True Charentais melon forms smooth gray oval fruit with dark sutures. Fragrant bright-orange flesh ripens on medium plants, with melons running to 2 pounds.
Pick fruit when skin turns green to gray for best flavor. Sow 1/2 inch deep; seed sprouts in 4-10 days at 70-85 degrees, started indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost or outside after frost, spaced 36 inches.
