The California Cantaloupe Season Countdown Begins!
California cantaloupe farmers are gearing up for the California cantaloupe season coming up in just a few short months. As we wait impatiently for the first California cantaloupes to harvest in early May we are launching today a new series we’re calling “Countdown to California Cantaloupe Season.” As part of this feature, we’ll share with cantaloupe fans regular updates on the life cycle of an average early-season California cantaloupe, from seed to harvest.
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To begin telling the story of the life of California cantaloupe, some of the earliest cantaloupe harvesters in California, the cantaloupe farmers from Five Crowns Marketing in the southern desert region of the state, have agreed to help us by taking weekly photographs of their cantaloupe fields as they progress through the season.
The photo below was taken last week and shows what a cantaloupe field in the southern growing areas of California looks like about 91 days before harvest.
Starting shortly after Christmas, cantaloupe farmers in the Imperial Valley of California began to plant the first of their early harvest cantaloupe, which they germinate from seeds in the fields.
From there, they stagger the germination process through the month of March to ensure a steady harvest, starting off that long cantaloupe season all of us California cantaloupe lovers enjoy. This year, California cantaloupe harvest in the southern desert of the state will last from early May through June.
As you can see, these early cantaloupes planted in mid-winter are grown under plastic, this provides frost protection and promotes growth. Even in the warm desert growing areas the tiny plants are subject to frost damage when temperatures drop. Also, the plastic acts as a sort of hothouse and self-irrigation system, which conserves water during these early stages. As the sun hits, condensation forms under the plastic, which keeps the plants moist and saves water since no sprinkler irrigation is needed during this time. How cool is that? If you haven’t heard, California is in the midst of a severe drought, so conserving every drop of water is extremely important.
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So, if our delicious upcoming recipes got you as excited as us for the fast-approaching California cantaloupe season, then get ready because the official countdown begins today!
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Stay tuned for the next crop update when you’ll see how holes are punched in the plastic to let the little plants acclimate to the outdoors before the plastic comes off!
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