitely grow it again in future years.