Montreal Melon (Cucumis melo)
Heirloom melon grown on the Island of Montreal in the 19th century. Sweet and fragrant flesh!
Known as the “Montreal Market Muskmelon” or “Montreal Nutmeg Melon,” this green-fleshed melon with a subtle nutmeg-like flavor has nearly disappeared. The earliest records of the Montreal melon date back to the Jesuits, who were growing it as early as 1684. It gained strong popularity in the early 1900s through the 1950s, when rapid urbanization, lack of succession, and high labor costs led to its decline. It was traditionally grown by three families—the Aubin, Décarie, and Gorman families. According to Le Potager d’antan, the melon was carefully selected from the mid-17th century before being stabilized in 1870 under the name “Montreal melon.” In the 1880s, an American seed company described it in its catalog as one of its best-selling melons across New England. Eventually, it was forgotten as farms disappeared from the Island of Montreal, until it was rediscovered by a journalist in a gene bank in the United States. Today, it is smaller than in historical photos but retains its excellent flavor. Please note: if you wish to save your own seeds, you must ensure that no other melon variety is growing within one kilometer, otherwise hand pollination is required.
| Quantity: Envelope of about 10 seeds |
| Plant type: Annual |
| Color: Green |
| Plantation: In the garden after the risk of frost |
| Sowing: Inside |
| Row spacing: 1 m |
| Days to maturity: 75 to 85 days |
| Germination: 5 to 10 days |
| Plant spacing: 75 cm |
| Depth: 1,5 cm |
| Exposure: Full sun |
| Watering: Frequent |
| Soil: Rich |
| Shape: Crawling |
| Height: 30 cm to 40 cm |
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