Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe is a celebrated American heirloom with a heritage dating back to the early 1900s. This time-tested variety produces vigorous vines and round melons with heavily netted rinds, thick golden-orange flesh, and an intensely sweet, aromatic flavor. Fruits typically weigh 3 to 4 pounds and measure about 6 to 6.5 inches across. The pronounced netting and sweet aroma help signal ripeness, while the generous flesh makes Hearts of Gold a rewarding choice for fresh summer eating, fruit salads, smoothies, sorbet, and savory sweet-and-salty pairings.

Germination Rate: 85%. Test Date: 11/25. WILL.

Texas Minimum Germination Rate: 75%.

Why Choose Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe?

• American Heirloom: A beloved early-1900s variety valued for flavor and dependable garden performance.
• Intensely Sweet Flesh: Produces deep golden-orange flesh with rich aroma and concentrated summer flavor.
• Netted Rind: Heavy netting and a strong sweet aroma help indicate when fruit is approaching peak ripeness.
• Productive Vines: Vigorous vines can produce an abundant harvest when given warmth, space, moisture, and pollinators.
• Open-Pollinated and Non-GMO: Traditional seed that can be saved from mature fruit for future gardens.
• Reliable Maturity: Expect harvest in approximately 79 days under favorable growing conditions.

Planting Tips for Success

• Sunlight: Plant in full sun with at least 8 hours of direct light each day. Cantaloupe needs warmth and light for sugar development.
• Soil: Use fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Mix finished compost into the planting area before sowing.
• Timing: Direct sow after frost danger has passed when soil temperatures reach at least 65°F, or start seeds indoors about 3 to 4 weeks before transplanting.
• Spacing: Give vines plenty of room, spacing hills about 4 to 6 feet apart in rows about 6 feet apart. Use supported slings if growing melons vertically.
• Watering: Keep soil evenly moist during vine growth and fruit development. Reduce watering as fruit approaches ripeness to help concentrate flavor.
• Feeding: Apply compost or balanced fertilizer at planting, then shift toward a fruiting fertilizer once flowering begins.
• Pollination: Bees are essential for fruit set. Grow pollinator-friendly flowers nearby and avoid sprays during bloom.
• Harvesting: Harvest when the stem slips easily from the vine with gentle pressure, the blossom end gives slightly, and the fruit develops a strong sweet aroma.

Why Choose David's Garden Seeds®?

• Veteran-Owned: Proudly supplying quality seeds since 2009.
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• Integrity Pledge: Learn more about our Safe Seed Integrity Pledge.
• Vegetable Seed License: We meet applicable requirements for selling vegetable seed.
• Great Customer Service: Our team is here to help you grow with confidence.

Cooking Methods

• Fresh: Halve, remove the seeds, and serve chilled for the purest expression of its sweet golden flesh.
• Prosciutto and Melon: Wrap chilled slices in prosciutto for a classic sweet-and-savory appetizer.
• Fruit Salads: Cube and combine with berries, citrus, herbs, and a honey-lime dressing.
• Smoothies: Blend with lime, mint, yogurt, berries, or cucumber for a naturally sweet summer drink.
• Sorbet: Purée ripe melon and freeze for a simple frozen dessert with bright fruit flavor.
• Salsa: Dice with jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and lime for a sweet-heat salsa.

Order Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Seeds Today

Order yours today and grow intensely sweet Hearts of Gold cantaloupes for fresh summer eating and garden-fresh recipes.

Nutritional Information

Applies to harvested cantaloupe, not planting seeds. Per 1 cup (160 g) diced cantaloupe:

• Calories: 54
• Total Fat: 0.3g (0% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 26mg (1% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrate: 13g (5% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 1.4g (5% Daily Value)
• Total Sugars: 12.6g
• Protein: 1.3g
• Vitamin A: 299mcg (33% Daily Value)
• Vitamin C: 57mg (63% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 427mg (9% Daily Value)
• Folate: 33mcg (8% Daily Value)

*Percent Daily Value based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Nutritional values are estimates for harvested fruit from mature cantaloupe plants.

Important Disclosures

• Variety Disclaimer: Fruit size, sweetness, yield, and maturity vary with climate, soil, pollination, watering, care, and harvest timing. The listed maturity period is an estimate under favorable conditions.
• Seed Storage: Store unused seeds in a cool, dry place away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight. Seal opened packets for best viability.
• Planting Zones: Cantaloupe is a warm-season annual. Plant after frost danger has passed and soil has warmed, following local frost dates and growing-season conditions.

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