This melon gives you the best of both worlds—a combination of French and American melons. It has the netted skin of a cantaloupe, but in an oblong shape that can weigh in at 5 to 8 pounds! The flesh is light orange and deliciously sweet. The Ananas Coquette melon is both prolific and disease-resistant. Use in smoothies, fruit salad, appetizers, and even ice cream.

Essentials:

Sun Exposure

• full sun (six to eight hours)

Soil pH

• 6.2 to 6.8

Hardiness Zones

• 4 to 9

Spacing

• thin to three or four seedlings in a 12-inch mound
• space mounds 4 to 6 feet all around

Moisture

• 1 to 2 inches per week

Notes

• prefers well-drained, sandy loam soil with lots of direct sunlight
• keep fruits off the ground
• keep weeds under control with mulch; black plastic helps deter weeds and retain moisture

Have you tried growing Ananas Coquette melons? What region do you grow them in? Please tell us your experiences growing Ananas Coquette melons.